§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Postmaster-General, having regard to the fact that there has been no great increase recently in the number of accounts to be dealt with by the Post Office Savings Bank, will he explain why, under Subhead E 11 of the Post Office Vote, a sum of £87,500 has 360 been set down for Post Office Savings Bank postage, 1904–5, an increase of £14,500 as compared with the previous year.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Lord STANLEY, Lancashire, Westhoughton)The Estimate of the cost of Savings Bank postage for 1903–4 was framed on the assumption that the passing of the Savings Bank and Friendly Societies Bill would relieve the Postmaster-General of the obligation to acknowledge deposits of less than £1 in amount, and thus reduce the postage. As, however, this Bill was not proceeded with, the relief was not obtained and the expenditure proved to be about £14,600 more than the Vote. The Estimate for the current year was framed so as to provide against such an excess. If the Savings Bank Acts Amendment Bill, now before the House, becomes law this session the case will, of course, be altered.