A TEST OF PROSPERITY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4226, 23 September 1892, Page 3

A TEST OF PROSPERITY.

Wairarapa Townships Compared.

Perhaps one of the simplest but at the same time one of the surest ways of gaining an idea of the comparative prosperity of settlers in general in the various townships within easy range of us, is found when one glances at the transactions of the Post Office Savings Bank, Of course allowance has to be made for differences of population ; but that once done, the inferences which may be drawn, are fairly reliable and are thoroughly indicative of how a place thrives, Here are the figures for the year 1891, and although it will be seen that Palmerston North heads the list by a very considerable margin, still it must be remembered that it is a much larger town than any Wairarapa centre is. In its own district, though, Masterton by no means suffers in comparison, and its deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank are nearly thrice those of any of the other towns shown in the summary reproduced at the foot hereof: — POST OFFICE SAVINGS BANK, 1891. Deposits, Withdrawals, £ £ Palmerston ... 25,973 18,347 Masterton ... 14,175 7,867 Pahiatua ... 5,240 5,076 Carterton ... 4,860 2,239 Greytown ... 3,638 3,216 Featherston ... 2,221 964 Eketahuna ...1,943 2,664 Mauriceville... 1,158 796 Martinborough 816 488 Castlepoint ... 124 78