Bank Clerks' Hours.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 142, 20 June 1904, Page 4

Bank Clerks' Hours.

Banks and their clerks' working hours have been the subject of a good deal of discussion at various times, and these institutions have been popularly known as '-'light- ] houses" from the fact that the windows betray the presence of the clerks at all hours of the night. "Ex-Banker," In a letter to the New Zealand Herald, says :—" 1 notice that the banks have been getting rather a bad time lately in the columns of your paper, but nobody seeme inclined to plead the cause of the bank clerks. As an ex-bank clerk, allow me to state some of my experiences. The ordinary routine is to start work at nine am. and leave off when your work is finished. I Bank hours for the transaction of I public arc : Ordinary week days, ten a.m. to three p.m. j Saturdays, ten a.m. to twelve noon. During seven years' banking experience I can honestly say that my work took me till nine or ten p.m. for three out of every five nights during thoso seven years, and for weeks together during balance time (twice a year) I have worked from nine a.m. until two or three o'clock in the morning, with half an hour off at midday and an hour in the evening for meals. On Saturdays, when the bank clerks arc supposed to have a half holiday, I believe I am correct in stating that 25 per cent, of them get through their work before four o'clock in the afternoon. As to the banks ignoring putrlic convenience by declaring special bank holidays, I can assure you. not 1 per cent, of the public ever think of considering the banks and their clerks. I could quote you several instances of the public coming round to the back door of the banking chamber at ono p.m. on Saturdays to transact business, and if, as is generally the case, the clerks went out of their way to oblige Unit Individual, he would then como back every Saturday at the same time, if not later, and expect to be again "obliged." Your commercial houses, if the truth were known, are in most cases kept open when the majority would like to close for somo special event, because some firm or individual is afraid of losing tho sale of a yard of ribbon or a pound of enndlcs, but you will generally notice that the principals of those those Anns find their way to the racecourse or whatever other sports attraction happens to be taking place."