National Mortgage and Agency Company Limited Oamaru

Initially this wasthe officeof Oamaru's Evening Mail. Heritage New Zealand tells us:

"The Evening Mail was not initially a great success. George Jones (1844-1920), an experienced printer and publisher, rescued the paper. He published his first issue on 12 May 1877. Jones, born in the Hutt Valley and educated in Geelong, was involved in the printing business from the age of fourteen. After returning to New Zealand in 1863, he founded the Waikato Times, the Echo in Auckland and the Evening News in Dunedin before buying the Evening Mail in 1877. Jones changed the Evening Mail’s fortune, although in an unexpected way. Reporting on land speculation, Jones implied that the Attorney General had a conflict of interest. Summoned to the House, Jones was recalcitrant. The House ordered a criminal libel prosecution – Jones was tried and acquitted. This was the first State trial by order of Parliament and vindicated the right of the press to comment on matters of public interest. The Evening Mail became notorious and prospered."

The NMA took over the building in 1889 ...........and leased it until 1937. The NMA grew out of Dunedin’s gold rush wealth, exporting wool and providing finance to farmers.

It now houses Slightly Foxed Books.