Making Ends Meet
Sia,--AIMough I agree with much that A Bank Clerk has to -say in Making'Ends Meet, I should like, as a member of the banking community, to make some protest at the manner-in which members of our profession seem to have gone out of their way in the post-war years, not merely to cry but to bellow " stinking fish " to the impressionable public. - I myself am on the staff of a large branch, which is not overstaffed in proportion to its volume of business, and I can truthfully say that, except at the ,,end of a half-year, there is no necessity for anybody to stay later than 6- p.m.—and 5.15 p.m. is a fair average. Before that I was at a small country branch, where we felt cheated if we were not outside by 4.30 p.m.
The pay certainly is not attractive in the early years, but if -one has the ability and perseverance to reach managerial or executive status, the ski=or about £3,000 to £5,000 as a distant horizon—is the limit. Their humbler brethren, in the shape of cashiers and ledger-keepers, should be getting, with the present rate of bonus included, about £750 per annum at retiring age, with the prospect of a pension of around £420. for which they have made no contribution through the years. I do not think it is unkind to say that, had the men gone into ordinary office work on leaving school, the figures corresponding to those given above would on retire-, meat be about £350 and £175 respectively.
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