BANKING RETURNS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13726, 16 April 1908, Page 5

BANKING RETURNS.

EXCESS OF ASSETS. ADVANCES EXCEED 18 MILLIONS. [BY telegraph.— press association.] Wellington', Wednesday. i The bank returns for the first quarter of i this year are published to-day. Compared with last year the assets and liabilities are as under:— 19C7. 1908. £ £ Assets 25.501,896 28,825.569 Liabilities 25,266,579 2 1:. 665 ' Excess of assets ... 235,317 4,160,311 The excess of assets is nearly twice as great as that for the December quarter. Compared with the corresponding period of last year there is the large increase of £2,990,761. and the total of the advances now exceeds eighteen millions. All the banks have participated in. the expansion, the Bank of New Zealand having the i largest increase, both actual and on a per- ; oentage basis. The figures are a.s foli lowa : —

March, '07. March,'oß Inc. New Zealand ... 5,314,533 7.104,932 1.790,599 Union 2.615,796 3.397,026 °81.230 N.S. Wales ... 2,684,593 2,803,435 118.842 Australasia. ... 2,501,542 2,770,722 Z> 9 -'g' : National ... 2,435,283 2,566,193 150.910 ■ Totals .. 15,551,547 18.542.3C8 2,990,761 The discounts, which dining the past few years exhibited a tendency to shrink, have 'moved in the other direction, but the movement is a comparatively light onea matter of scarcely five -per* cent. The figures are as follows: — March, '07. March,'oß. Bar* P. £ ,„ New Zealand ' ... 883,649 996.062 Union 194,971 214,903 New South Wales ... 250,589 215,857 Australasia 345.9C6 340.357 National 327.695 292.61s Totals 2.002,808 2,095,794 Taking the advances and discounts seriatim for the March quarter* of each of the past seven years, the uninterrupted growth of the advances and the variations of the discounts are seen at a glance. The figures are as under: — March 31, Discount. Advances Total. 1902 ... 1.864.195 10,825,994 12,690,184 1905 ... 1.842,863 11,120,881 12,963,744 1904 ... 2,043,643 12,377,344 14,421,087 1905 ... 2,149,094 12.925.151 13.074.245 19C6 ... 2.143,483 13.991,822 16,135,305 1907 ... 2,'002,808 15,551.547 17,554,355 1908 .. 2,095.794 18,542,508 20,638,102 Coming to the deposits it is found that the amount of free deposits have gained slightly, whereas the fixed deposits reveal an almost equivalent shrinkage. The comparison of the fixed deposits is as follows: — Ma rch , '07. March, '08. Bank. £ £ New Zealand --. 4,521.673 4,573.010 Union ... 1,466.564 1,313,818 New South. Wales ... 1,658,232 1.624,005 Australasia 567,125 583,774 National ... ... 1,477,919 1.459.086 Totals ... ... 9.700,511 9.553,693 The free deposits have expanded to the extent of £191,297, the detailed figures being as under: — March, '07. March, '08. Bank. £ £ New Zealand ... 5,173,088 5,531,918 Union 1,745,502 1,579.497 N.S. Wales ... 1,469,618 1,563,898 Australasia ... 1.124,774 1,231.111 National ... 1,740,600 1,778,455 Totals .. 11,343,582 11,534,879 A comparison of the aggregate of fixed and free deposits with advances and discounts shows : — Fixed and Free Advances and Deposits Discounts. 1902 15,405.600 12,690.189 1903 16,996.528 12,963,744 1904 17.656,572 14,421,083 1905 18,247.555 15,074.245 19.% 19,008.179 16.135.305 1907 21,044.093 17.554,355 lOCS 21,088,572 20,638.102 The circulation of notes since 1902 has been as under: — March 31. > £ 1902 1,353.106 1903 ... 1,413.243 5904 1.471,108 1905 . 457.970 ' 1906 1.5R669 1 1907 1,647,731 , 1903 1,640,781 The hanks continue to augment their reserves of, coin and bullion, as will be seen by the following aggregates: — March 31. £ 1902 3.109.544 1905 3.363,244 1904 3,841,940 1905 3,949,343 1906 4.290.253 1907 4,602 657 1308 4,978,655