Bank Committee: May 23rd 1932

4437   The following report of the General Purposes Sub-Committee was presented:

New Central Bank and Head Office Premises.

Your Sub-Committee report that Messrs Whittall & Son, Contractors, have submitted the name of the Midland Bank Ltd (Bennetts Hill Branch) to be bound jointly with the Contractors as security for performance of the Contract. Your Sub-Committee have approved this arrangement.

Your Chairman and Alderman Sir Percival Bower, on the authority of your Sub-Committee have approached the Rt Hon Neville Chamberlain upon the question of laying the foundation stone for the new premises, and Mr Chamberlain has agreed to perform the ceremony towards the end of September.

Arrangements have been made with the owners of the Masonic Temple adjoining the Bank site, for payment to them of £1 per annum in consideration of an easement in respect of the main cornice of the Bank premises which would overhang the main entrance drive to the Temple; also payment of 10/- per week for additional electric lighting required owing to the erection of a gantry, such payment to be made so long as the gantry exists; also £1 per annum as additional premium on the Burglary and All Risks policy due to the erection of the gantry, for the time the gantry exists.

It is recommended that these arrangements be approved, and that the Town Clerk be instructed to prepare the necessary Agreement and affix the Corporate Seal thereto, if required.

4438   RESOLVED:- That the arrangements made with the owners of the Masonic Temple as to an easement in respect of the main cornice of the Bank premises to be erected in Broad Street, and as to payments in respect of additional electric lighting and Burglary and All Risks policy due to the erection of the gantry, as indicated in the Report of the General Purposes Sub-Committee, be approved; and the Town Clerk instructed to prepare any necessary documents, affixing the Corporate Seal thereto, if required.

4457   RESOLVED:- That a special meeting of the General Purposes Sub-Committee be held at 11:30am on Friday next, the 27th instant, to interview Mr Howitt (the Architect) upon certain matters in connection with the erection of the new Central Bank and Head Office premises.

Bank Committee: June 20th 1932

4462   The following Minute of the Council passed at a Meeting held on 7th June on presentation of the report of the Bank Committee were received:

It was moved by Mr Councillor Gelling, seconded, and Resolved:

30,666. That the Committee be authorised to accept a tender for the erection of Head Office premises in Broad Street, and to place the necessary work in hand.

The General Manager submitted a letter from Mr Howitt, Architect, stating that tenders for heating, ventilation and hot water supply at the new Central Bank and Head Office would shortly be in his possession and that he would like to submit same to the Committee.

4489  RESOLVED:- That Mr Howitt be asked to attend the next meeting of the General Purposes Sub-Committee thereon.

Bank Committee: January 16th 1933

4612   On Minutes Nos 4438 and 4468, the Committee were informed that the completion of the Agreement with the Masonic Temple was awaiting progress of the building.

Alderman Sir Percival Bower referred to an application that was being considered by the General Purposes Committee from the Masonic Temple authorities to acquire certain land on the Old Wharf site to enable them to extend their premises and to secure a frontage on the projected extension of Paradise Street. The Committee were reminded that efforts had been made in the past to secure such a frontage for the Bank but the General Purposes Committee had only agreed to a right of way for delivery of goods etc. Having regard to the desirability that the Bank premises should not be built in from the frontage to the proposed new street and that a convenient approach should be afforded to depositors therefrom, it was:

4613  RESOLVED:- That the Chairman and Alderman Sir Percival Bower be requested to point out to the General Purposes Committee that if there is any intention of granting the request of the Masonic Temple Authorities it is the desire of this Committee that a similar privilege should be allowed to the Bank of acquiring a suitable frontage on the proposed new Street.

4619   The following report of the General Purposes Sub-Committee was presented:

Safe Deposit Arrangements.

Your Sub-Committee have given consideration to the question of the provision of safe deposit boxes in connection with the new Head Offices, and report that they have inspected the safe deposit arrangements at the London Safe Deposit, The Midland Bank Ltd, and Martin's Bank Ltd.

The boxes in use at the three rooms respectively have a depth of 19" at the London Safe Deposit, 20" at The Midland Bank, and 21" at Martin's Bank, and vary in height and width as follows:- from 4½" to 14" at the London Safe Deposit; from 2½" to 16-13/16" at the Midland Bank, and from 3-15/16" to 20¾" at Martin's Bank. Experience points to the fact that 65% of the boxes in use are those of the smallest size.

In the opinion of your Sub-Committee the clientele of the Municipal Bank is more likely to be attracted to the smaller size of box, although there will probably be a call for other sizes. It is therefore suggested that boxes of a suitable size would be as follows:

The measurements of the safe deposit room would admit of provision being made for 4466 boxes arranged in sections all round the walls of the room, leaving the centre of the room vacant but available for pedestals of boxes to be fixed at a later date, if found necessary. For each running foot of space there would be one row of 12" x 12" boxes; two rows of 12" x 4½" boxes; two rows of 12" x 3" boxes; then a pull-out steel ledge; and above the ledge fourteen double rows of 6" x3" boxes. This would give a total supply of:

The measurements are approximate and may be slightly varied to suit the make-up of the section and the shape of the room.

The income from rentals would depend on the rates charged and the extent to which renting is taken up. The charges at the three London rooms vary as follows:

London Safe Deposit .... £1. 5. 0.  to  £4. 4. 0.

Midland Bank .... 10. 0.  to  £3. 0. 0.

Martin's Bank .... 10. 0. to  £5. 0. 0.

Your Sub-Committee do not think these figures suited to the requirements of the Municipal Bank and recommend the following as appropriate charges to make:

On this basis the 4466 boxes would yield an income of £1,463 per annum.

Provision is made at the three London Safe Deposit rooms for clients to place their documents in a japanned box of a suitable size to go inside the safe deposit box, and it is recommended that a stock of suitable japanned boxes be obtained and sold to clients requiring same at a charge sufficient to meet the cost.

Your Sub-Committee accordingly recommend that the Architect be instructed to prepare plans and specifications for the installation of safe deposit boxes on the lines of this report, preparatory to tenders being obtained therefor.

With reference to the paragraph in the foregoing report relating to Safe Deposit arrangements, the Chairman of the General Purposes Sub-Committee stated that Mr Howitt had, that morning, submitted plans of the proposed Safe Deposit arrangements which had been approved subject to certain amendments to make provision for one row of 12" x 12" boxes; two rows of 12" x 4½" boxes; and two rows of 12" x 3" boxes, as indicated in the Sub-Committee's report. On this understanding Mr Howitt had been directed to invite tenders from three firms, namely, Messrs Chatwoods, Messrs Chubbs and Messrs S Withers & Company. It was accordingly

4621   RESOLVED:- That the General Manager be directed to instruct the Architect for the new central Head Offices to prepare specifications for the supply and installation of Safe Deposit Boxes etc on the lines indicated in the foregoing report, and to obtain tenders for the same from the three firms above-mentioned in due course.

4622   RESOLVED:- That the foregoing report of the General Purposes Sub-Committee be approved.