BANK CLERKS AND THE WAR.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2653, 27 December 1915, Page 7

BANK CLERKS AND THE WAR.

Sir, —When Mr. Beaucliamp, the chairman of directors of the Bank of Zealand, stated tlio other day m Wellington that the bank had guaranteed the full pay to members of thenstaff who had enlisted, and that thereby ilie bank -was contributing £20,000 to the patriotic funds, it was not a generous way of putting it, considering that those'of their staif who were left behind—and many of whom were refused leave tp go—had to do the work of the absent lnembers, without- extra pay, and that thus, really, the £20,000 contribution is theirs. Although not connected myself with any bank, either personally or by relatives, I know their staffs to be a very loyal class of workers, who have, so far, declined to form a union, though many of them barely get tho wages of tho artisan and have to dress and/comport themselves as gentlemen, and instead of working eight hours a day it is often nearly double that, and fro-' quently having to return and work oil I tank holidays, and I have even heard it whispered sometimes on Sundays. This, j without extra pay or even "tea money." except tho ss. each granted at the h'ahyeariy balance. Some of'tho Australian banks give a "war bonus, but I have not heard of any' in this Dominion—they doubtless carry their loyalty well, but think it hard to have their good name filched from them, and look on the chairman's claim as wormwood indeed. —I am, otc., T.J. STEELE..