TREATMENT OF VOLUNTEERS.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2337, 19 December 1914, Page 14

TREATMENT OF VOLUNTEERS.

SiT) —I read with great interest the excellent speech of the chairman of directors of the Bank of New Zealand at the half-yearly jreeting on the 11th instant. There was 0110 item in particular in his speech' which arrested my attention, that was with reference to the members of the istaff who had joined the Expeditionary Force, where ho says "that tho term& of leave granted to the volunteering officers aro six months oil half-pay with reinstatement in the service on return if physically fit for duty." When a great institution like the Bank of New Zealand cuts down the pay of its ofljccrs who volunteer to risk ..heir lives and limbs m the defence cf our Empire, to half, and probably to nothing, after the expiration of six months, it does not say much for its patriotism, and is a poor example for lesser institutions, and private firms-to help freely in th© dofenca of our country, and poor encouragement to potential volunteers. ■ I think it is delicious where the chairman, with smug batisfaction, says that he is 6ure the shareholders ''will concur in the board's decision to deal thus liberally with the men who have voluntarily placed their services at the disposal of the Empire in its hour of need." It seems, however, that first and foremost the dividend of 12 per cent, must bo maintained;

In England thero aro many large institutions, as well as private firms, who have granted members of their staffs who hayo volunteered full pay for at least six months, and there are some who have' placed the volunteors of their staff on full pay during the time they are engaged at the war. Thero aro also innumerable private individuals who liavo given up "their houses for the wounded and refugees, and have made many other sacrifices. I hope it is not too late for the bank to make a really liberal provision for the members of the staff who have volunteered, even to grant full pay for six months surely would not seriously affect the dividend. . ■ If thore had been no volunteers in this war, there would soon have been no British Empire, and incidentally no Bank of New Zealand.—l am, etc., . NEW ZEALAkDER. December 14, 1914.