BANK RETURNS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9213, 16 April 1908, Page 4

BANK RETURNS.

THE FIRST QUARTER. [Psr Pmss Association.] WELLINGTON, April 15. ' The bank returns for the first quarter of this year are published to-day. ' Compared with last year, the assets and liabilities are as follow: —Assets, £23,825,569. (£25,501,896); liabilities, £24,665.258 (£25,266,579); excess of assets £4,160,311 (£253,317). 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 largest increase, both actual and on a percentage basis. The figures are as follow: — , ', ' i i '. 1 . , '

The discounts, which during the pas* few years exhibited a tendency to shrink, have moved in the other direction, but the movement is a comparatively light one, a matter of scarcely 5 per cent. The figures are: —

Total . .£2,002,808 £2,095,794 —£92,986 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: —

Coming to the deposits, it is found that the amount of free deposits has gained slightly, whereas the fixed deposits reveal an almost equivalent shrinkage. The comparison of the fixed deposits is as follows:—

Totals . . . £9,700,511 £9,553,693 £146,818 The free deposits have expanded to the extent of £191,297. The detailed figures are as follow: — Increase

Totals . . . £11,343,582 £11,534,879 £191,297 A comparison of the aggregate of fixed and free deposits, with, advances and discounts, is as follows: —

The circulation of notes since 1902 Las been as follows:—March 81, 1902, £1.353,106; 1903, £1,413,243; 1904, £1,471.108; 1905, £1,457,970; 1906, £1,517,669; 1907, £1,647,731; 1908, £1,640,781. The banks continue to augment their reserves of coin and bullion, as will be seen by the following aggregates:—March 31, 1902, £3,119,544; 1903, £3,368,244; 1904, £3,841,949; 1905, £3,949.343; 1906, £4,290,253; 1907, £4,602,657; 1908, £4,978,655.

March, March, Bank. 1907- 1908. Increase. £ £ £ New Zealand 6,314333 7.104,933 1,790,599 Union 2,615,796 3,297,026 681.230 N.S. "Wales 2,684,593 2,803,435 118,842 Australasia 2,501,54' i 2,770,723 2(59,180 iMational 2,435,283 2^66,193 130,910 Totals . £15,551,547 £18,542,308 £2,990,761

Increase March, March, or Bank. 1907. 1908. Decrease. £ £ £ New Zealand . 883,649 996,062 112,413 Union . . 194,971 214,903 19,932 iV.S. Wales . 250,589 215,857 —34,732 Australasia . 345.906 340,357 —5.549 National . . 327,633 292,615 —35,078 nVktai j*> nno ana -co na; 702 .poo ooc

March 31. Discount. Advances. £ £ £ 1902 1,864.195 10,825,994 12,690,184 1903 1,842,863 ll,120;881 12,963,744 1904 2,043,643 12,377,445 14,421,088 I 1905 2,149,094 12,925.151 15,074,245 1906 2,143,483 13,991^822 16135,305 1907 2,002,808 15,561,547 17,554,355 1908 2,095,794 18,542,308 20,638,102

Increase March, March, or Bank. 1907. 1908. Decrease. £ £ £ New Zealand . 4,521,673 4.573,010 51.337 Union . . . 1,466,564 1,313,818 —152,746 N.S. "Wales . 1,658.232 1,624,005 —34,227 Australasia . 676.123 583.774 7,651 National . . 1,477,919 1,459,086 —18,833

March, MaTch, or Bank. 1907. 1908. Decrease. £ £ £ New Zealand . 5,173,088 6,321,918 148,830 Union . . . 1,745,502 1,579,497 —165,005 N.S. Wales . 1,469,618 1,563,898 94,280 Australasia . 1,2X4,774 1.291,111 76,337 National . . 1,740,600 1,778,455 87,855

Fixed Advances Excess and Free and of Deposits. Discounts. Deposits. £ £ £ 1902 . 15,405,600 12,690,189 2,715,411 1903 . 16,996,538 12,963,744 4,032,784 19<H . 17,656,572 14.421,088 8,235,484 1905 . 18,247,555 15,074,245 8,173.310 1906 . 19,008,179 16,135,305 2,872,874 1907 . 21,044,093 17,554,355 8,489.738 1908 . 21,088,572 20,638,102 450,470