MR. HENRY BUCKLETON

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 132, 15 December 1928, Page 9

MR. HENRY BUCKLETON

FIFTY YEARS A BANKER Mr. Henry Buckleton, General Manager of the Bank of New Zealand, completes to-day fifty years of service with that institution. Ho began as a junior and he rose step by step until he was installed in the highest position within the 'bestowal of the bank. Today ho is recognised throughout Australia, and Hew Zealand and in London and New York as one of the leading bankers in the British Empire, even as the bank itself, with a capital and reserve fund exceeding ten and a-half millions sterling, occupies a leading place among the banks of the British Dominions. At the annual meeting of the bank in 1925, Sir George Elliot, chairman, described. Mr. Buckleton as occupying "with the greatest credit, one of tho most important and arduous positions in New Zealand," and Mr. Shailer Weston, at last annual meeting of the bank, described tho manner in which Mr. Buckleton had met difficulties that had arisen a few years ago as "brave and broadminded." Born in Sydney on 4th January, 1864, the son of Mr. George Buckleton, an Australian journalist, the subject of this notice began his career with tho Bank of New Zealand at its

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Sydney branch, on 16th December, 1878, a boy of 15. Jle remained in the Sydney branch, passing through the various I phases of a bank clerk's career, until he was sent to the branch in Melbourne, aa acting-accountant, in December, 1891. In May of the following year he was sent to Now Zealand, and promoted accountant, stationed at tho Hamilton branch. But he stayed thero until the following year, when he waa notified of his appointment as accountant at tho important city branch of Auckland. Ho stayed there until 1901, when he was promoted manager at New Plymouth, As will be seen, Mr. BucMetou came into very close contact with tho great and expanding dairying industry of the Dominion and saw it from every financial angle in progressive dairying areas. In November, 1905, he acted as chief inspector at head office, Wellington, and from 1906 to 1919 ho was manager for the bank at Auckland. His appointment as genera] manager was made in 1919, and he took over the duties attaching to that office on Ist February, 1920. Since he joined the Bank of New Zealand Mr. Buckleton has seen it develop its activities and influence not only in New Zealand but in the Commonwealth of Australia and Fiji. Tho business of the bank has grown enormously since Mr. Buckleton joined. For instance, in 1878, the capital and reserves of the bank were £i,058,885; to-day they are £10,503,723, nearly j ten times as much. Mr. William Reecc, a director of the Bank of New Zealand, at one of its annual meetings pictured for share- I holders then assembled their general manager as one "who worships at the shrine of the bank day and night." Mr. Buckleton has a likewise assiduous social worker in his wife, the daughter of Mr. W. A. Graham, whom ho married in Hamilton in 1893. During tho war .period, Mrs. Buckleton took a leading part in war relief work and was awarded the 0.8. E. decoration for her services. She has for some years.been president of .the Wellington branch of tho Victoria League. Mr. Buekleton's family of five consists of three daughters and two sons, and one of the latter is in tho Wellington branch of the Bank of New Zealand.