THE UNION BANK

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 63, Issue 4490, 15 October 1941, Page 4

THE UNION BANK

THE TE AWAMUTU BRANCH. ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS TO PREMISES. FAITH IN THE FUTURE OF THE DISTRICT. In order to cope with the steadily increasing business of its Branch in Te Awamutu, the Union Bank of Australia Ltd., has found it imperative to enlarge its premises. A contract has been let for extensive alterations and additions which will provide commodation far present needs ,> well as for a considerabliy larger staff that will doubtless be required in the future. The extensions to the Bank’s building, which will conform with the present facade, will be erected to face Market Street and will completely fill in the present vacant frontage to that street, thus considerably improving the appearance of that portion of the town. The interior of the banking chamber will be considerably enlarged and the lay-out of the fittings, desks, etc., completely remodelled in order to provide more space and more convenient facilities for the public as well as for the staff. Included in the latter are separate cubicles both for the accountant and for the security and bill clerk, and provision is made for two tellers. A new manager’s room will be built on the Market Street frontage. The above-mentioned extensions are further evidence of the steady growth of Te Awamutu and district and of the confidence shown by financial institutions and others in its future expansion. The Union Bank opened its Te Awamutu branch in 1913 and its business here has shown remarkable growth which evidences that it has played its part well in assisting the progress and development of the town and district. It will be recalled that the Union Bank celebrated last year (1940) the Centenary of the establishment of its first New Zealand branch at Britannia, Port Nicholson (now Wellington) on 24th March, 1840. Thus the Bank was actively assisting in the development of New Zealand even before British Sovereignty was proclaimed (the Treaty of Waitangi was not signed until some months later), and it enjoys the distinction of being the pioneer bank of the Dominion and the oldest established business in this country.