IMPROVEMENT IN IRELAND.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4534, 8 May 1889, Page 4

IMPROVEMENT IN IRELAND.

It would have been strange, says the Daily Chronicle, if Ireland had not shared to Borne extent m the general improvement of trade which bas recently been recorded for the rest of the United Kingdom A return jnst issued giving the banking and railway statistics of the sister island affords some interesting evidence m favour of the belief that the economic condition of that unhappy country is improving. Though the amount of deposits and cash balances m the Irish joint-stock banks last year did not reach the maximum of some recent years, it neverthelesss showed an iacrease of more than twelve hundred thousand over the amount for 1887. The statistics relating to the small savings of the Irish people are still more satisfactory. The growing confidence m Irishmen m the security for investments offered by the British Government contrasts favourably with their want of confidence m the Government's general policy. For several years past the amount of deposits m the Post Office savings banks of Ireland has been increasing. Last year these deposits reached the respectable total of £3,239,000, or £307,000 over the amount for the year previous. On the other hand the total amount of deposits m the trustee savings banks, which was over two millions, showed a slight decrease last year compared with the figures of 1887. One of the best statistical tests of the commercial and industoral condition of civilised communities now a days is undoubtedly that afforded by the railway traffic returns. It is satisfactory to learn therefore that the total receipts, of the Irish railways last year showed a marked increase.over those for 1887. The amount last year was, m round numbers, £2,854,000, or over £52,000 m excess of the total receipts for the year previous.