GIRLS IN OFFICES.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16432, 28 January 1919, Page 6

GIRLS IN OFFICES.

RETURNED SOLDIERS' COMMENT.

The fact that competent clerks are at present returning from the front and finding themselves unable to obtain employment owing to the presence of female clerks in a very large number of businesses, was again referred to yesterday by Mr W. E. Leadley, secretary of tho local branch of the Returned ooidiers' Association, in tho course of a conversation with a "Press" representative. "1 had nine competent clerks looking for work on my books all last week," said Mr Leadley, "and now I have still got them all, and nnother one in addition.. I havo not been able to place any jt them, and simply because girls holU the positions now. These men volunteered for the front and gave up their jobs voluntarily, and now that they liave given their best, they come back and find themselves unable to get work, i'he girls, it appears, are doing better for themselves than they havo ever done before, and are not disposed to give up their situations to the men who are coming back, though of course thoy would never have had them had those men not gone away. Such being the case, I think it is a matter for the employers to take up,and to see that justice is done to those who weijt away. Mind you, I am not speaking in reference to situations which are essentially girls' situations, such as shorthandtypistes, etc., but to clerks, ledgerkeepers, etc., in which kind of situations so many girls are now filling the breach. Some people havo the idea that the present number of applications for work is not out of the ordinary, but itis not now that we have to think of so much as in six months' time, when thousands of men will be returning and' looking for work. "I have heard of cases,' 1 Mr Leadley added, "of men previously in the Government service who are coming back ;and finding that as girls are in their old positions there is no place for them. That state of affairs is, I think, more due to the heads of departments than to tho Government itself, but if the I Government does not set an example, I what can we expect private employers to do?"