DISTRICT SAVINGS BANKS.

Southland Times, Issue 1717, 21 March 1873, Page 3

DISTRICT SAVINGS BANKS.

(to the editoe of the txmks). Sir, — As I wus cogitating the other day as to how we might forward the welfare oi the " body . politic" ot this fine country, wuil.st at same time helping by an indirect means to really open up the country by internal settlement, it struck me that Government might with benefit to themselves forward these ends somewhat by a more extended distribution ot " Branch Savings Bankß," and that by the very simple process of making every inland Post Office at any distance over ten miles from Invercargill a Branch Savings Bank. The Dread-winners ot the country wouii then have always at hand, on every Saturday night, an institution ready to take profitable care of any email sums the provident of that class might be disposed to lay bye for a " rainy day," and I believe that the handiness of the accommodation would lead niauy of even the improvident to lay past some portion of the earnings they so olten thou;;htk-661y throw away, and that often from the mere fact of having no handy place to ueposit in profitable stcuiitv some small portion oL their hard-earned gains, ere dissipating the major portion on the apparently inevitable spree. But;h uu extension of that truly benevolent scheme, the Go eminent Savings Bank, needs liitle or no additional expense ; a* any Postmaster could find time to fill up a monthly sheet of deposits and withdrawals, and a semi-monthly return of same to the h ad oflice at Invercargill would keep all square. 1 hiu sure many of the up-country Poßt Office keepers would be the beller oi some such small aduitiunal clerking business to do, as they must , someiimes, when the public are not thirrty, have very hard work imieed to fill up their Saturday evenings at home, anu the added dignity of being tiie representatives oi the Government J3uuk, as well as the Post Otlice Lepartmeut, would no doubt lead to a better morale being more

generally mitigate! by the up-country P"Btmtisters I have no doubt many objections mi 'ht be urged ar^iinst such an pxtf>n°ion of " banking riccorr.mndii.ion to th- 1 th'i'ty man," but the go'-d eft Vets which have followed its extensive adoption in the old country, lead vie to be anxious to see sn i arly start made in this >k'ht direction in thi* fine new country. As a uiphds to the great end ol keeping at a high elevation of character the backbone of the country (viz., the working men), I fancy no reasonable objection could be made to this plan. Trusting you may find space for this in your journal, and in the hope that it may at loa9t have the effect of setting some wiser heads than mine a thinking on the subject. — I am, &0., Old Sayings Bank. Invercargill, loth M:»rch. 1873.