IDLE BANK BUILDINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20869, 11 May 1931, Page 10

IDLE BANK BUILDINGS.

ONE £2,000,000 STRUCTURE. NEW SOUTH WALES PROBLEM. One of the difficulties to be faced in the merger whereby the New South Wales Government Savings Bank will become part of the Commonwealth Savings Bank is the use of the many bank buildings of the Government Savings Bank. There is a fine building in every important suburb of Sydney, and in some suburbs which are not important. The building has not merely banking accommodation, but also a residence. The post oflico near by may be not nearly as impressive and not as large, yet there the manifold duties imposed upon that section of tho public service are conducted, in addition to banking. So in most country towns.

It is clear that tho doubling of banking cannot be conducted in the present congested post office premises, however, together with the growing business of other kinds. In these circumstances tho Commonwealth Bank may give some thought to tho use of the buildings of the Government Savings Bank. An enormous amount of money is invested in these structures. Added to the £2.000,000 spent on the headquarters in Sydney, says the correspondent of the Melbourne Argus, the total would astonish tho multitude. The expenditure seemed to bo well justified in good times, but as soon as bad times shed a baleful light on them there was talk of unjustifiable extravagance.