"STAMPS WITH CHANGE"

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 25, 30 January 1943, Page 10

"STAMPS WITH CHANGE"

NATIONAL SAVINGS DRIVE

Sincere tributes to the ability and energy of women as organisers were paid yesterday by Mr. J. M. A. Ilott, chairman of the National Savings Committee, and Mr. C. F. A. Waters, secretary, when they appealed to representatives of Wellington women's organisations for assistance in the National Savings scheme. As a result of the meeting, which was arranged by the Women's War Service Auxili-. ary, a provisional sub-committee of women was set up. Mrs. Peter Fraser,' presided. Mr. Ilott said that the matter was of vital importance to the country and to the women of New Zealand. Up to now the men had done their best, but the results, though satisfactory, had not been as great as they had wanted. AVAILABLE IN SHOPS. In Great Britain and other countries women were achieving outstanding results in organising group-saving schemes and in devising ways of increasing the sale of savings stamps. Twelve million pounds per week was the aim of British women this year. They had already saved £1,000,000,000. He hoped the Wellington women's committee would take over the savings stamps part of the scheme. Stamps were available at 250 shops in the city and suburbs, and shoppers could be influenced to take part of their change in stamps. The sub-committee would be represented on the major committee, members of which would always be available for help and advice. People must be shown that by investing m National Savings, concluded Mr. Ilott, they were building up purchasing power for the more difficult days after victory and by so doing were insuring against inflation. EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY. The aims and objects of the committee were outlined by Mr. Waters, who said that with 805 savings groups to review in the city, the Wellington committee had found they could not give enough attention to the stamps scheme. The Government had asked them for a' quota of £5,000,000 a year, and they were at present averaging £3,500,000. He was sure that when they had the assistance of the women's committee they would make up the deficit and achieve their objective.. If every person in the Dominion bought two stamps every week for a year the war effort would be furthered to the extent of £2,000,000. The National Savings were paid into the war expenses account, and not into the Consolidated Fund, as many people thought. Women helpers would have the whole-hearted support of the officials in Wellington. In answer to a question from Mrs. Knox Gilmer regarding the sale of stamps, Mr. Ilott said he thought shopkeepers were busy with their wartime staff problems, and- that, it was' up to the shopper to ask -for savings stamps. ' Mrs. G. M. Unsworth l said she thought inflation and economic problems were too involved for the average person to understand. These matters should be explained, so that they could understand why money invested in savings bonds was like a personal insurance. The provisional sub-committee, which will start work immediately, comprises Mesdames R. E. Anslow, H. W. Bennett, Gibson Young, J. Pow, S. Hutchinson, J. D. King, A. Cameron, and Miss M. Duncan.