The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-04-27 00:00:00

POST OFFICE SAVINGS BANKS.

A deputation from the Council of the Charity Organi-
sation Society waited upon the Postmaster-General on
Tuesday afternoon to submit proposals for extending
the usefulness of the Post Office Savings Banks.
The Earl of Lichfield, in introducing the deputation,
said that the gentlemen who composed it represented
almost every district in London, and they all felt the
very great importance of enc .uraging in every possible
way provident habits among the poorer classes. The
Post Office Savings Banks had dune a great deal in this
direction, but they thought additional facilities might be
placed within the r -ach of the poorer classes in large
towns, and also in agricultural districts. With that view
they suggested a vi ry small altsrationin the regulations
already in fires with regard to these savings banks.
They suggested ia the first place to allow deposits of
less than Is. to be made, to give greater facilities for the
working classes- to have access to the,: F:fts-'l,,s baulks
at hours convenient to themselves; and finally that a
manual should be published by the Post Office setting
forth clearly and distinctly the scope, cbjects, and re-
gulations of the different Government provident insti-
tutions in existence.
General Cavanagh, the Rev. J. D. M'Gachan
(Bethnal Green), Mr. E. W. Holland, the Rev. J. It.
Simpson, and Mr. Andrew Johnstone, M.P., urged
upon the right hon. gentleman the importance of
granting increased facilities to the poorer claws to in-
vest money in the Post Office Savings Banks.

The Postmaster-General, in reply, said that he took
the deepest possible interest in the subject of improving
the condition of the poor, and he desired in every
possible way to assist the society in that excellent
work. The suggestions that the rate of interest might
be reduced to meet the expense of receiving mina
lower than Is. and that deposits of more than
1:30 might be received without interest were
matters for inquiry. He thought that the views of •
the deputation would be carried out by encouraging
an increase of penny banks. The real limitation
• of the Post Office was the commercial considera- •
tion, and if it could be shown that the suggested I
change c uld be carried out without loss to the de- I
partment, he should be glad to take into considera-
tion some way of doing it. He would make inquiry '
whether the offices might not he kept open to a later
hour on some particular night in the week, but
in small districts that change would be one of
extreme difficulty. A manual containing the regula-
tions of the savings banks had already been extensively
circulated by the Post Office, but it was intended to
compile and circulate generally a simple manual, He
entirely sympathised with the object of the deputa-
tion, and if there was any way in which he could give
greater facility to the poor to der wait their money in
the Post Office Banks he should be happy to do co
Lord Lichfield pointed out that the great difficulty
in the way of encouraging penny banks was the want
of adequate security for their stability.
IThe depmsition then withdrew.