This building was erected for the Commercial Traveller’s and Warehousemen’s Association. The Association was established in 1891 at a meeting of about a dozen commercial travellers at the old Exchange Buildings. A few years later, warehousemen were admitted to the membership of the association. The Association tended to the social needs of its members and was actively involved in charity efforts, such as orphanages. Membership grew rapidly: from 75 members in 1891, to 1096 members in 1928. As a result of increased membership, the Association moved premises frequently in its first few decades. Its first rooms were in the Loan and Mercantile building in Customhouse Quay. In 1891 it moved to a building in Featherston Street, and then built its own building in Hunter Street in 1896. The Association built its second building in Victoria St, opened by Premier Richard Seddon in 1905 and built at a cost of £8569. Membership was 543 at this point. The Association attracted some distinguished members. Its president was Harold Beauchamp, father of Katherine Mansfield, later Chairman of the Board of the BNZ; also prominent was auctioneer and politician T.K. MacDonald.
A growing membership forced yet another move. Architects Atkins and Mitchell won a competition to design a new building to be erected on land purchased on Customhouse Quay, around the corner from the club’s old building. The new building was constructed by Irvine and Barr and completed in 1930, at a cost of £73,027.
The building was opened on 13 February 1931 by the Prime Minister of the day, the Right Hon G.W. Forbes, before a big attendance of members. The Prime Minister praised the association for the “practical and charitable work” done in Wellington, and for the large sums of money they had raised for various purposes. At the opening the Mayor referred to the new premises as “a magnificent building, which was only to be expected from such a progressive and enterprising body. It was indicative of the spirit which actuated the members at all times. It was, he imagined, quite the finest club of its kind in New Zealand, and the association was to be heartily congratulated on the magnificent addition it had made to the city’s architecture.”
The ground and first floors were reserved for the club, which used the main street entrance. The floors above were leased as office space, with their own separate side entrance.
This arrangement lasted until 1978, when the building was bought by the Northern United Permanent Building Society for £750,000. The society, which had been formed in 1976 with the merger of the Northern United and Terminating Societies, completely gutted the building, with the exception of the timber panelling in the club dining room. The work was intended to mesh the club and office sections of the building, and was completed in 1979. The Northern United Permanent Building Society appears to have been acquired by ANZ in c.1987. The building is currently occupied by a mix of commercial tenants.
The Commercial Traveller’s and Warehousemen’s Association meanwhile moved to the large Anderson family home in Hanky Street, which it bought for a cost of $175,000. It subsequently folded under the burden of considerable debt.
