COMMERCIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2607, 2 March 1904, Page 32

COMMERCIAL.

On "Wednesday three runs in the Waimate . County— No. 44 Bluecliffs (17,000 acres), No. 50 Mount Studholme (6300 acres), and No. 638 Yellow Hill (663 aores) — were offered for J sale at the Timaru Land Office, when there * were about 20 persons present. The Bluecliffs Run, at present held by Mr R. H. JEthodes, was offered for a berm of 14- years, at an upset rental of £375, per annhm. No , bid was made, and' the run was passed in for private application., This run was offered some time ago at a rental £50 higher than now, and found no bidders. Mount Studholme Run, offered for 10 years at an upset of £180, was leased to the present holders, the executors of the late Mr A. Hayes. The Yellow Hill Run, previously forfeited, •was leased for 10 year-3 to Mr W. R. M*Laren at the uxxset rental of £51 15s.

The directors of the Bank of Australasia have declared a half-yearly dividend of £2 83 per share, being at the rate of 12 pe** cent, pea* annum, payable on March 25. Th© sum of £30,000 has been added to the reserve fund, £25,000 has been applied in reduction of the bank premises account, and £16,950 has been carried forward. The amount of revenue paid on goods cleared for consumption during the month of February was £42,359 8s sd, while the beer duty yielded £2606 16s lid. The gold exported amounted to 22,3270z, valued at £90,423. For February of last year the revenue was £33,475 8s 7d, and the beer duty £2293 14s 9d. There was no gold exported.