ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12699, 31 October 1904, Page 6

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

[FROM OT7R OWN CORRESPONDENT.] London, September 23. It is announced that the directors of the Eastern Extension, Australasia, and China Telegraph Company, Limited, have declared a dividend for the quarter ended June 30 last of 2s 6d per share. What is to become of the Antarctic ship Discovery 13 being asked in scientific circles here (says a London writer), for she is the only vessel that was ever built in this country for scientific purposes, and cost close upon £43,000. It is suggested that the Government ought to buy her for use as a survey shin, and I believe that the Joint Committee of the Antarctic expedition will probably offer her to the Admiralty at i figure considerably below cost, though Captain Scott avers that th<» staunch Disco is a better vessel now than when she was launched foir years ajo. On Wednesday the directors of tie New Zeala'id and Australian Land Ccmpauy, Limit' id, mended a dividend cf A per cent., together with a bom s of 2 prr cent., on th; ordinary stock, for the year ended March. 31 last, setting asid-j £4-3,000 for reduction of deficit crt land sides (which deficit will then stand an £50,000), and placing £10,0(0 to credit of contingency fund, to meet :inv exceptional losses of live atook in the future. Referring to this, the Financial Times says: "An unusually good experience must have be 1111 enjoyed by the Now Zatiland and Australian La id Company during' the year to Man.h 31 Last. The dividend ancement yesterdiy state,i thai; 7 per rent, will be paid La the ordinary stockholders, which is a hindsorie distribution, considering that the rate in the preceding periot;'. was only 3 per ce. it. 1 hen, in addition, £4 ii„o3o is; allocated for reducing tjii» deficit in land sales, uliich will then stai«tf at £50,000, and £'10,Out'' is 15? iced ta the credit of the contingency fund, to meet any future exceptional losses of !ivo stock. no such transfers were made last year, it is ' evident the company's earnings during it ho period closed j a Marilt last must have very considerably increased."