COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2602, 7 May 1869, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Times Office, Thursday Evening.

The Customs revenue collected at Christchurch and Lyttelton to-day amounted to £216 10s 4d. The following were the items : —Wine, 57 gals, £ll 8s ; spirits, 296 gals, £177 14s 4d; stout (bottled) 266 gals, £l6 12s 6d; drapery, 1 pckg, 1 box, 12s 6d; hardware, 18cwt Iqr, £3 13s; watches, 1 box, value £35, ad valorem £3 10s; light dues, £1 ,12s; arms fees, £1 Bs.

The quantity of land sold to-day was as follows : —Timaru, 95 acres ; Banks Peninsula, 20 do ; total, 115 acres, realising £230. The pasturage rents paid at the Land Office for the year up to May 1, amount to <33,809 17s lOd.

A meeting of creditors of Henry John Caton, convened by advertisement, was held to-day at the Clarendon Hotel, for the purpose of deciding as to the advisability of taking the estate out of Court, and placing it in the hands of trustees. The meeting was largely attended, and Mr Robert Wilkin having been voted to the chair, Mr Joynt, the bankrupt’s solicitor, laid on the table a, .popy of the schedule as filed in the Court, 'which exhibits creditors secured, £7160 ; unsecured, £Blls ; total liabilities, £15,265. The assets were set down at £23,170, as per bankrupt's own valuation, shewing a surplus. After some tew remarks from Mr Joynt, who noi-ed that the meeting would decide upon taking the estate out of Court, and place it in the hands of two creditors to wind up as the most expedient course, Mr Garrick moved that proceedings in bankruptcy be allowed to proceed until abdication ” This was seconded by Captain A. M‘l,ean, and carried unanimously. This resolution suppiements ihe order of Court, vesting the estate in the provisional trustee.

Wanganui.—The Times of May I, publishes the following prices current Flour, Adelaide, silk dressed, per ton, £2O to £2l j do do, per 100 lbs, £1 4s ; flour, New Zealand, per ton, £l7 to £lB ; do do, per lOOlbs, £1 as ; oats, colonial, per bushel, 3s to 3s 6d ; wheat, per bushel, 5s to 6s 6d ; maize, per bushel, 4s to 4s 6d ; sharps, per 100 lbs, 8s to 8s 4d ; pollard, per 100 lbs, 10s to 12s ; bran, per bushel, Is 4d to Is 6d, coal, Newcastle, N.S.W., per ton, 46s to £2 10s 2d ; do, West Wanganui, per ton, 40s to £2s 2s 8d; cheese, colonial, per lb, 8d to lOd; bacon and hams, per lb, 6d ; potatoes, per ton, £3 to £3 10s 4d ; butter, salt, per lb, 7d to 9d ; bottled ale or porter, per dozen, 9s to 13s ; soap, Cummins’ per cwt, £1 13s ; wool, washed, per lb, 9d to Is ; do, greasy, per lb, 3d upwards.

SHEEP STATISTICS. The following table exhibits the number of sheep over six months of age in the province of Canterbury on Jan. 1, 1869 :

December 31, is 82,458. BANK OF NEW ZEALAND. The following is the fifteenth Report of the directors to the shareholders of the Bank of New Zealand, at the half-yearly general meeting of the proprietors, held at the Banking House, Auckland, on Wednesday, April 28, 1869: In submitting the result of another half-year’s operations, the directors congratulate the shareholders on again meeting them with a favourable report. The net profit at March 31, after providing for every bad or or doubtful debt, and making the usual appropriations in reduction of bank premises and furniture accounts, amounts to .£37,258 9 11 To which has been added— Balance of undivided profit at September 30, 1868... 8,554 16 4 Leaving now available for division 45,813 6 3 Of which the directors recommend the following appropriation : To payment of dividend at the rate of 10 percent. per annum 25,000 0 0 To bonus of 5s per share equal to 5 per cent, per anannum ... 12,600 0 0 To balance carried to profit and loss new account 8,313 6 3 45,813 6 3 The dividend and bonus will be payable at head office, Auckland, on Thursday, the 29th inst., and at branches on receipt of advice.

For the board of directors, Thomas Russell, President. • AGGREGATE BALANCE SHEET OF THE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND. At 31st March, 1869, including London office balances at 31st December, 1868. Dr.

S Number of Sheep. of Sheep District. og in each ih Males. Females. District. Northern 32 173,184 237,772 410,956 Central 87 314,508 450,163 7 64,6/1 Southern 55 282,840 509,488 792,328 On Farms Northern 58 15,110 23,036 38,146 Central 160 26,899 50,389 77,288 Southern 35 14,126 26,261 40,387 826,667 1,297,109 2,123,776

Bank stock 500,000 0 0 Reserve fund 150,000 0 0 Notes in circulation 284,147 0 0 Bills in circulation 761,716 14 7 Deposits and other liabilities Balance of profit and loss account at 30th Sept., 1,710,405 0 1 1868 8,554 16 4 Net profit for half-year ... 37,258 9 11 £ 3,462,081 Cr. Coin and Cash balance at 0 11 London Bankers Bullion on hand and in 449,688 14 2 transitu 253,630 8 0 Government securities ... Notes and bills of other 360,500 0 0 Hanks ... ... ... 3,617 11 3 Landed property ... Bank premises, furniture, 22,079 19 2 and stationery 80,194 16 6 Insurance account Bill receivable, bills discounted, and other debts 4,237 10 3 due to the Bank 2,278,332 1 7 £3,452,081 PBOFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT. Dr. To Dividend at the rate of 10 per cent, per an0 11 num 25,000 0 0 „ Bonus of 6s per share „ Balance carried to Profit and Loss “New 12,600 0 0 Account” 8,313 6 3

Cr. By Balance of profit at 30th £45,813 6 3 September last „ Nett profit for half-year after writing off bad 8,554 16 4 debts 37,258 9 11 £45,813 RESERVE FUND. Dr. 6 3 To Balance 150,000 0 0 Cr. By Balance from last state£150,000 0 0 ment 150,000 0 0 £150,000 0 0 . . ) James Robertson, Audited ... a j_ g T0NK>