§ Mr. Teelingasked the Assistant Postmaster-General when the official envelopes for sending savings books up for yearly examination and adding of interest will be put back in the post offices.
§ Mr. BurkeEnvelopes for forwarding bank books are still provided at post offices, but counter staffs have been instructed to refuse an application for an envelope for sending up a book except in certain special cases. The Savings Bank Department has had a very large increase of work during the last few years, and has been suffering from a serious shortage of staff; it has therefore been necessary to restrict the number of books which are received for examination. The depositor does not, of course, suffer any" loss of interest through postponing the sending up of his bank book, because the interest is credited to the account in the official ledger on 31st December in each year and it is entered in the book at the first convenient opportunity. I realise, however, that inconvenience is caused to a number of depositors through not being able to send their books up for examination and the entering of interest, and I am anxious to withdraw the restriction as soon as the necessary staff is available.