SAVINGS ACCOUNTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23060, 10 June 1938, Page 14

SAVINGS ACCOUNTS

THE DECREASE IN 1932-33 4 MR, R. MASTERS EXPLAINS " OFFICIAL FIGURES QUOTED ' [by telegraph—PßESS association] NEW PLYMOUTH, Thursday

Replying to a remark by the Post-master-General, the Hon. F. Jones, that the Ministerial statement in regard to the reduction in Post Office Savings Bank accounts in the year 1932-33, issued by Mr. R. Masters at ■Stratford in 1935, was not a correct presentation of the position, Mr. Masters said this morning that the statement made by him at that time was official. It was handed to him by the Director-General, and tbo figures quoted were official. The Office figures were not his. The original argument occurred as a result of an announcement by Mr. R. Semple in the 1935 election, when he made exactly the same statement concerning an alleged reduction in Post Office savings accounts as was made by the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, in tho Wellington Town Hall recently, Mr. Masters continued. "My attention was drawn to Mr. Semple's statement by the postal authorities, who said it was not accurate," added Mr. Masters. "I then asked that an official statement be given in order that I could give the true facts, and the statement which was published was that supplied to me by the department. If that statement was incorrect, then tho department of which Mr. Jones is head is to blame. I have no doubt that the figures quoted by the Postmaster-General last night were given to him by the department. If those handed to me were so far wrong, can any reliance be given by those which have been handed to Mr. Jones?"