Bankcard in Waimarino

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 7, 19 July 1983, Page 14

Bankcard in Waimarino

The New Zealand Post Office has decided to operate the international Bankcard system in conjunction with two of New Zealand's major trading bank groups — the ANZ and WestDac.

This means that a full Bankcard service is now available for the first time in the Waimarino . . hitherto only Visacard operated by the Bank of New Zealand and the Wanganui Trustees Savings Bank — was available to customers of those two banks. The nearest Bankcard banks — the ANZ and the Westpac group — were formerly in Taihape, Turangi and Wanganui. Now with the N.Z. Post Office joining the Bankcard system a comprehensive network of Bankcard agencies throughout the country — there are over 1300 post offices in N.Z. — has been established. Post Office Savings Bank customers in every srriall town and village in New Zealand will now have access to the Bankcard system . . . "Even the Ohakune Junction branch

will be able to offer this service" said local Postmaster Mr Sam Swarbrick. The lack of Bankcard facilities in the Waimarino up until now has been a problem particularly for overseas visitors and particularly for those from Australia where the Visacard system is not widely recognised . . . most Australian visitors use Bankcard when they come to the Waimarino to holiday or ski. They expect to find the same sort of credit facilities — such as obtaining cash, paying accounts etc — available here from one of the local banks but up until now this hasn't been the case. Now they, and permanent Waimarino residents who have accounts with the ANZ or Westpac Banks elsewhere, can use the service operated by the N.Z. Post Office.