BANK STAFF AND THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2492, 19 June 1915, Page 10

BANK STAFF AND THE WAR

——f : . WHAT THE BANK OP NEW. ZEALAND IS DOING. Referring to the staff, in the course of his speech at the annual meeting of shareholders of the Bank of New Zealand yesterday, the chairman, Mr. Harold Beauchamp, said:—"The numbers of our staff applying for leave of absence, to enable them to join the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces, are largely in excess of those which it has been found possible 'to spare. The bank's business is such that it cannot be carried on "by the employment 0/ casual, hands as required. • A. certain proportion of the staff must' he men with special banking knowledge and experience of our methods of working. \Ve are adjusting the staff as we hare opportunity, and are allowing more men to join the ranks .of the contingents as they can be spared. The number of our men who have gone to the front or are in training now totals 104. To colonial officers half-pay is being allowed, and they receive in addition their military pay. To the London men we are allowing full pay, as their military pay is on a lower scale. Many of the London banks are allowing full pay_ to those of their staff on active servieo. "To enable us to set free still more men, it has now been decided to engage a limited number of women clerks, whose services, it is considered, am besatisfactorily utilised in certain depastments of our work. As these clerks are gradually introduced we shall ,be able to liberate more men for military service. "You will see therefore that we are doing all in our power to encourage those young men of our staff, who are capable of military service, to take up arms in the Empire's cause. Those that offer will, I am sure, acquit themselves oreditably. The names of several at the front - are inscribed on the Roll of Honour, having either sustained wounds or lost their lives in the actions at the Dardanelles. "It is hardly necessary that I should add how greatly we all admire their patriotic conduct. In "common with all New Zealanders we are proud of the soldierly qualities which they -and New Zealand's other gallant sons have displayed and are displaying in the struggle with the Turks. "To the families and relatives of oui men who have so far met their deaths at the front we have to express our deepest regret and to tender our most sincere sympathy. If there be anything which can help to assuage the anguish of their bereavement, it will surely be 'the solemn pride which must be theirs to have laid so costly a sacrifice 011 the altar of freedom.'_ "Our approbation of those of oui staff who have gone to fight the Empire's • battles must, however, not lead us to overlook the more prosaic, though not the less valuable and exacting, services of the staff who have remained. These have cheerfully performed extra 1 work, forgoing holidays and undertaking longer hours of labour, in order that those desirous of vohmteering might be able to get away. "We are appreciative of all this, and gladly place our appreciation on record. In many cases the task of remaiuing and carrying on the humdrum duties of daily life and labour under such unfavourable conditions has involved selfsacrifico and a devotion to duty almost as great as that displayed by those who have gone to the front. Each, in his own way, is serving the interests of the community and the Empire, and each merits and receives our hearty thanks and commendation. In recognition of the good Fervicos of the staff during the yoar, the board has again paid them a bonus of five per cent, on talaries. 111 this bonus tho members of tho stiff serving with the British Forces shared on the basis of full pay."

WjodnJ Grflftfc Pe&Mfmiat Cutei m Cwta 0# P4a WTCi'm, |a, i&*