BOYS WANTED

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24905, 19 June 1946, Page 4

BOYS WANTED

SHORTAGE IN POST OFFICE TELEGRAMS SENT OUT BY CAR So short of boy recruits for the service is the Chief Post Office in Christchurch—it could place 20 boys in permanent work to-morrow—that many telegrams are now delivered by motorcar instead of by the familiar message boys on bicycles. The shortage of young recruits for the Post and Telegraph Department, for which there was always a waiting list in previous years, is symptomatic' of a shortage of lads for office work in the city. So acute is it that a story is told of a member of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association who received a telephone call from his office staff as he was leaving for work one morning. A 16-year-old boy had called, seeking a job as office boy, the staff reported. What should be done? Chain him to the desk till I get there ” the manufacturer replied. „ A . years ? g0 when the Chief Post Office needed a boy, officials nloughed through a sheaf of anything up to 120 applicants, and selected the one with the best qualifications. Now when the same office urgently needs 20 boys and is trying strenuously to cope with a shortage of 18 telegraph messengers, it advertises in the daily newspapers, and so far has received three applications and one inquiry from a parent. Several reasons are advanced officially for the present shortage of boys One is the raising of the school age 14 j° lu “ B ° ys stay °n the extra year and then, having gone so far. decide to stay longer,” said an official of the Post Office. The 10s a week allowance for each child was also regarded as a factor in keeping boys off the labour market.