The Bank of Australasia, which was established in Masterton in November, 1875, is situated in the heart of the town. The business of the branch was first conducted in a small building which was replaced by a large wooden structure early in 1879. These premises were destroyed by fire shortly after possession was taken. A contract for a substantial brick edifice was almost immediately let, the present commodious single story building—finished in December, 1879—being the result. The Queen Street frontage is used as banking chamber and private office, a five-roomed residence for the manager forming the back portion of the premises.

Mr. Henry Hawson Smith, Manager of the Branch of the Bank of Australasia, was born in 1852 in Port Lincoln, South Australia, where he was educated. Entering the Bank of Australasia in his native place as a junior in 1866, Mr. Smith was four years later transferred to Adelaide as junior clerk. In 1874 the subject of this notice came to New Zealand, being stationed in Christchurch and holding the position of bill clerk. The following year he became teller at the Wellington office of the Bank, from which he was soon afterwards removed to Napier as accountant. In April, 1876, Mr. Smith was promoted to the position of manager and took charge of the Waipawa branch, remaining three years. He was subsequently for five years in Marton, receiving the appointment he now holds in 1884. As a member of the Masonic fraternity, though presently unattached, Mr. Smith joined Lodge Tavistock at Waipukurau, and was afterwards a member of the Lodge at Waipawa, where also he joined the Order of Oddfellows. As a youth Mr. Smith was a cricketer; his recreations since settling in Masterton have been angling, shooting, and cycling.

The Bank of New South Wales was established in Masterton in 1885, in temporary wooden premises, the present two-story wooden building in Queen Street being erected two years later. The ground floor front is occupied as banking chamber and manager's room, the remainder of the building forming a nine-roomed residence for the manager. The Bank has a large mercantile and squatting connection in the Wairarapa. The local staff includes four officers in addition to the manager.

Mr. Charles Augustus Tabuteau, the Manager of the Masterton branch of the Bank of New South Wales, who was born in London in 1856, arrived with his parents during the same year in Auckland per ship “Gipsy.” Educated at Parnell Grammar School, Auckland, under the Rev. Dr. Kinder, and at the Napier Grammar School, under the Rev. W. Marshall, Mr. Tabuteau entered the Government service in the office of the Registrar of Deeds at Napier. Joining the Bank of New South Wales in 1873, he remained at the Napier office for five years, when he was promoted to the position of manager at Hawera. After two years he was removed to Gisborne, where he remained a like period. He was accountant at Wellington for the following four years, and in 1886 Mr. Tabuteau became manager of the Masterton branch. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, his mater Lodge being the Victoria Lodge, E.O., of Napier. He is at present unattached.

Bank of New Zealand, Masterton, was established in 1874, the two-story wooden building now occupied being erected shortly afterwards. The ground floor front of the Bank is used as banking chamber, into which the manager's room opens. Behind, and on the upper floor, there is a residence of eight rooms, in which the manager resides. The staff consists of manager, accountant, teller, ledger-keeper, and a junior.

Mr. James Poole Brandon, Manager of the Bank of New Zealand, Masterton, is the second son of Mr. Sidney Brandon, late manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Napier, and a nephew of the late Hon. A. de B. Brandon, M.L.C., of Wellington. Mr. J. P. Brandon was born at Lyttelton in 1861, and educated at Wellington College. After a law and insurance experience in the Empire City, he entered the service of the Colonial Bank of New Zealand in 1890 at Wellington. For some time he was manager of the Palmerston North branch of the Bank, and on the amalgamation with the Bank of New Zealand, he joined the staff, being appointed to the position he now holds in 1896.

Masterton Permanent Investment and Building Society (incorporated under the Building Societies Act, 1880). Directors, Messrs. J. C. Boddington (chairman), A. R. Bunny, J. Elliott, W. Lowes, J. Macara, J. Payton; solicitor, C. F. Gawith; manager, J. B. Keith. Offices, Queen Street. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. This Society was established in 1876. page 960 Its operations have been steadily expanding year by year. The volume of business during the year ending 31st of August, 1895, was considerably in advance of the previous year, the net profits being nine-and-a-quarter per cent. At the date named the investment shares amounted to over £17,000, deposits exceeded £8000, while the reserve fund stood at £1000. The Society promises well for the future.

Mr. Joseph Compton Boddington, who has been chairman of the Masterton Building Society for seventeen years, was born in 1841 at Hampstead, near London. Arriving in -the Colony at the age of sixteen months with his father, the late Mr. James Boddington, of Compton Grange, on the Porirua Road—now known as Khandallah—the subject of this notice was educated in New Zealand. After two years in a mercantile office he joined the Union Bank in 1858, the Bank of New Zealand in Wellington in January, 1862, and successively occupied the position of accountant at Nelson, Wellington, and Dunedin, manager at Kaiapoi, Lyttelton, and Masterton, where he arrived in January, 1879, and retired on pension in 1896. During his residence in the Wairarapa Mr. Boddington has been prominent as a trustce of the Park Trust for seventeen years, of the local hospital for seventeen years, for the past fifteen of which he has been chairman; as chairman of the school committee for eight years, and as honorary treasurer of the Masterton Club for sixteen years. The subject of this notice married a daughter of Mr. William Henry Staunton, of Hampstead, and has three sons and four daughters.