MEN IN BANKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 21, 25 January 1936, Page 14

MEN IN BANKS.

REPORT OF GUILD. r , FEMALE LABOUR AND MACHINES. LONDON, December 2. j, Mechanisation in banks is criticised in s the report of the intelligence committee , of the Bank Officers' Guild, a "It appears," the report states, "that most banks have introduced a machine ' system more or less haphazardly into the larger branches, but there is as yet r no uniformity, and it is felt that it is too early to express a definite opinion . whether the system is an improvement or not on previous methods." ; It is added that responsibility is sometimes thrown on women and girls - who are not paid a salary sufficient to warrant such responsibility. "Complaints are numerous," the : report continues. "Machines are some- ! times placed in positions which are cramped and badly lighted, or concentrated in small rooms where the noise j becomes nerve-racking. "Certain types of machines are in use •which are too heavy to be wprked except by the most robust operators," it is stated. "At certain heavy periods long hours have to be worked, causing i severe strain on machine operators." According to the report, female labour is increasing in banks, but the recruitment of male juniors has been alifiost negligible during the past few years. 1 Since 1929, two thousand more women and four thousand fewer men of , the class earning £250 and under, have been employed. The report has been adopted by the guild. I