Penalty on Thrift

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 239, 6 July 1931, Page 11

Penalty on Thrift

Sir,—ln to-day’s paper I read with some degree of ar 'cnishment of a case which appeared before a southern court. It appears that an honest and thrifty citizen who had saved and deposited a sum of money in the Government Savings Bank, and also paid house rent to the Government, obtained work through the relief scheme. This man was fined £lO and ordered to refund the money earned. He asked if ho might say a word, to which tlie magistrate replied: “Not a word; get out of the box and out of the court!” He was treated as an undesirable instead of an example to hundreds of ol hers who have wasted their earnings and are a burden on the State. Having saved and helped to protect himself from pauperism and , charitable aid in his declining years, he is expected to deplete these savings by being.unemployed. Having done this he will be meted out more courtesy, as the improvident at the present time io regarded in preference to the man of independence and self-respect. .Surely the authorities who framed this act did not mean to inflict an injustice on the thrifty.—l am, etc., “ALSO THRIFTY.” Marton, July 1>