The Press.
London, England, 1857-05-09 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

do so without occasionally adopting severe measures. Sir
Jahn Itowring went out to China, he believed, with the
intention of pursuing a pacific policy, and with a desire
to improve the condition of the Chinese as far tot possi.le.
Therefore, he felt convinced that Sir John Bowring ought
not to be blamed for what had recently occurrf d in China.
Lord Dalhousie and Lord Canning went to India with the
fixed determination of preserving peaceful relations, but
circumstances compelled them to deviate from the course
they had previously determined upon ; and so it would
frequently be, while England was fulfilling her mission.

THE GOVERN3IENT SAVINGS-BANK BILL was dis•
cussed on Wednesday at a crowded public meeting
of trustees, managers, and actuaries of the var.ous
savings-banks, held in the vestry-room, St. Clement
Danes. Mr. C. E. Lewis, trustee for St. Clement
Danes Savings-batik, in an able address, stated
that the written opinion of all the leading managers
was that if clauses 2 and 3 of the Government bill
were cat•riel in their present shape they would be
utterly destructive of local management. They were
equally opposed to the reduction of the present
maximum of accounts; but on that point a letter
had been received from Mr. Tidd Pratt, stating that
the Government would give way :
Mr. Gladstone's Savings-bank Bill in 1851 gave the
most minute and specific information Wit-h regard to the
regulations which the Government wished to enforce, but
the present bill went to exactly the opposite extreme. It
left everything vague—everything, in short, to be enacted
by the Comptroiler•General—and that, too, without giving
any power of appeal from his decision. It was not treating
the public with proper respect to withdraw an elaborate
bill like Mr. Gladstone's because it was objected to, and
then to bring in another which gave the Government
officials power to enact what they pleased. What reason
had they fur such excessive trust in the Government? The
Government by its manipulations had made a clear deficit
of 5,0.)0,000/. on the savings-hank account, whereas the
total amount of private defalcations did not exceed
250,0001. Nay, more, it had come out in relation to the
bank in Cuffe-street, Dublin, that a Government official had
actually advised the bank to go on, though insolvent to the
extent of 500001. He (Mr. Lewis) believed that a system
of Government superintendence and audit, with severe
penalties on trustees who (lid not do their duty, would
meet all the requirements of the case. In those instances
in which frauds had occurred, they had been rendered
practicable by persons professing to be trustees and nDt
acting. Make trustees in every case a reality, and fraud
would be all but impossible. Above everything, let the
Government deal with the question and have done with it.
These continual agitations were most disastrous. During
the last ten years, notwithstanding the increased popula-
tion and the greater wealth and prudence of the people,
the amount of deposits had actually remained stationary
whereas it had doubled itself during the previous ten
',ears, and during the ten years before that. Such was the
pernicious result of these perpetual agitations.
He begged to more the following resolution :

That clauses 2 and 3 in the proposed Government
Savings•hank Bill ( viz., giving too indefinite and uncon•
trolled powers to the Government) aro likely to be destruc-
tive of the system of local management of savings•banks,
which the Chancellor of the Exchequer states it is desirable
to maintain and support.

The resolution wa3 carried with only one dissentient,
and a deputation appointed to wait upon the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer.

TIIE EQUALISATION OF Poen RATES was discussed
at a public meeting in Southwark on Tuesday last.
Sir Charles Napier and Mr. Locke, the borough
members, were present, and addressed the meeting
in favour of the movement, and promised to it their
support in Parliament. Several resolutions were
passed pointing out the inequality existing. Where
the wealthier parishes were paying only in the
pound, the poorer districts were rated at from 3s. to
44. (lil. in the pound. The next day a deputation
from the East-end clergy held an interview with the
President of the Poor law Board upon the subject.
Mr. Bouverie heard the deputation out, and in reply
said that first, as " a matter of justice," the richer
parishes of the West end would object that they were
compelled to support the poor of the East-end ; that it
was only a question of "shifting the burden ;" secondly,
that local rating was the best check against extra.
vagance, because practically those who administered
the rate felt that they were spending their own
money, whereas if they had the privilege of putting
their hands into the pockets of the whole metropolis
no such security against extravagance would exist;
and finally, that an average metropolitan rate would
soon pave the way for a notional rate, and that no
one wished to see adopted. With respect to what
were the intentions of Government on the question,
he was unprepared to say. He was not prepared to
initiate any parliamentary action in the matter; and
if the question came before the house, Government
would then decide upon the course proper to pursue.
A crowded meeting was also held on Thursday
evening at the London Coffee-house, Mr. Alderman
Sydney in the chair, when various resolutions and a
petition to Parliament in favour of the equalisation
of rates were carried.

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