She continued to deposit the Savings from her wages £ s. d. from that time to the 21st of July, 1828, amounting to 119 11 0 Interest accruing from 1818 to 1828 30 9 0 --------- 150 0 0 ========= This sum of £150 being allowed to accumulate by interest until 1836 became 200 0 0 --------- From 1836 interest on this sum had to be withdrawn half-yearly, which from 1836 to 1863 amounted to 160 9 8 --------- Esther Sykes died March, 1863, aged 78, and her executors received from the Bank the sum of 200 0 0 ========= Thus in this interesting case the cash deposited at different times amounted to 119_l._ and the total amount of interest on that sum was 240_l._, of which 160_l._ was paid to the depositor herself during her lifetime, and 200_l._ to her executors. It is not a little curious, nor is it surprising, that five of the relatives and legatees of this Esther Sykes should have gone to the Huddersfield Savings Bank to deposit the money left to them. Of the other promising provident measures adapted to the requirements of the industrious classes, the most important, but at the same time a somewhat hazardous one, is that of co-operative societies. These societies, though beset with difficulties, are doing a good work in many localities. The stronghold of the system, be it remembered, is in a town where, owing to the cupidity of the manager of the Savings Bank, the savings of years were swallowed up, and, in consequence, habits of accumulation in this form were rooted out from among the people. The co-operative principle can be directly traced to the wide-spread distrust created by this gigantic and far-reaching fraud. It remains now to be seen whether a higher intelligence and a greater power of self-government than is generally found in large associations of working men will not be indispensable to the progress of these societies. Personally, we have little hesitation in affirming that the real progress of these classes will be safer, and not only safer but quicker, if the bulk of them will leave combined enterprises of this nature to those of their fellows who have already saved money enough to enable them not only to enter into such business, but to lose in the venture. Once a man has run up an account in any of the people's banks--whether the old or the new banks does not make much difference--he might, and perhaps ought to risk a proportion in such societies, which, where properly and prudently managed, are very beneficial to all connected with them.[209]