§ Mr. GROVESasked the Postmaster-General whether, seeing that accounts opened under the Post Office Savings Bank are guarded and retained until either the persons who deposited the 1621W money have authorised its withdrawal, or in the case of decease the person legally declared, he is aware that when persons having accounts with the Post Office Savings Bank become inmates of a county asylum their savings book is claimed by the board of guardians of the area; and whether he will take steps to see that such regulation conferred by Section 299 of the Lunacy Act, 1890, is mentioned among the rules and regulations of Post Office deposits?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI am aware that where a lunatic is chargeable to a Poor Law Union the guardians1622W under Section 299 of the Lunacy Act of 1890 may obtain a Justice's order for the seizure of such money belonging to the lunatic as the Justice may think sufficient to pay the expenses of maintenance. The application of this Section of the Act extends not only to deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank but to other property possessed by insane persons For this reason, and because so small a proportion of Savings Bank depositors are affected, I do not think that any further reference to the provision in the Post Office Deposit Book beyond that which now appears in the most recent issues is necessary or desirable.