WISE SPENDING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 17756, 17 September 1927, Page 14

WISE SPENDING

THE ART OF MANY CITIEB. “Thrift is not hoarding—it is wise spending.” Miss .Janet Mitchell, of the Thrift Service Department of tho Australian Government Savings Bank, who has lately returned to Sydney from a visit to the United States and England for the purpose of investigating some of the economic schemes among the banks and factories of these two countries, returns with this new interpretation of an old world. “I spent four and a half months in the United States,” said Miss Mitchell, “during which time I visited 25 cities and SO or DO banking and other institutions for the purpose of studying American methods of encouraging thrift among the people. Thrift service, which has been in existence there in the savings banks for four or five years, is of value to both the banks and the public. It is a bureau of information not only of banking procedure and economy, but even informs its clients on such matters as trains and ’buses. The same idea is being followed in Victoria.

“Among the most successful methods of saving which I found in the States was that of deduction from the employees’ salaries before they receive them. Those employees who wish to arrange with their firm that a certain sum shall be deducted from their salary each week and deposited in a savings bank. They are thus saved the bother of doing it for themselves and the temptation of not banking it. “The amount of women’s personal service in the thrift department impressed me. I was also struck with the efficiency of the American business woman. I met a large number of banking women at the Bankers' Convention I attended in Philadelphia. Among them were Miss Jean Reid, the president of the American Association of Banking Women, who is adviser of investments in the Bankers’ Trust Company, a position which she has held for three years. Children's Menus. “A former billet of Mrs Mott’s was that of arranging the menus of Child’s chain of restaurants on proper dietetic principles. To judge the success of the choice and the cooks' art she used to mingle among the customers as a fellow-diner to hear- their remarks. “I found much ignorance about Australia in America. Several people were surprised to learn that we did not have separate trams for blacks and whites in our cities. On telling a reporter On one occasion that there were more men in Australia than women, I was electrified to read the headlines the following morning, ‘Husbands Plentiful in Australia Easily Caught Woman Banker from Sydney Says So.’ “American girls dress well and spend much on etceteras —on collars and flowers and jewels; they keep their things in good condition and well cleaned and pressed. “New York is a thrilling place to be in for just a few weeks. The noise is appalling, supplied as it is by the subways, which are close to the surface, the street traffic, police whistles and sometimes a double storey of elevated railways. The temperature descended to 15 below zero while I was there, but the sun shone from a blue sky in spite of the cold. Shopping there is a pleasure because of the courtesy of the shop girls; they are all trained in salesmanship before they are given their positions. "London looked shabby after the younger city, but much more prosperous than in 1522. I was in England for six weeks investigating savings schemes in the Midlands and London.

BEDSIDE LIGHT. Consider the bedside light, which should not be beside the bed but over it. Thus the light falls evenly, and the bookworm can prop herself up on plenty of pillows, and have a thoroughly enjoyable time withoul risk of impairing her sight. Tho low hanging lamp, if nicely shaded, makes an attractive addition to any room, and by having it overhead there is less litter on the little table which carries the tea-tray of a morning. The space usually taken up by the lamp may be used for a vase of fresh flowers, or for a favouriLe photograph.