COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1098, 20 May 1863, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

GRAIN MARKET. Flour, wholesale, £14 to £14 10s; retail, £16 per ton. Bran and sharps, Is 6d per bushel; oats have declined, and may now be quoted at 6s per bushel. The following are the prices at the Heathcote Wharf: — Wheat (white), 5s per bushel; ditto (red), 4s 6d; oats, 5s 6d to 6s; barley, 5s to 5s 6d; potatoes, £12 to £15 per timber (at the Wharf)— N. Z. boards and scantling, 25s to 26s per 100 feet; tongued and grooved 3os, wide 35s none in market; American, T. and G., 3os; ditto, wide 335; Y.D.L. scantling, full cut, 25s to 265; ditto, 4x2 (running), 18s; ditto, 3x2 (ditto), 14s to 15s; palings, 6ft, 30s to 32s per 100; sft, 26s to 30s; shingles, (scarce) 32s to 35s per 1000; posts and rails, £5 10s to £6; foewood, £2 17s 6d per cord. Bricks, £5 per 1000; slates Countess, £16 to £18, Duchess, £24. BANK OF NEW ZEALAND. Report of the Directors presented at the General Meeting of the Proprietors, held at Auckland on the 30th April, 1863. . . . The Directors have much pleasure in submitting the annexed statement, showing the results of the bank s transactions for the half-year ending 31st March last. The results enable them to state that, after providing for all bad and doubtful debts, writing off £827 4s 8d from bank premises and furniture accounts, besides defraying the whole expenses for the half-year, the nett profits amount to £35,910 10s Bd, to which is to be added the sum of £894 0s 6d, being the balance from last half-year, making a total of £36,804 lis 2d, available for appropriation. The Directors recommend that the sum of £24,000 be added to the Reserve Fund, by which that fund will be increased to £33,000—that the sum of £10,190 be set apart for a dividend at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum on the paid-up capital of the bank, and that the balance standing at the debit of preliminary expenses, amounting to £945 12s Id, be discharged, leaving a balance of £1668 19s Id to be carried to the credit of profit and loss for the next half-year. At the expiration of the last half-year, the Directors believed that the payment of £5 per share would have afforded sufficient capital for the bank for some time to come; but the rapid growth of the colony, and the increasing business of the bank, have satisfied your Directors that further capital may be profitably employed. Under these circumstances, your Directors propose to convene a meeting of the proprietors, with a view to obtain, their authority to increase the capital under the provisions of the Bth clause of the Deed of Settlement. The dividend will be payable at Auckland, on sth May next, and at the Branches on receipt of advice. A vacancy has occurred in the Board of Direction by the resignation of James O'Neill, Esq., and due notice has been given for the election at this meeting of a qualified proprietor in his place.

BALANCE SHEET FOE THE HALF-YEAK ENDING 31st march, 1863. Dr. £ B. d. To Paid-up Capital ... ... ...239,692 0 0 „ Notes in Circulation ... ...227,779 0 0 „ Bills in Circulation... ... ... 14,637 18 6 „ Deposits ... ... ... ...764,383 6 8 Balances due to other Banks... ...205,105 5 0 „ Reserve Fund ... ... ••• 9,000 0 0 „ Balance of Profit and Loss Account from Sept. 30 894 0 6 „ Nett Profit for half-year (including £1,713 13s. premium on sale of Shares) ... ... ... 35,910 10 8 £1,497,302 1 4 Ce. £ s. d. By Coin and Bullion ... ... ...307,110 10 1 „ Bullion in transitu to London ...144,093 1 5 „ Bills Receivable and all other Advances...B6o,6oß 0 11 „ Balances due by other Banks ... 90,270 0 2 „ Notes of other Banks ... ... 10,083 11 1 „ Government Securities ... ... 52,000 0 0 „ Landed Property ... ... ... 16,818 2 0 „ Preliminary Expenses ... ... 945 12 1 „ Bank Premises, Furniture, and Stationery ... ... ... 15,373 3 7 £1,497,302 1 " 4 PBOFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT. Db. & s. d. To Increase of Reserve Fund ... ... 24,000 0 0 „ Dividend at the rate of 10 per cent per nnnnm ... ... ... 10,190 0 0 „ Balance of Preliminary Expenses written off ... ... ... 945 12 1 „ Amount carried to Profit and Loss New Account ... ... ... 1,668 19 1 £36,804 11 2 Ce. £ s. d. By Balance of Profit from 30th September... 894 0 6 „ Nett Profit for half-year ... ...35,910 10 8 £36,804 11 2 BESEBVE FUND. Db. £ s. d. To balance ... ... ... ...33,000 0 0 £33,000 0 0 Cb. £ s. d, By Balance from last Statement... ... 9,000 0 0 „ Amount transferred from Profits for past half-year ... ... ... 24,000 0 0 £33,000 0 0 We hereby certify that we have examined the accounts of the Bank of New Zealand for the half-year ending 31st March, 1863, and that we have counted the cash balance, and examined the bills and other securities held at the Head Office, and compared the returns of the branches with the above balance sheet, and found the same to be correct. William C. Daldt, I . Chables. J. Tayiob, J Auditors. (Extract from Minutes.) The Secretary read the advertisement convening the meeting. The report and balance sheet for the past half-year being then read, were on the motion of Mr. James Williamson, seconded by W. T. Buckland, unanimously adopted, and ordered to be printed and circulated for the use of the proprietors. On the motion of Mr. C. J. Taylor, seconded by Mr. E. Ridings, Mr. Robert Waterston was elected a director, in the room of James O'Neill, Esq., resigned. On the motion of Mr. Thomas. Macfarlane, seconded by Mr. W. T. Buckland, the thanks of the proprietors were unanimously voted to the Chairman, Directors, and officers of the bank.

GOLD STATISTICS OF OTAGO. The following tables are extracted from the 'Daily Times:— The quantity of gold brought down by escort, from the discovery of the gold fields to 31st December, 1861, was as follows:— „ Oz. Tuapeka 172,051 Waitahuna 32,464 Total for 1861 204,515 The escort, during the year 1862, brought down the following quantities:— Oz. Tuapeka 199,219 Waitahuna 53,764 Woolshed 8,327 Waipori 7 } lgß Dunstan 68,986 Nokomai 1,084 Teviot 254 339,722 Below are the escort returns for the current year• , Q „„ Jan. Feb. March. April. Total. 18o<5. q z Oz. Oz. Oz. Oz. Tuapeka 6,761... 4,937... 4,134... 2,416... 18,248 Waitahuna 1,607... 1,147... 1,178... 415... 4,377 Woolshed 819... 830... 773... 547... 2975 Dunstan 18,141...16,943...12,756... 6,184... 53,024 Wakatipu ... *24,927...48,449...48,397...21,982... 143,755 Totals 52,255...72,312...67,238...30,574...222,379 * 3600 ozs. of this were Bent down to Invercargill by private escort, and a further quantity of 2100 ozs. has been sent to Invercargill, which nas not been included in these returns. The exports of gold from Otago have been as follows: — Oz. 186 187,695 1862 397,602 1863 to date 194,538 Total 779,835 In addition to the gold brought down by escort, a considerable quantity ia brought down by private hand. The quantity so conveyed can be arrived at by adding to the exports the amount of gold at present in the Gold Office and in the hands of the banks—which does not include that in the up-country branches—the difference between

the total, and the quantity brought by cscort being the amount by private hands. Thus: — q z Gold exported to date 779,835 In Gold Office 58,102 In banks 31,500 869,437 Received by escort 766,616 Amount by private hand ... 102,821 AUCKLAND. (From the 'New Zealander,' May 6.) Messrs. Styak and Hunter report: Fat Cattle—The market was well supplied this week, principally from the coast, and all were clcared off at e ood prices. "We sold bullocks at £11 2s 6d to £14 15s , cows, £12 10s to £14 2s 6d; calvcs, £4 12s 6d to £6 12s 6d. Fat Sheep.—The supply was very indifferent as to quality, and the demand not good. We quote sheep at 20s 6d to 27s 6d. No lambs in. Dairy and Store Cattle.—Though the supply of dairy cattle was much better this week than usual, the demand for springers and full milk cattle is excessive. Store Cattle, except young ones, are not so eagerly sought for. We sold dairy cows at £13 2s 6d to £18 5s and £20 15s. A lot of young steers at £9 2s Cd, and of heifers at £7 2s 6d. Our Otahuhu Yards were crowded, and with the exception of one lot (held at a high reserve) all were cleared off at satisfactory rates. GBAIN. Wholesale.—Fine flour £16, seconds £13, sharps £9 per ton, bran Is 6d, oats 7s 6d crushed, maize 7s crushed. Retail. —Fine flour 17s, seconds 14s, sharps 10s per 100lbs., bran Is 9d, oats Bs. BUILDING MATERIALS. Boards and scantling, per 100 feet, 14s to 17s, boards, tongued and grooved, 225; shingles, 12s to 13s 6d per 1000; palings, 12s; posts and rails, £3 to £3 5s per 100; bricks, £4 5s to £5 10s per 1000; lime, Is 4d to 2s per bushel. STOCK AND SHAKE MARKET. There was no alteration perceptible this week in the current value of the various gold mining shares. The chief feature at present to comment upon, was the effect which the recent Balance Sheet of the New Zealand Bank has had upon the shares of that undertaking. They now freely command a premium of £2 10s to £3 each in this market. Mr. Buckland reports that his yards, on Saturday last, were unusually full of working horses, prices scarcely so high, and several were withdrawn, two only of those received from Sydney being disposed of. Draught horses bringing from £33 to £65 ; plough horses, from £17 to £27; hacks, from £9 to £16; an unbroken colt, £35; 27 head were sold. A load of clover hay brought £7 2s 6d; inferior hay, £4 9s.

WELLINGTON. Flour, N.Z., per ton, £15 to £16; Adelaide, do., £17 to £17 10s; oatmeal,, 32s per cwt., scarce. WELLINGTON LIVE STOCK MABKET. From Messrs. Luxfords' report we take the following:— Fat Cattle. —But little doing in this description of stock. Butchers well supplied, and prices have a downward tendency, caused, it is supposed, by the uncertainty hanging ovsr native affairs. is quoted as the minimum for prime fat beasts. Store Cattle.—Market overstocked: sales effected with difficulty. Good stores may be quoted at £3 to £5 per head. Fat Sheep are worth 20s to 235. Market well supplied. Store Sheep.—We have frequent enquiries, and good rates could be obtained —say from 13s to 15s. _ Ewes.—A small flock of 110 fetched nominally 31s at the Hutt sale, but as there were two rams among the lot, said to be worth 15 guineas each, this price must be taken with the reservation. Store Ewes are much enquired for, and we could readily place 2000 to 3000 at 23s to 24s each. Horses are still declining in price, owing to the approach of winter, and there is little demand.