BUSY SUBSIDIARIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 2, 4 January 1937, Page 12

BUSY SUBSIDIARIES

LEWIS BERGER AND SONS

The fifty-seventh annual general meeting of Lewis Berger and Sons, Limited, was held in London on November 15. The Rt. Hon. Lord Greenwood, P.C. (chairman of the company), said that the home trade of their London plant constituted a fresh record, while the export trade had shown a decided improvement. The improvement in home trade had been in all sections—paint, dry colour, varnish, and cellulose, towards which the high quality of the company's products had been a decisive factor. The special products advertised by the company in the Press —namely, Pompeian EnamelPaint, Maisone Water-Paint, and Lifeguard Car Polish—continued to attract an ever-increasing number of customers, and the growing demands upon their London factory made further manufacturing facilities necessary, the new buildings for which were nearly completed. All the subsidiary companies in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa showed improvement, and all their business within the Empire was expanding. The profit for the year was £147,127—an increase of £5735. The direct profit made by the parent company was £85,468, an increase of £3400, while dividends on shares in subsidiary companies amounted to £74,923, and were nearly equal to 11 per cent, on the amount at which those shares stood in the companys' balancesheet. The directors proposed a final dividend of 10 per cent, on the ordinary shares, making 16 per cent, for the year. As to the future, the board would carry on its progressive policy with confidence qualified by caution, and the company was in a strong position to continue to develop its business. He wished all shareholders to 30m with him, the chairman, in expressing thanks to all directors, staffs, and employees at Home and overseas for loyal co-operation in making the House of Berger one of the outstanding successful and useful enterprises in the country and the Empire.

DEMAND FOR BARLEY The British Brewers' Society have, it is reported, informed th© Import Duties Committee that they fear a great scarcity of good malting barley in the English crop this year. This is largely due to the inclement weather experienced at harvest time, which has had a y e ry serious effect upon haymaking and all srain harvesting. In consequence, there will be a keener demand for imported barleys. The "gentlemen's agreement" between brewers and farmers has been carefully observed since the reduction of the duty on beer, and the obiec't of the brewers' notification to the Import Committee is to indicate the necessity for them looking elsewhere for a greater proportion of their supplies. Continental crops have also been badly affected by weather, and everything indicates that barley ironi Australia of suitable description will meet a good market. HIDES IN LONDON. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON, January 2. Prices of hides today are as follows, those for November 28 being shown in parentheses:— •. Meatworks Dry-salted.—Queensland, 35 to 451b, 7 l-8d per lb (6 7-8 d); 30 to 401b, 7d (6jd); 25 to 351b, 7d (6|d); 20 to 301b, 7d (6Jd). New South Wales, 35 to 451b, 7 3-8 d (7d); 30 to 401b, 7id (6 7-8 d); 25 to 351b, 7 l-8d (6 7-8 d); 20 to 301b, 7 l-8d (6 7-8 d). Wet-salted.—Queensland, 50 to 601b, 51d (sd); 40 to 501b, 5d (4 7-Sd). NewSouth Wales, 50 to 601b, 5 3-8 d (5 l-8d); 40 to 501b, 5 l-8d (4 7-8 d). Victorian abattoirs, 50 to 601b, 5Jd (sd); 40 to 501b, 5d (4 7-8 d). SUGAR SUPPLY AND DEMAND. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON, January 3. The statistical position of sugar improved last year. Stocks are no longer heavy. Consumption and production are fairly well balanced, justifying the belief that sugar is cheap compared with some other commodities. TEA EXPORT CONTROL. It has been announced that the tea export quota for the season April 1, 1937, to March 31, 1938, is to remain the same as for the past two years, namely, 82i per cent, of the standard export. The general feeling was that if there was any change it would be a fractional enhancement of the quota, if only as a gesture to the various Governments concerned'and the large consuming public in various countries. The point of view of the three Governments involved is that whilst they are willing and anxious to assist the tea industry in their several territories, the industry must on its part so endeavour to stimulate consumption that the industry will move back to pre-slump conditions. EGGS DOWN A PENNY.

The prices of eggs on the Wellington wholesale market today were quoted at Is 4d and Is 5d a dozen lor first grade and Is 6d for super, representing a decrease of one penny a dozen.