GIRLS OR SOLDIERS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 192, 14 August 1919, Page 9

GIRLS OR SOLDIERS.

CLAIM FOR EMPLOYMENT. BAXK MANAGER'S STATEMENT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHMSTCHUB.CH, Wednesday. The Canterbury Repatriation Board has been interesting itself in the question of the Bank oi New Zealand retaining the services of girl clerks to the alleged detriment of returned soldiers. At to-night's meeting a letter was received from the general manager of the Bank of New Zealand stating that it was not the policy of the bank to largely employ girls in the future, nor was it retaining any to the exclusion of returned soldiers formerly members of the bank staff. There were still 187 men to return, and. in addition, the bank was endeavouring to find room for those clerks who resigned to go to the front rather than wait their turn for leave of absence to enable them to enlist. The departments of work in which girl clerks would be employed in the future were those which men had a disinclination io occupy, and which experience had shown were filled more satisfactorily by girls than by men. The desire of ihe bank to avoid dispensing with the services of any girls at present in its employ was due to a wish not to arbitrarily "determine the employment of girls who had done their best for the 'bank in a time of stress, and not from any desire or intention to conduct the bank's business more economically by the employment of cheap labour. If it was the idea of the Canterbury Repatriation Board that the bank should discharge all its girl clerks and engage returned soldiers regardless of whether the soldiers had any experience of banking work, such idea was impracticable.

After discussion, during which it was pointed out that the issue was how was the bank going to fill the places of the men who had been killed—by girls or by returned soldiers?—it was decided to ask the bank straight out if it would take on returned soldiers, if, in the opinion of the officials of the bank, the men were suitable for a position.