BANK CLERKS' CONDITIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10926, 15 November 1913, Page 7

BANK CLERKS' CONDITIONS.

*_ — " PRIDE AND POVERTY." COMMENTS IN PARLIAMENT. ' [From Oub Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, November 14. Legislators discussed the pay and working conditions of a class little heard of in Parliament when the Bank of New Zealand Bill was being debated on its third reading to-night. Dr Newman, who first raised the subject, strongly urged the Minister of Finance to place bank clerks on the same footing as Civil servants in regard to leave, pay and hours. As for superannuation, there was, he said, a great dissatisfaction over the way in which big men at the top gobbled up tho pensions. Mr Ell described it as an unwarrantable interference with human rights to prevent bank clerks marrying until they received a salary of £2OO per annum. The Western Australian Legislature had just passed a Bill rendering bank directors liable to three months imprisonment if they prohibited clerks earning less than £2OO per annum from marrying. He understood that one of the banks trading in New Zealand did not enforce the objectionable rule. Mr W. A. Veitoh considered that the poor service conditions in the banks were to a certain extent attributable to the fact that the institutions Were controlled to a certain extent from England, where conservative ideas reigned. He thought that the matter was one for legislation. Mr Isitt also put in a plea for what he called the ill-paid bank clerk. These men were supposed to keep up an appearance and to dress well and be edu cated. It was a case of pride and poverty. REPRESENTATION TO DIRECTORS. THE MINISTER'S UNDERTAKING. In the course of his reply, the Hon J. Allen said he would be very pleased indeed to discuss with the directors the whole question of staff pay, and whether clerks should be allowed to marry under a certain salary. Mr Glover: Are you going to introduce political influence? (Roars of laughter.) The Minister went on to express the opinion that when banks were making large profits they should distribute some portion of it among their staffs.