Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 191, 12 Mei 1891 — THE POSTAL SAVINGS BANK. [ARTICLE]

THE POSTAL SAVINGS BANK.

It is reported that afew misguided friends of the Postmaster Ge*eral have threatened that with his dismissal they will witlidraw their dep«sits from the Postal Bank, and induce their friends te do the same, by way of a spiteful revenge. There are no doubt a few lunatics in the country—a very few—whose politi* eal prejudices outweigh their judgment, and who think that the preseat incumbent at the Post Office is the only possible tnan for the poeition. But setting pers©nalties aside, we cannot be made to believe that the intslligent citizens and business men of this community would act so causelessly as to withdraw their deposits, simply because of a change in the uianagement «f the Post Office Bureau. Such a ceurse would be uuworthy the eommon eenee or hotior of any commercial oommunity such as we are. It ie not yet publicly known who the new incumbent is to be, but it is to be hoped that a person will be appointed whom the public ean trust and respect. It would be a po*r country indeed that could not fumish a better 6ub£titute fer the plaee than he who ia about te rotire. But even though tbe new appointee were only a dummy, tr a figure-head, that need not cause alarm to depositors in tbe Bank for the Mhmter ef Finance is tbe cratedian of the funds and not ihe PoBtmaster (ieneral. AH the deposita in the Postai Bank are transl>rred to the Treaaury txceDt a smtll reserve kept at the P<pt Office to moet current withdrawals. an«l the Postmaster has no oontrol over the funds when they reach the Treasury. lt is tho Minister of Finance and the Cab«net whe areresponsible to the people; the Postmaster is liule more than the chief clerk ef a bureau under their direcUon t and whatever his pereonality might be the Cabinet are responsible for him. j Therefor« it appe»rs ridio«leus for the Pe«tßiH6ter Oenerars fcw friends

to exaggerate bis iaiportanee in eonnection with the Postai Savings Bank. As long as the clerical stafif of the Post Office are competent, the supervisory duties of the chief are easy, for the work of a post office is mainly routine, that re-| quires no great executive ability. | The reai head of the Postal Bureau under eur system, the Minister of Finance and his colleagues,are fully competent to handle its finanacial affairB, and in this particular we believe they have the confidence «f the puhlie.