§ COLONEL WILSON PATTENsaid, he would beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether his attention has been 136 directed to Private Bills introduced during the present Session, giving powers to corporate bodies to establish Savings Banks on the security of corporate funds, and, if so, what are the intentions of the Government with respect to them?
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER, in reply, said, the attention of the Government had been called to that subject—as one of very considerable interest and importance—by the parties connected with one or both of the Bills now before that House. One of those Bills related to the town of Bradford, the other to the city of Manchester, and their object was to enable municipal bodies to establish municipal savings banks. Considering that the Government were themselves directly interested through their connection with two systems of savings banks—namely, both the old and the Post Office savings banks—hehad felt a certain delicacy as to interfering with those proposals, and was exceedingly anxious that they should be brought fully under the notice of the House, so that the House might pass its own impartial judgment upon them, because it was quite clear that the Government ought not to be allowed to object to them upon the ground of competition, while, on the other hand, the question was one of very considerable importance, and it was very desirable that the attention of the House should be called to it. However, as the matter did not appear to have been taken up in that House, the Government had been in communication with the parties. There could be no doubt whatever as to the security which those municipal bodies might offer for any deposits intrusted to them. One or two other points were perhaps more doubtful. It was doubtful whether that was a question altogether to be dealt with by a private or by a public Bill; but it was quite plain, upon principle, that what one municipality might claim another municipality might claim also. The other point was what means municipal bodies who had no ordinary banking facilities could possess for the immediate satisfaction of all claims which might be made against them. He could only say that his right hon. Friend (the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster) had been in communication with the gentlemen who were interested in the prosecution of the Bills referred to, and he hoped that in a few days he would be able to arrive at some conclusion in the matter. In that event he would convey 137 to the House the resolution of the Government in reference to those Bills.
§ MR. ROEBUCKsaid, he wished to know, whether the Bills in question were to be treated as Public or Private Bills, believing this to be a point of importance on which the House ought to be informed?
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, that in many instances it was very difficult to decide whether a Bill should be treated as a private or a public Bill, and no Member of the Government was any authority in determining the matter. He presumed, however, that on a future occasion the Government would state distinctly its views in reference to the Bills in question. He felt that the subject was one of great public interest, and he had no hesitation in saying that it would have been much more satisfactory to him if they had been dealt with as public Bills.