7 September, 1939

You were informed some time ago that as from Monday October 2nd all females, other than domestics, would work 48 hours per week. THAT RULE STILL STANDS AND IS NOT BEING ALTERED so that females you now take on can be told that as from October 2nd they will work 48 hours per week and the present females employed can be told that we are not going back on what we have already told them. Please bear this in mind when you are deciding what is the full staff complement for your branch. We sincerely trust that it will not be necessary subsequently to have to alter this decision for we feel that to do so will not only be a retrogressive step but wrong in view of the condition generally, eg travelling, under which females will have to work.