16. Major NEWMANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland wheher he is aware that the Irish joint stock banks and savings banks hold on deposit a sum of more than £110,000,000; can he give the average interest paid on such deposits; and will he say why no public effort by poster or meeting is made to attract some of this money to the various War Loans?
§ The JOINT FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Baldwin)I am aware that the deposits in banks in Ireland are considerable. In accordance with the general arrangements with banks, the main Irish banks do not now pay more than 3 per cent. interest on ordinary deposits. Meetings have been recently addressed, both at Dublin and Belfast, by the Chairman of the National War Savings Committee, and arrangements for a poster campaign are being made. The Irish banks have undertaken to advise depositors to invest in War Bonds.