Drunkenness finds
immediate gratification; while economy has to travel a mile, it may be,
for her savings bank; and that opens its door to thrift but once or
twice a week."[1]
[Footnote 1: Seed-Time and Harvest of Ragged Schools, or a Third Plea,
with new editions of the First and Second Plea, p. 99.]
Many suggestions had been made by friends of the poorer classes, whether
it might not be possible to establish a more extended system of savings
banks throughout the country. As long ago as 1807, Mr. Whitbread
introduced a Bill into Parliament for the purpose of enabling small
deposits to be made at an office to be established in London; the money
to be remitted by the postmasters of the districts in which the deposits
were made. The Bill further contemplated the establishment of a National
Assurance Society, by means of which working people were to be enabled
to effect assurances to an extent not exceeding two hundred pounds, and
to secure annuities to an amount not exceeding twenty pounds. Mr.
Whitbread's bill was rejected, and nothing came of his suggestions.
The exertions of Sir Rowland Hill having given great vitality to the
Post Office system, and extended its usefulness as a public institution
in all directions, it was next suggested that the money-order offices
(which were established in 1838) might be applied for the purpose of
depositing as well as for transmitting money.
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