BANK'S NEW PREMISES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLIV, Issue XLIV, 26 January 1924, Page 6

BANK'S NEW PREMISES.

I -4-_ .-—, ( A FL\E BItICK BUILDING. ' After having on five different occasions effected alterations and additions to the old premises built in 1877, the i Bank of New Zealand has at last called i tenders for the x erection of a totally i new building on their present site in Princes.-Street. For some time past the local staff and public have had to make the best of such conveniences as the old building afforded, but now all concerned are assured that the immediate future will see the present unsatisfactory condition of things altered ajid ' up-to-date working facilities pro-, vided. The old building is to be pulled down and the new one erected in its Elaoe, the staff in the meantime to be oused in .the buildings recently occuEieds by Messrs Barton and Taylor. The ~ ank,are sparing no expense in seeing > that the best of everything is installed, and the requirements of the public, will receive the utmost consideration. j [ Built of brick and double-storied, ' j with its high, arched windows and bal- ; cony in front, the new building will present a. fine appearance. It will hare a frontage of 54ft., a height of 31ft., ana a depth of 72ft. J Stepping through the main entrance, which will be located in the centre of I the frontage, one will enter a vestibule J with swinging doors to right and left. Immediately inside will be a large public chamber of a width of 39Jft and a depth of 17ft. On the right will be . tho manager's room, while immediately ia front will be the line of recessed counters extending across the building. The bills counter is to be on the left I a few feet back from the other counI ters, and continuing to the right in the .order shere. mentioned will be the aci countaints' room, the exchanges counter, two tellers' counters and the ledger clerks desks, with an entrance into the j general staff room on the extreme h right. Beliind the .counter will be the I large staff room and behind that again I will bo the large strong-room, measuring 28ft by 26ft, stationery rooms, cupI boards and cloak-rooms being located j near by. The stirong-room will be a I "strong" room in every sense of the .word, for all-manner of precautions j will have been taken in order to enI sure thsit.the room ana safes are absolutely burglar proof. The remainder of the ground floor will be taken up by a portion of the residential quarters, the kitchen and dining-room being downstairs. On climbing the staircase and reaching the landing, one will see the wide passage on to which, numerous large airy rooms open. Everything will be most conveniently arranged, and the i numerous up-to-date fittings will make the manager's Quarters a model. A social feature of the building will be the overhead lighting in the singlestoried portion. This isVo be1 obtained by skylights and a large glass dome, the highest point of which will rise to a point ISft^above the floor and immediately below the skylights, thereby ensuring the maximum amount of daylight in the banking chamber, and adding to the general appearance of the interior. For night work,, of ./ co-fse, there will be a plentiful supply of electric light. " • A- hot water pipe system to supply j heat to numerous radiators will provide the artificial heat in cold weather, a cellar for the boiler jbeing located in the basement at the/back. Mr Thos. H. Bates, of New Plymouth, is the archtitect.