BANK HOLIDAYS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20678, 31 January 1942, Page 4

BANK HOLIDAYS

SUSPENSION ANNOUNCED ALTERATION OF HOURS (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, announced that regulations to be known as the banking emergency regulations, 1942, has been made under the authority of the Emergency Regulations Act, 1939, to suspend for the period of the war the three Saints days and Dominion Day bank holidays and to provide for a reduction in banking hours. The regulations will be effective as from February 9. Mr. Fraser said that the holidays observed by the banks on St. Patrick’s St. George’s, St. Andrew’s and Dominion Days and not by the public generally have long been regarded as inconvenient to the commercial community. Whilst the Government was extremely reluctant to withdraw the privilege which had been enjoyed by bank officers for so many years it was considered that under the present abnormal conditions the continuance of holidays of this nature was not desirable.

In suspending these holidays, the Government had been fully supported by the Associated Banks of New Zealand, the Bank Officers’ Guild, and the New Zealand Bank Officials’ Industrial Union of Workers. The action of the bank officers was greatly appreciated by the Government.

Mr. Fraser added that from February 9 it was proposed to advance the closing hours of banks on weekdays to 2 p.m. and on Saturdays to 11 a.m. The hours would then be: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday, 9.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Mr. Fraser said he would like to point out that the advancing of the closing hours would not mean any reduction in the normal working day of the bank officers or that it would eliminate overtime. The staffs themselves for some time past had voluntarily been working up to an addition four hours a week without payment and also had given up all thought of holiday leave for the time being at least. Despite the advanced closing hours, staffing difficulties would still exist and he appealed to the public to assist the banks by early banking. Mr. Fraser said a further regulation had been made whereby banks with staffs not exceeding five might close between noon and 1 p.m. This regulation replaced the existing provision whereby banks with staffs not exceeding three were allowed to close for one hour between noon and 2 p.m.