National Bank of New Zealand
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| Subsidiary of ANZ | |
| Industry | Financial services |
| Founded | 1872 |
| Defunct | 28 October 2012 |
| Headquarters | Wellington, New Zealand |
| Website | www.anz.co.nz |
The National Bank of New Zealand Limited (NBNZ), often referred to as The National Bank, was one of New Zealand's largest banks. Throughout much of its history, the National Bank provided banking services to mainly major industrial and rural as well as some personal and small business customers.
UK based Lloyds Bank became the sole owner of the bank in 1966 and National Bank adopted the Lloyds bank black horse as its logo. Lloyds sold the bank to Australian ANZ Bank in 2003, at which time it became part of ANZ National Bank Limited, the New Zealand subsidiary of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group.
NBNZ was founded in 1872 in London as an overseas bank and shared many directors with Lloyds Bank. The next year it established branches in Wellington, Auckland, and Christchurch, and acquired 13 branches from ailing Bank of Otago (1863–73), see William Larnach. The National Bank of New Zealand (Ltd) Act gave NBNZ the right to issue banknotes redeemable (in specie or gold). Though the bank was technically domiciled in London (which provided certain advantages), the major portion of its shareholders were New Zealand resident or associated.
In 1919, Lloyds Bank acquired a small interest in NBNZ. This situation continued until 1966, when Lloyds Bank purchased NBNZ outright. National Bank and the Bank of New Zealand established joint data processing services, which they combined as Databank Systems Limited in 1967.
NBNZ tentatively dipped a toe into foreign waters in 1969 when it NBNZ established a branch in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. This foray ended in 1986 when NBNZ sold its banking license in Rarotonga to European Pacific Banking Co.
In 1978 NBNZ moved its head office from London to Wellington. At that time the Black Horse became the symbol of NBNZ. The National Bank's distinctive Black Horse logo dates back to 1677 London when Humphrey Stockes adopted it as sign for his shop. Stokes was a goldsmith and 'keeper of the running cashes', an early term for banker. When Lloyds Bank took over the site in 1884 it retained the horse as its symbol.
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