DEARTH OF BOYS AND CLERKS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1024, 13 January 1911, Page 7

DEARTH OF BOYS AND CLERKS.

OF TIMES.

/By-Telegraph-Special Correspondent.) ■*''■'"'''•" Auckland, January 12. ■ Auckland employers complain of- a> dearth, of boys, and wholesale .and' retail; merchants and manufacturers alike have- racked their brains, ■ and ex-' h'austed the possibilities of the advertising columns: in an endeavour to get out of .their, difficulties, but all in vain. Now ■that'the fact is manifest to them beyond :disputo that they cannot get young people to, work for them" (for ; -the /trouble applies to girls almost as much asMpiJboys), they are wondering what causes'have brought the position into existence. It used frequently to be the case that boys would contentedly start work at ss. or 7s. 6d: aweek, but now it is far more usual for the employer to be_compelled to offer'los., and'.within a-few'months (regardless of the question of ability) to increase the pay to 12s. 6d. It used to be the case that boyß.names were kept in a list at many firms, the boys or their parents hoping that a,; vacancy might occur,, but now employers are : apparently -grateful in the. extreme if they can get a good boy, ■ and, they are glad : to get any sort of .juvenile at all.:

.Junior clerks are almost as hard ,to get/,\and good ones (according to some of-the.woujd-be employers), are as precious as rubies. It is a-trite saving that.boys and girls will not go into "factories',-, because they prefer.. to. keep their, coats on, and go in for "more respectable" work in offices, but it appears, that, the only young workers who are available readily are girl typists and, surprising as it. may seem, they are not ; ;irumerous enough to .'over-supply the .demand. ■ Good'boys fresh from; a primary school are in keen demand,' but' youths; of 17 'or, 18. .'who.;.' have .' been: ';higher. educated"..are riot so useful '