Sacking Of Women “No Solution”

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31462, 31 August 1967, Page 12

Sacking Of Women “No Solution”

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, August 30.

If banks decided to dismiss girls intending to marry it could lead to secret marriages or de facto arrangements, said the chairman of the Auckland Action Committee for Full Employment, Mr A. Russ.

Mr Russ said the sacking of these women would do no good. It would not solve any of the economic problems of the country and would create hardship.

Today the committee discussed this question and many members were shocked, he said, to learn that the Bank of New Zealand would shortly dismiss three girls. Mr Russ added that it could be that the banks wanted to employ cheap labour straight from school. “It is far easier for a child to leave school and live on $ll a week, than for a man’s wage to be chopped by anything up to $2OOO a year simply because his wife was dismissed on marriage.” The committee decided to invite a member of the Bank Officers’ Guild to attend its meeeting next Wednesday. The committee also decided to take up the university students’ cause in their attempts to get part-time work during the holidays. While the committee was in

full sympathy with the students, said Mr Russ, it felt that work must be given to men or youths engaged normally in full-time employment

Even so, the committee was prepared to write to the Government asking that unemployment benefits to be paid to students unable to obtain work during the holidays. Report Awaited

The committee also decided not to take any action for the time being on recommending to unions to discourage their members from taking out insurance or other policies with the General Life Assurance Company. Yesterday it was reported

that all companies, with the exception of General Life, had said they would consider making arrangements for any payments falling in arrears to be made up later when an unemployed person was back at work. Mr Russ said that as a result of the publicity the New Zealand manager of the, company, Mr R. Cubie, had telephoned him saying it was never intended that the company would not assist those in difficulties because ot unemployment. The committee decided to write to Mr Cubie asking for a restatement of policy and to delay making any decision until his reply was received.