COMMERCIAL

Evening Star, Issue 25470, 28 April 1945, Page 5

COMMERCIAL

DIVIDENDS DECLARED. :. The directors of the Bank of New Zealand have announced that, subject to audit. it will be proposed et the, annual meeting of shareholders oh June 15. that'a filial '» dividend, at the rate of 4 percent; will be paid on ordinary shares for the, last halfyear, making a total distribution, for the vear of 7 per.cent. The half-yearly'divi-dend on "D" long-term mortgage shares will also be payable on the same dateiat" the rate of 7£ per' cent, per annum,- lesasocial security charge and national security tax. .■'..■',

The National Insurance Company of New Zealand Ltd. .has declared .an interim dfrrident of 4d a share for the half-year .ended March 31. It will be payable on May. 16." The Broken Hill Proprietary Ltd. 'hit declared a half-yearly dividend of -6d * share, payable in Australian currency.; The E.S. and. A. Bank has declared an interim dividend of 2i per cent., less United Kingdom ~tax of 7s, in the £. Th 6 Henry Jones 'Co-operative Ltd. h«« declared an interim dividend.of 6d a share. NEW GUINEA GOLD DREDGES, ■■'■■.;

The directors of Placer Development Ltd. (Vancouver) report that the Bulolo gold dredging area is still' in military occupation but a party was allowed to visit Neir Guinea to report on field development. The company's hydro-electric plant, .buildingi, workshops, and aerop'.anes; had been destroyed, but dredges were : in good : . structural condition, though needing some replacements. Till sea transportation - from Australia was re-established and labour wa» available no estimate could be made as to when production could be resumed. "Work on detail of the company's war damage insurance claim was proceeding, but the destruction of all field accounting record* was a difficulty. . The company had substantial funds in Australia with which rehabilitation work could be. commenced at soon as that became possible.. Profit of Placer Development ■ for the year- ended' April, 1944, was 334,107d0:, Canadian (£95,; 460), against 364,812d0l (£104.232) in the previous year. . .