Commercial.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 159, 14 November 1868, Page 2

Commercial.

-O The Star Office, This Day. The Customs revenue collected at Christ- • church to-day amounted to £154 O.i 3d. The following were the items: — Wine, 49 gals., £9 165.; -spirits, 75 J galls., £45 Us 8d; ale (Bulk) v>so gals., £12 10s ; ale (bottled) 259 carts., £16 3s 9d ; sugar, 17,186 lbs, £69 18s lOd ; light dues, Bd. The Customs reTenue collected at Lyt•telton to-day amounted to £41 18s sd. The following were ths items : — Wine, 48 gals, JE9 17s 7d ; beer (bottled), 76 gals, £4 15s; boots, 1 pkg, £2 iOs lOd ; pilotage, £22; "light dues, £2 15s. During the latter portion of the past week •trade has been more active, principally in supplying up-country orders. On Tuesday maxt a portion of the Sanipau's cargo of tea, imported by Mr C. W. Turner, will be offered at auction, and the prices then obtained will be a guide to future operations. We are glad to note that, although the complaints of depression in business continue, engagements have been well met during the present and preceding months. There are no transactions to record in grain, and we are, therefore, not in a position to give quotation. We notice that large quantities of Californian breadstuffs continue to arrive in Australia, and that the market is ■thereby rendered uncertain. The harvest propects in Victoria, South Australia, and New South Wales are hardly so promising as they were a month ago. The Union Bank of Australia and the Bank of Australasia have reduced the rates of discount on three months bills from 8 to 7 per cent., on four months bills from 9 to 8 per cent., and on bills bearing longer dates from 10 to 9 per cent. We understand it is probable that the Bank of New South Wales •will adopt a similar scale. The following is the fourteenth 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 Bank"iag house, Auckland, on Thursday, the 29th day of October, 18GS : — The Directors beg to submit the following statement of the result of the past half-year's operation, and considering the many causes which have combined to lessen bsmking profits during that period, they trust the statement will be deemed satisfactory The net profit, after making liberal provision for every bad or doubtful dependency, aud the customary appropriations in reduction of bank premises ami furniture accounts, amounts to £33,012 5s 9d ; to which has to be added balance of undivided profit at 31st March, dE8042 10s 7d ; leaving now available for division £46,054 10s 4d ; of which the Directors recommend the following appropriation : To payment of dividend at the rate of 10 per cent per annum, £25,000 ; to bonus of 5s per share, equal to 5 per cent per annum, £ 1 2,500 ; fd balance, carried to profit and loss new account, £8554 16s 4d. Tlio following is the thirty-sixth report of the director* oE the Bank of New South Wales, to the half-yearly general meeting of the Proprietors, held at the chief Banking HouHe,on Wednesday, the 28th day of October, 1868 : —The directors have the pleasure to present to the proprietors a statement of the assets and liabilities of the bank, on the 30th ultimo, with the Auditors' usual report and . declaration thercou. The net profits for the half-year, after deducting rebate on current lnll>., interest on deposits, providing for bad raid doubtful debts, reducing valuation of hank premises, and paying taxes on note circulation, amount to £75,012 7s lOd ; to which is to be added undivided balance from last half-year, £4495 7s 2d ; giving for distribution £79,507 15s ; which the Directors recommend to be appropriated as follows : — To payment of dividend at the rate of 15 fjor cent, per annum, £75,000 ; to balance carrried to " Profit and Loss," new account, £ASQ7 15s. Since the last half-yearly meeting a branch of the bank has been opened at Maryborough, in the colony of Queensland ; and the business lately conducted at Wellington, in this colony, lias been transferred to a branch opened at Dubbo, in the same dis-

trict. In like manner it has been found practicable to dispense with the Lyttelton branch, in New. Zealand, by the transfer of its business to the adjacent branch, at Christchurch. An agency has been established at the Thames Gold Fields in that colony. At a special general meeting of proprietors, held on the ISth instant, certain alterations and amendments of the deed of settlement, as proposed by the Board of Directors, were approved and carried. It devolves upon the meeting to elect a Director in the room of the Hon. E. C. Weekes, Esq., M.L.C., who retires by rotation ; and auditors in the room of James Milson, jun., Esq., and George Ihorne, Esq. The Hon George Allen, Esq., M.L.C., is a duly qualified candidate for the vacant seat at the Board, and George Thorne, Esq., is eligible for re-election as auditor.'