GIRLS AS BANK CLERKS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14987, 14 August 1919, Page 2

GIRLS AS BANK CLERKS.

RETURNED SOLDIERS' PROTEST. (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, last night. The Canterbury . Repatriation Board has * been ( interesting itself in the question of the. Bank of New Zealand retaining, the services of girl clerks to the alleged detriment of returned soldiers. At to-night's meeting, a letter was read ■ from the general manager of the Bank ' of New Zealand, stating, that it was not > ''the policy. of the bank to largely employ 'girls in future, nor. was it retaining any ' f \ to the exclusion of returned -soldiers, formerly members of the bant staff. There were still . 187 to return, and in ■ addition the bank was endeavoring to find room for those clerks. who resigned to go to the front rather than wait their ; turn for leave of absence, ..to enable them to .enlist. The departments of work in which girl clerks would be employed in future were those for which men had a disinclination to occupy, and which experience had shown were filled more satisfactorily ,by girls than men. The desire of the bank to avoid dispen r Sing with the services of any girls at present in. its employ was due to indisposition to arbitrarily- determine the-em-ployment of the girls who had done their best for the bank in a time of stress, not from any desire or intention .to conduct the bank's business more economically by the employment of cheap labor. If it was the idea of the Canterbury Repatriation ; Board that -the bank should discbargo. all its girl clerks and engage returned soldiers regardless of whether the soldiers had, any experience of t banking work, such an idea was Impracticable. After. discussion during which it -was pointed out that the. issue was how was the bank going to fill the places of me'ri' who had been killed, , by girls or by returned soldiers, it was decided to ask the bank straight out. if »it would take on* returned soldiers if in the opinion of the officials of the .bank the men were suitable for the position.' ,\ «aaM___H_y__a-Ma_aa.