NAB's Argus is back on the takeover trail.

Reports on the efforts, made in late 1998, by Don Argus of the National Australia Bank to convince the Australian government that mergers among the four major Australian banks are necessary to avoid the chance they will be acquired by an international investor. Bank merger activity around the world increasing; The government's policy on bank mergers; Argus' view that major bank mergers in Australia are inevitable. INSET: Jobs will go if the pillars tumble.