§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, having regard to the fact that during the year 1897 no less than 126,996 depositors in the Post Office Savings Hunk, three-fourths of whom are assumed to consist of the working classes, telegraphed to the head office, London, in order to withdraw money rather than await correspondence by post, and in so doing expended nearly £8,000 in sums varying from 1s. 3d. to 9d. for each withdrawal, will he, with a view to relieve the working classes of this heavy tax on their resources when requiring their money speedily, consider the expediency of introducing legislation such as will place at their disposal a 554 mode of withdrawal more speedy than withdrawal by post, and less costly than withdrawal by telegraph?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERNo, Sir, it is not the intention of the Government to introduce legislation for the purpose suggested. The reasons against such a course have been already stated in this House on February 21st, 1896, April 6th, 1897, and May 4th, 1897. There is no evidence that people who use the system of telegraphic withdrawal in cases of exceptional urgency feel the charges to be a hardship. Moreover, it must be remembered that the Post Office Savings Rank was established for the encouragement of thrift, and not for the purpose of performing the functions of an ordinary bank.