uniformity of accounts, which would have made this and other reforms practicable. What was required of the Committee before which he gave evidence, was, the suggestion of such a change in the nature of the institution as that this shilling's worth of thrift should not be sent about its business in the very summary manner so graphically described by this gentleman. That the Savings Banks should give such rude discouragements to the budding of provident habits was nothing short of a defect; that it was perfectly possible as well as expedient to offer encouragements to the poorest classes has since been abundantly proved, as we shall soon have to show. We have referred to the varying notices for the withdrawal of money required by different banks; some required a week, some a month, while in the great majority of banks a fortnight was required. _Mr. Meikle_ expressed himself strongly opposed to the English system of giving notice: he said, the Scotch banks required no notice at all, though they held a discretionary power in certain instances. _Mr. Saintsbury_ urged "a reasonable period." _Mr. Wortley_ thought the notice was a protection against Savings Banks being used for other purposes than for accumulating savings. _Mr. Sikes_ strongly recommended that deposits should not be repayable "except after sufficient notice," the extent of which neither he nor Mr. Saintsbury ventured to state. Once more the attention of the Committee was called to the necessity of opening out new banks in localities not well supplied with them. No one, however, was prepared with any scheme for giving extra facilities of this kind, and those hints which were thrown out by members of the Committee themselves were either not taken up, or if noticed, only in such a way as to attest the difficulty, rather than the ease or expediency with which any movement towards this end would be attended. _Mr. Wortley_ said small banks were exceedingly unsafe; branch banks under the cognizance of a head office _might_ answer. _Mr. Meikle_ agreed, and said that at first new banks were seldom self-supporting. _Mr. Nield_ said it would be impossible that the agency system of Exeter (the only scheme recommended) could be introduced into Lancashire; the branch banks under the Manchester Savings Bank could not support themselves except they had gratuitous service. Finally, we think the difference of opinion and the diversities of operation in the larger and best managed banks[150] of the kingdom could not be better shown than by the following Return.[151] If anything could demonstrate the want of some uniform and inexpensive system of Savings Banks, we think a careful examination of the inequalities of every sort shown there might have that effect.