HC Deb 01 March 1910 vol 14 c740
Mr. WING

asked the Postmaster-General if his Department will consider the advisability of extending the area of investment of the savings of the people to include direct loans to municipalities, with a view to increasing the earning capacity of the people's savings and the cheapening of money required by municipalities, in place of the present system?

Mr. HOBHOUSE

I beg to refer my hon. Friend to the answer given yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to a question by the Member for the Colne Valley Division.

Mr. WING

Will he be good enough to consider the question of appointing a Committee to consider the matter, since quite a number of communities feel that it is very difficult to have to pay such large sums of money for municipal purposes, and that the Post Office money should be available?

Mr. HOBHOUSE

I think the objections, on the whole, to raising money from this particular source are of a sufficiently strong character, it is not possible to disclose them all in detail, as to render such is a course undesirable and unnecessary.