WAR SAVINGS CERTIFICATES.
[To TEIE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] Sia,—Near here are large Government works employing over three hundred men. The last two Saturdays I and others have gone there at pay-time to sell War Savings Certificates, 15s. 6d. each. The first Saturday we did little business; the second Saturday was much more encouraging. I bought the Certificates I am offering in January, and I hoped this early date would prove a draw; and the draw of course will operate more strongly as the date of my purchase becomes more remote. But, Sir, if I could only buy now antedated Certificates at the Post Office, I could for a few pounds' extra expense start business with Certificates six months, or even a year, predated, and come to more recent dates as the demand increased, thus adding greatly to the business done. The National War Savings Committee have recently introduced a scheme whereby the retailing of these Certificates will in future be mostly in the hands of the shopkeepers. If now the Post Office—the whole- sale supplier—gave facilities for purchase of early dated Certifi- cates, patriotically disposed shopkeepers would by the purchase of these from time to time at a little extra expense be able to induce business—be able to utilize their ingenuity as salesmen for the sale of these Certificates, just as they do for the sale of their own wares, and encourage a keenness of demand, due to the limited supply of the earlier-dated Certificates. It is of such absolute importance that the small man should back up the War Loan that any scheme which is likely to promote this is worthy of consideration; and the richer classes, who are specially concerned, might well form a fund in aid, or buy these Certificates and retail them at a later date through War Savings Associations or other agency, giving the small man the benefit of any interest that had accrued. It is the hope, Sir, that you will see your way to give the powerful assistance of your advocacy in this matter that emboldens me to write to you.—I am, Sir, &c., ROM H. SPENCE. Oring Manor, Chichester, Sussex.
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