GIRL CLERKS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3391, 21 January 1920, Page 6

GIRL CLERKS.

Within the next few months tllere is likely to be a “glut” of girl clerks all over Australia, says the Melbourne Argus_ During the war the banks and , many large business houses trained girls in considerable numbers to take the places of employees who had gone to the war, but in the banks and in tlle great majority of ‘other firms this process was undertaken on the distinct understanding that the places of soldier employees should be made available for them on their return, and as men clerks who joined the A.I.F. are now returning to their former positions the girls who “carried on” in their absence are being retired. Fortunately, thc displacing of the ‘girls is proceeding gradually, and there are not likely to -be wholesale dismissals resulting in the placing of hundreds of girl clerks in the labour market at one time. Returned menare not being hurried back to their I desks, and most of them take several weeks’ leave, even after any hospital itreatnient that they 11e,'.?'(l has exriped: ‘ and it is probable that a small propor:tion of the girls who have proved themselves most cfiicient will be retained'in their new sphere to take the place of those men who will never return. It is estimated that in ‘-4 ictoria alone fully iSOO -girl clerks have, been employed by the ballks—3oO 01'} so in Mlelbounrne. and the remainderl in the suburbs and thhc country Towns I So far not one of these girls has been displaced, and they are not likely tol lose. their employment for some little‘ time, because in nearly all the banks the men who were left behind during the war were unable to take‘ any] leave, and it will be a few months’ before this accumulated leave has; been given. Several of the banks, however. are now beginning to find! their staffs unduly large. and before long the «lismissal of large numbers of girl clerks will become inevitable. The outlook for these girls in the! commercial world is not bright at the present time, for it is generally re-I ported that the Supply of girl clerks exceeds the demand. In New South Wales and one or two of the other States the Banks have already given their girl clerks a month ’s notice. H