DON'T BANK ON IT
Sitt.-As a bank official I feel unable to let the article, 'Don't Bank On It,' by Katharine Whitehorn Pass without comment.
I entirely agree that our banking system is still suffering from an old-world atmosphere and the reasons are not far to seek.
String-pulling is still prevalent in high places, as witness the composition of board rooms with their ex-Service generals and part-time politicians. 'Hidden reserves' are still laughed off as the accepted thing.
The banker is brought up in the invidious position of protecting the interests of both bank and customer. He is expected to assimilate all his knowledge from this everyday work and by spending anything up to ,n Years of his spare time studying for the examina- on
ti Years
of the Institute of Bankers. Spare us the ordeal of 'all-night banks' !
in his so-called profession he is not allowed to 11311al1fY and then to practise. He must sink or swim _ Y his own efforts and the aid of a correspondence cotirse to be paid for from his own meagre earnings. There is a fantastic army of male staff locked up in t_he banking service undertaking duties in many cases tar below their potentialities. As regards overwork, please remember that every time the Chancellor of the Exchequer decides to change the Bank rate, bank staffs automatically .equire extra work. The interest on loans and over- Ili rafts must be worked up-to-date at the old rates ;" PreParation for the new. This can happen twice :n a fortnight. No wonder Selwyn Lloyd became an election liability' linked with the un-Christian ,aPPreciation of the 'pay pause' which particularly Mt the banking fraternity.
So when you next go to your bank to cash a cheque spare a thought for the soul-destroying but necessary job the cashier is performing. After all, such men and women are the backbone of the banking system.
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