Commonwealth banking systems

The scope of the present book is wider than that of the earlier volume. In the course of its twelve geographically entitled chapters it covers practically every part of the Commonwealth (outside the United Kingdom) in which commercial banks are to be found. Although South Africa is no longer within the Commonwealth, a section has been devoted to that country, partly because its banking system is largely make up of Commonwealth institutions and partly because South Africa remains an extremely important part of the sterling area¹. On the other hand, it was decided to omit the Republic of Ireland, not only because of its withdrawal from the Common wealth even before the previous volume was published, but also because of the peculiarly close interlocking of its commercial banking system with that of the United Kingdom. By reason of the inclusion of South Africa the word 'Commonwealth' has been printed in quotation marks at appropriate points in the text. Strictly speaking, it should have been thus rendered in the title of the book.