BANK FOR BABIES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 4 November 1914, Page 8

BANK FOR BABIES

(B v Telegraph—Own. Correspondent.! WELLINGTON, This Day. One cf the new planks in Sir Joseph Ward's platform has been hailed by a few cf his supporters as an original idea ; but, as will be shown, the idea is not original. Whatever else it may be, as a matter of fact it has been under the consideration of the Department for several months, it having been brought, to the notice of the Postmaster-General by a South Island postmaster. The scheme is an American one, and originated in the brain of one Edra Parker, president cf the First National Bank at Barnegate, | New Jersey. Mr Parker's designation j sounds', rather "grand, until we look up Barnegate, and find that it is a village, of only nine hundred inhabitants, and ibav under United States law Mr Ezra Parker iray very well be a tradesman anj farmer, or he may be a philanthropist wjth private means to spare in testing the value cf an idea. This proposal, •however, does nc/fc go beyond one dollar per baby, and Mr Parker states that "from tfie point of view cf the bank the scheme" is an excellent one," and so explains that, "the child of the hod-carrier is given. the same chance as the child of the millioriair© " At cue dollar per baby,' the scheme, so far as New Zealand is concerned, would involve about £4OOO a year. All Sir Joseph Ward appeared tohave done is.fo have increased the dollar to £5. This may be all right for the millionaire, but perhaps not quite so attractive for the hod-carrier. The Post Office, however, would increase its haul from £4,000,000 to £5,137,540, supposwas contributed on behalf of every-baby born in the year. It is not trulte clear whether or not Sir Joseph Ward means tliab the parents shall con tribute the £5 for each liaby, or whether the .State shall make the contribution for the baby of the millionaire and the hodcarrier alike. In any case, a little fur ther information regarding the system would seem to be desirable. *