RESIGNATION OF MR JAMES HUME.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 337, 6 September 1898, Page 2

RESIGNATION OF MR JAMES HUME.

We learn that Mr James Hume has resigned from the Bank of New Zealand, an institution with which he has been connected for ,37 years, having joined the staff in December, 1861, two months after the Bank commenced business. For about three years he was employed at the head office, Auckland. The presence of the troops in Waikato rendered it desirable that au agency should be opened in this district, and iu May, 18G4, Mr Hume opened a branch of the Bank at Ngaruawahia. His office was iu a tent, over which the military mounted a guard. The Bank erected the building shortly afterwards, which must be familiar to all travellers by rail, owing, in the first place, to the inscription on the front, aud, in the second, to the peculiar style of architecture adopted by the designer. For twelve years Mr Hume carried on business at Ngaruawahia, and in May, 187(3, the district head office was removed to Hamilton, and shortly afterwards the handsome premises iu that town were erected. Necessarily from the position which Mr Hume has held for so many years—in fact from the very infancy of settlement in Waikato—lie is more intimately acquainted with its history than any other man. He has seen several generations of settlers, all of whom entered upon their farming career with high anticipations of the success they thought to attain. Unfortunately, only in very few instances have their anticipations been realised. In many cases failure was due to taking up more land than the purchasers had a sufficiency of capital to work with advantage, the natural outcome of which was that they borrowed money either from the bank or other sources and sank under tho load of interest which was at a very heavy rate in those early days, and many others who followed in their footsteps met a similar fate and from very much the same cause. The present generation of settlers have benefitted not only by the experience of those who preceded them, but in addition they have secured improvements at a tithe of the cost incurred by those who made them. It is a fact that large areas of laud in this district are in the hands of the Assets Realisation Board consequent upon what have proved to be excessive advances by the Bank. When, however, these heavy advances were made it was not anticipated that the price of stock and farm produce would go down by leaps and bounds. The departure of Mr Hume from the district will be matter for regret to the customers of the Bank and a very large circle of friends. Mr and Mrs Hume and their family have for many years taken a leading part in social functions and in any movement for the benefit of the district. We wish them a long life of happiness aud prosperity, in which we are certain the people of Waikato will join us. We understand that Mr Hume's successor has not yet been appointed.