THE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND'S NEW PREMISES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 971, 9 December 1879, Page 2

THE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND'S NEW PREMISES.

The new building for the Bank of New Zealand m the Gladstone Road, was opened ab the usual business hour this morning. It was designed by the Bank's architect, Mr. Mahoney, of Auckland, and built by Mr. George Hughes, the successful contractor. We have been asked to intpecb the building, and having complied with the request, we can only say, slightly paraphrasing an aucient ditty, Who would not be the Manager Of such a bonny Bank. We are no judges of architecture. We do not know whether the building under notice is of the order Doric, lonic, Gothic, modern, or mediaeval, Elizabethan, or any other order. But if we are ignorant of architecture, we think we know something of what constitutes comfort, elegance, and luxuries. The Bank of New Zealand building possesses these three great essentials. There is not a room m the whole interior which is not elegant and tasteful m design as m workmanship. There is a magnificent drawing room reached by a tastefully bronzed balstered staircase. There is the " best bedroom " and other bedrooms nearly as good as the best. Below a handsome dining room and a sitting-room oft' of it. A spare room here, another there, kitchen and laundry with outhouses. Water laid on everywhere lavatories, water leading from the roof to below. Water from below pumped to the roof above when wanted j closets m doors and out of doors. All conveniences that could have been thought of or suggested, are here. It short its only a Bank that could do such a building m so small a town as Gisborne. The offices are light and airy j are fitted for the convenience of the public m front of the counter and for the clerks behind. There is the manager's room, where he is interviewed by his customers. There is a room leading out of that room where the bank documents are kept during the day time. There is a strong room, buglar proof and fire proof, with burglar proof and fire proof safes inside with burglar proof drawers within the safes. The Bank possesses an air of solid wealth inside and outside of it. One could not bring himself for a moment to believe he could not get any n mount of money from the manager of the establishment if he could only offer the necessary security. Of course there may be a good deal m a bank being able to print its own notes and sending them forth as representing so much money. We are under the impression that we should be able to considerably enlarge the Herald, and pay the Editor a salary which would enable him to keep a buggy, if our directors could issue notes prepared at our own printing office. There are, however, objections standing m the way which prevent the thing being done ; because the public might not care about taking our notes.