ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE,

Otago Daily Times, Issue 137, 24 April 1862, Page 5

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE,

; SAVINGS BANKS. To the Editor of the Daily Times,

Sir,—Dunedin has great reason to be proud of the I advancement she has made, not only in her commerce, I but also in her social and charitable institutions She can point to her. imports and exports, which a few years ago were at a more minimum, 'now each approaching annually to one ' million sterling. Churches, chapels, and schools, are speedily beingbuilt, and well supported on all sides. Mercantile houses tire being erected not inferior-cither in costliness or extent to similar buildings., in Melbourne or the older country. But, sir, I think you will agree with me that among others, such as a Public" Library and a Mechanics' Institute, there is one desideratum, the want of i which is niuch felt, and the possession of which would be greatly, prized, by. .the .laboring classes Svho form so large a pionortion of our resident population I refer especially to a Dunedin, Savings' Bank. ! The three Banks, now carrying on business in the town, no' doubt supply the requirements-of the larger trading firms,iand it'may be of smaller <lealers but what advantage are they, ,pray,.to. .the.WQrking-. man,, deceiving bis weekly wages, and. anxious to de-j. posit a poition'of hisearnings, however "small, where' he knows it will be:at""ohce cheerfully receivedand .perfectly safe?. : I answer, of no advantage what; ever> for a smaller sum than .ten pounds sterling they will not receive,at a workmanj's hand. .. t ... '. 1 ■1 haveno'heed to reldte to you or any of'your in^ telligeiit readers what great and unlpoked for benefits have been conferred on the general public by the establishment of Savings Banks' in-all the cities and considerable sized towns jn the Mother CtAintry; .neither need 1 point -Victorians. |to the : w.onderful progress and usefulness of the Melbourne Branch. All I will add, is-that 1 very much mistake the- spirit and philanthropy of oui- public .men in Dunedin if a want so much felt be not speedily .supplied, and a flourishing Savings Bank established amongst us. I ■ r' ".' '; '■■ . lam, ■ -'-'■ ; ";■■ ."., '.-.- :.'.- ----' .':■. . Your obedient, servant,. :•., ' ... Peccnia. " "Dunedin, Walker-slreet, ■ April 23, 1862, . ...

To the Editor of the Otago Daily Times. Dear Sik,—Your, commendable efforts to rouse the Town Board to a sense of their duties on various subjects connected witb the welfare of this city aud its ; inhabitants', seem to bring forth, in may cases, little reward other.than the, grateful, reminiscence of your readers. The necessity of lighting bur public thoroughfares remains-as gTeat as ever, but tne"accomplishment'of the object seems destined to become a work of some magnitude on a future day. Unfortunately pedestrians meanwhile wbd have the'temerity" to tl-y and walk 'after dark 'from the -city to-the suburbs, meet with,untold accidents. Alany of thetn havetb stand and- wonder "whether the next step-will be into a ditch, a flax bush,, or between the rails 'of some ! neighboring fence, t-o thoroughly dark is it that the result must be in many cases-a turn in the wrong direction. The many- incidents that come unden my own-notice convince :'me* that' my fellow citizens, and especially the" poorer portion of them, must suffer considerably by the present unreasonable state of affairs. Signs of pi-ogress, of confidence in :the stability of the town, aud of improvement appenr on every side, .which ought to guide the members of -the Town Board'in the particular path to ipursue, and must show them most unmistakably..the requirement ofthe1 pe0p1e..... New buildings, spring up like, mushrooms on each side of the public roads,, and speak as plainly as possible the advancement and prosperity ofthe people. Then, why should these last be doomed to walk iv utter darkness after they have invested such large sums in making a town to rise on what was, (but a short time since, a mere waste strip of land. 'There is no question but that lamp posts enough for the .whole; town could < be* erected in a fortnight did the Town Board desire it, and "lartips and ' oil enough to light the streets are- no doubt to be obtained in as short a space of time. In the name of hit that is grcat-and.good, therefore, let us haye some light,'light, light;- The gentleman who found-himself last night in a. ditch will be one of the first to thank the Town-Board should they illuminate thefr public i ways,; nnd the writer of this willbe spared the necessity of holding a candle in the street whilst some bewildered citizen receives instructions tprk^ep.'his.eye, on a distant glimmer iri : a."cottage windowihat- might* enable him to retain his course.on the public road. Trusting 1 may not-be trespassing too much on yourivaluable space, \ I am,* Mr-Editor,.,,. .-...,. .1...,.- ~,, Your obedient servant, " ."' ■ i — ■ ---■ Light. 21st April, 1862. , :_-,, '„