BANK OF ENGLAND "STRIKE."

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13568, 8 November 1912, Page 6

BANK OF ENGLAND "STRIKE."

"Strike . at the Bank of England." Such was the startling announcement which greeted one from the contentsbills of the London evening newspapers on September 20th. What on earth can havo happened in the establishment of the venerable "Old Lady of Throadneedlo Street?" was the question everyone put to themselves, and then sought to solve by the easy process of spending a halfpenny on the paper. The result was gasps of relief and grins. The "strike" was nothing more than a revolt of one hundred and ten hoys employed in tho bank-note and postal order department against the tyranny of tho automatic time-keepers which check with unfailing and deadly accuracy exits and entrances to the place of employment. The boys are subject to a fine- if they arrive late in tho morning, or overstay their luncheon hour. So, finally they sent in an ultimatum to tho bank authorities demanding the abolition of clock or fines under tho pain of losing their services. The reply was not couched dn conciliatory language. The directors of the bank

did not even, suggest a conference in the board room or at the Westminster Hotel, nor even suggest that they were prepared to receive a deputation. They did not even sarcastically remind tjiio boys that the bank might be able to get along with its business without them. The reply was as brief as it was harsh and unexpected: "Those who do not return immediately will be summarily dismissed with half a week's wages."

The "strikers" were shocked by the unfeeling reply, but having held the usual "protest meeting" decided to stand firm and take their half week's wages. The bank was "picketed," but in a very unostentatious fashion, by a score of boys determined if possible to prevent their places being filled by blacklegs.

The city is taking the- "strike" very calmly, and the latest bulletin from Threadneedle Street is "All quiet, bank rate unaltered, Consols st-eady."