GIRLS IN BANK OF N.Z.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 August 1919, Page 5

GIRLS IN BANK OF N.Z.

REPLY TO RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION. By Teleffraph—press Assn.—Copyright. Cliri-itclmrch, Last The Canterbury Repatriation Board has been interesting itself in the question of the Bank of New Zen land retaining the services of girl clerks to the alleged detriment of returned soldiers. At meeting a letter was read from the genornl manager of the bank stating that it wan not the policy of the bank to largely employ girls in future, nor was it retaining any to the exclusion of returned soldiers formerly members of the bank stuff. There were still IST to return,- and, in addition, the bank was endeavoring to find room for those clerks who resigned to go to tho front fathor than wait their turn for leave, of absence to enable their to enlist. The departments of work in which girl clerks would lie employed in future were those which men had a disinclination to occupy and which experience had shown were filled more satisfactorily by girls than men. The desire of the bank t« avoid dispensing with tho services of any girls a(: present in its employ was due to an indisposition to arbitrarily determine the employment of girls who had done their best for the bank in a time of stress, not from any desire, or intention to conduct the bank's business more economically \iy employment of cheap labor. If It were the idea of the Canterbury Repatriation Board-that the bank should discharge all its girl clerks and engage returned soldiers, regardless of whether the soldiers had any experience of banking work, such an idea was impracticable.

After discussion, during which it, was hointcd out that the issue was as to how the bank was going to fill the places of men who had been killed, bv girls or returned soldiers, it was dcciiled to ask the bank straight out if it would take on returned soldiers if in the opinion of officials of the bank thu men were suitable for the positions.