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We*, and the equally remarkable bargain* which are 



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Notable among the architectural ornament* of that section of Coffin* Street West 

 which fie* between Elizabeth and Queen Street* are the banking boosts of the Union, 

 the New Zealand, the English Scottish and Australian Chartered, and the, New Sooth 

 Wale* Companies The first is erected on a site bought originally for like sum of 



sixteen pounds, and after- 

 wards occupied by the Crite- 

 rion Hotel, a building which, 

 was famous in die auriferous 

 eta for its bridal chamber 

 fitted up with amber satin ; 

 and for its bars, which were 

 thronged with customers 

 from morning till night ; 

 where it was a favour to be 

 supplied by supercilious tap- 

 sters with anything that 

 might be required ; for it 

 was a time when money was 

 unvalued, and no business 

 transaction was regarded as 

 valid unless ratified by a 

 "solemn drink." The Union 

 Bank, which has replaced the 

 once-popular tavern, is a 

 good example of the pure 

 Italian style; and its facade 

 resembles that of some 

 princely mansion on the 

 banks of the Adige or the 

 Brenta, such as one of the 

 old Venetian nobles may 

 have passed his villeggiatnra 

 in. Pillars of the Doric order 

 have been employed in the 



basement storey, Corinthian ones above, and Ionic columns in the two turrets, which form 



OfU of the most striking features of the general design. The Commercial Bank, on the 



'.i'le of the street, is architecturally unpretending. At the corner of Queen Street 



the New /.< ,il.in<l Bank has installed itself in the premises vacated by the unfortunate 



ii.'l Haul.. The two facades are windowless, in so far as that portion of the building 



wl'i'l' ' "'' (| ' ;> l-anking chamber is concerned; but the walls are broken up and relieved 



by < Ofinthian <<>lmnns, with architrave, enriched frieze, cornice and balustrade, the spaces 



'" '"liiinns being filled in with mounted panels in which are inserted slabs of 







II ,/AAK, BOUKKE STREET. 



