NATIONAL SAVINGS COMMITTEE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 186, 19 May 1948, Page 2

NATIONAL SAVINGS COMMITTEE

Work During War Years Recognised PRESENTATION TO MEMBERS Tangible appreciation by the New Zealand National Savings Committee of the work of local committees in the Dominion is being expressed by the presentation of silver propelling pencils to the members of each district, committee. '

The presentation to members of the Ashburton committee was made at an informal function in the Municipal Chambers yesterday afternoon by the district organiser, Mr K, Mann. T'he chairman of the local committee, Mr A. A. McDonald, presided. The national savings scheme proved to be a vital weapon during wartime, and in the post-war period it offered wage-earners a means of saving money and of combating inflation,, said Mr McDonald. Ashburton, in common with six other districts in the Dominion, had reached all its quotas since the inauguration of the scheme in 1940. The foundations which were laid during the war years had imbued in the people of the Dominion a sense of thrift, which was demonstrated by the surplus of thousands in the national savings account last year. Already this year, as far as Ashburton was concerned, the proportional, quota was to hand, and there was the indication of a further surplus at the end of the current financial year. The object of the presentation was to express to the people of New Zea land on behalf of the National Savings Committee thanks and appreciation for work done in assisting the progress of the scheme since its inception, said Mr S. G. Heffernan, Postmaster at Ashburton. “We know from experience that an active committee can be a great help in the national savings movement,” he said. “ I know the committee in Ashburton has been a real live one, and good work has been done. National savings during the war was a major part of the scheme to raise money. for war purposes. The three methods adopted were taxation, internal loans and national savings. The latter gave the people of the Dominion individual opportunity to assist in the war effort and at the same time save money. The work done by the committees, although in many cases not spectacular, did much towards ensuring that the required quotas were raised.”

! Extent of Movement

There were 450,000 national savings accounts in New Zealand, continued Mr Heffernan. What started as a wartime movement had come to stay, and £45,500,000 was invested in national savings in the Dominion. In Ashburton there were 88 national savings groups operating in business houses, involving a total of 801 employees. The total investment in the town was £470,000. Since April of this year £IO,OOO had been invested at Ashburton. *

“For the last 10 years Post Office officials have been called on to act as the medium between the Government and the .people by way of local committees,” said Mr Mann. In a brief review of the history of the movement in Ashburton, Mr Mann said the first meeting was held on November 4, 1941, when the first committee Avas formed. This comprised Messrs A. A. McDonald, J. Roach, A. H. Todd, W. B. W. Bell, H. W. Smallbone, E. Hopwood and S. F. Cowan and Dr. N. E. H. Fulton. There had been a few changes in the personnel of the committee over the years owing to resignations for various reasons. The chairman elected at the first meeting, Mr McDopald,, had held the post ever since.

“Apart from its'benefit to the people, the national savings movement at Ashburton has put the town in the limelight,” said Mr Mann, who added that only six other districts in New Zealand had, like Ashburton, , consistently exceeded their quotas. Following the presentations of the pencils by Mr Mann, the Mayor of Ashburton (Mr E. C. Bathurst) expressed the appreciation of the members of the committee for the gift. “It is very pleasing for us to be here and to know that State departments do recognise what is done voluntarily by the general public,” he said. * After a brief review of various highlights of the campaign, including bond-selling and the visit of the hand-wagon, Mr Bathurst remarked that Ashburton could be proud of its effort.

Tribute to Organiser

A tribute to the work of the organiser was paid by Mr S. P. Taylor, Who remarked on the enthusiasm displayed for the movement by Mr Mann. “During the years of the war the work accomplished by Post Office officials, who had heavy additional burdens thrust on'them, was not generally recognised by the man in the street,” said Mr Taylor. The meeting accepted a proposal by Mr M. S. Turton that a letter of appreciation or the work accomplished Mann be dispatched to the Mational Savings Department.