BANK CLERKS' PROTEST.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 658, 8 November 1909, Page 7

BANK CLERKS' PROTEST.

- 4 ■ -' SMALL PAY, SLOW RISE. Ifo PROPER SYSTEM OF GRADING. , (By Telegraph -Special Correspondent.) Auckland, November 6. Contentment would appear to bo /a rare quality among bank clerks. According to an excerpt' from a Sydney paper, the olerks of that, city are "soothing with discontent," and that phraso is applicable to tho service in New Zealand, or, at any rate, in Auckland. , 'I am sick of the business," remarked » elerk in reply to a 1 question as to the conditions. "A good number of clerks art leaving the banks and a groat many more would leave if they ceald obtain positions elsewhere, .but when & ' (Ban ha 3 men the flush of his youth to bankinjr Jl* eannet readily adapt himself to eutside e»rimorcial or business life. In my opinion, tke porsonnri of the service is deteriorating Yenths,ar6 Uking a warning from those m the service, and are keeping out of it. Formerly our, juniors wore gentlemen's sens. The wonder is that some are eT6n now, and yot tho salaries of juniors rise muei more rapidly than those of senior men, and consequently the project is somewhat alluring for the first few J ears. In om bank a cadet starfs at JC4O, and rises by yearly increases of Mto .£IOO There, however, , ho way stay for a long time, ~lu another bank, the'tadot etoU »t £50, and s I? eM . P 7 £ ti y° arl T to somewhere ovor 4100; JiSl the , lncreme,lts stop.,. A nian may reach m four years, and ft may taio.him ton or twelve years or longer to reach .2200. The men who aro reeeinnir that fieure t>y tjio tima they are thirty is exticmely ewall. v - Chain* Upon Hymen: ,i, "Tho oilv reason I'can adduce for the banks trying to keep men below that figure Is that enrployees'may remain single, hnd so bo shifted TSfmfct* 0 P'?£ e Z A \ % 3 inconTcnience lne mwerity ot tho banlc! have a rule that c jSJf* ehall n °t marry until they are receiving £200 a yeai> and men whose hearts are bicge? than their purses havo to leave. Banks do not ?J? ieswd , mar r i ase in a favburablo light and whon married clerks are ihifted, tho anee to cover tho cost meets only their iadihigher offlcUf ore ""auily well pavl Country managers eet from A to £m, with house, fuel, and light ing allowances, worth to .£IOO and ciW ever, havo to wait bo long before they can »w .r ? tt( l tera ? tiltio ? s . wd (p not mconsiderable factor) wo liayo, to appear in clean collars and hvo in respectable quarters •; Inequalities of'work and Salary. ' »,.'3.\ Ch i e t ? use of discontent is that salaries no relation to| eenionty, compotenco, rMponsibihty, or anything else. No attempt,is made at grading4e service proLk own though it wesen? LStL Ul V le * a t™V<* ts Under tion m tt? i Ws, }\ m!ia ylo gains promo,l 1 ' . Bank Profits, emit ?«,! ?f , dlTl<l « n de of at least 10 per !*'*& dcd lareo snws to reserve