Under the heading "Ireland in 1893," the Time-8 of Wednes-
day gives some interesting facts and figures. On the whole,. the Irish people have never been freer from distress. Only one set of statistics has a disagreeable look. Those who- have watched the Irish returns for the last seven or eight- years know that the one constant feature has been the rise of the savings-banks' deposits. Rents and prices may have gone down, but hitherto these have always risen. "The balances in the Post-Office Savings-Banks at the date of the latest return amounted to £4,155,000, which was less by £49,000 than in the previous half-year." The balances in the Joint-Stock Banks also fail to show any increase, but instead exhibit a, decrease of 0780,000 on the half-year ending last June. These are very significant facts, considering the prosperous condition of Ireland in other respects. We do not doubt that the- shrinkage is due to the panic caused by the introduction of the Home-rule Bill. Rightly or wrongly, many people thought that troubles were coming in Ireland, and that it would be- wise to keep their money in hand till the course of events was clearer. The figures in themselves are not large. Their im- portance is due to the circumstance that they break into a. steady series of increases.
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