THE BANK OF NEW SOUTH WALES.

Progress, Volume I, Issue 6, 2 April 1906, Page 142

THE BANK OF NEW SOUTH WALES.

The accompanying illustrations show the new Bank of New South Wales in Wellington, which has a frontage to Lambton quay of 107 ft by a depth of 93ft., while the height above street level is 71ft. Solidity and boldness are the features for which the various buildings of the Bank of New South Wales are so well known, and it will be seen that the New Zealand head office is no exception to the general rule. Of the Italian Renaissance order, the front is supported on huge granite blocks, rising about eight feet from the pavement, the main feature of the facade being the fine pediment, 44 feet across, supported on six monolithic columns, each 25 feet in the shaft, running through two stories, and finished with lonic capitals. The pediment is enriched with carving and the Bank's monogram and surrounded with parapet and two large turretformed terminals. Surmounting the mam cornice is a parapet pierced with balustradmg, and finished at the extreme ends with large effective terminals Of the three entrances, the principal leads to the banking chamber, the northern to the inspector's offices, and the southern to the let-off portion of the building. All the vestibules aie spacious, being 12ft. in width. As is evident m the picture, the banking chamber is a magnificent apartment — the lighting by the imposing lead -light dome and rear windows being in the highest degree artistic Provision has been made for four tellers and between these and the accountant's room is the bills department. The accountant's room is surrounded with glass, and so placed as to command the whole banking chamber. The manager's room, 21 feet by 14 feet, the securities room (14 feet by 10 feet), and the waiting-room (11 feet by 12 feet 6 inches), are also on the right of the main entrance each being well lighted and provided with hot water radiators. The staircases are of Carrara marble throughout, and the lift is of the very latest electrical type, beautifully designed and finished with copper bronze. Bslow the banking chamber are the vaults and rooms where coin and valuable documents are stored Huge doors are set in immense concrete walls, and inside again there are " grill " protections, which would defy the ingenuity of a Sherlock Holmes to get behind. The ventilation and sani tary arrangements are fashioned on the latest and most approved specifications, while the premises, as a whole, are as much fireproof throughout a? a building of the kind could be made