THRIFT DAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23182, 31 October 1938, Page 13

THRIFT DAY

WORLD CELEBRATION IMPORTANCE OF SAVING INTERNATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE The 14th annual celebration of "Thrift Day" will be observed to-day by more than 5000 savings institutions in over 30 countries. The Mea of the day was conceived at the first International Thrift Congress held in Milan in 1924, when it was unanimously approved by 500 delegates representing the savings institutions of 27 countries. From the first it has been a feature of Thrift Day that it is not in the nature of an idle festivity, being on the contrary a working day on which the promoters have sought to diffuse the principles of foresight and thrift by every means. The celebration aims at focussing public opinion all over the world on the fundamental importance of thrift for the advancement and welfare of individuals and nations and for the economic and moral reconstruction of the world.

In the present troubled state of world affairs, Ahe International Thrift Institute, formed subsequent to the first international congress, makes a special appeal to men of goodwill in every country. It recalls a resolution adopted at the third international congress in 1935 when 1200 delegates from 29 countries, representing 8000 institutions and interpreting the aspirations of millions of savers, affirmed that confidence in the future, on which the idea of thrift and saving rests and on which depends all human progress, presupposes friendly relations between nations. The manner in which thrift Is practised in New Zealand is indicated by figures supplied bv the Auckland Savings Bank, which is one of the institutions associated with to-day's celebration. Deposit accounts at the bank number over 187,000 and the amount at credit exceeds £8,700,000. The bank's depositors include 300 employees' thrift clubs and 78 school savings banks. Home savings bank boxes in use total 11,000. competitions on various phases of ttirift are being held in numerous primary and secondary schools throughout Auckland.