Australia

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 8, Issue 456, 26 November 1864, Page 4

Australia

THE NORTHERN TERRITORY. A private letter received in Adelaide from one of the Northern Expeditionary party contains the following description of the internal features of the new settlement : “ The country here—that is, such as I have seen during my excursions—is all, or mostly all, splendid pastoral as well as agricultural country. There is no scarcity of water, but on the contrary rather too much of that commodity, which is so scarce in your country. You cannot travel for twelve hours in a straight line in any direction in which I have bee'n without coming upon water, either in extensive swamps, lagoons, or beautiful running streams. The grass, wherever it has been burnt by the natives, is from two to ten feet high, and after having been burnt for a month or six weeks springs up fresh and green, affording splendid feed for cattle and sheep. The trees which grow here are of endless variety. In one place you will see a forest of the spiral palm, or vagua of the Mauritius, from the leaves of which are made those cane sugar-bags, which you have often seen. In another part of the country you will see gum trees of rather a stunted nature, intermingled with a tree called the paper bark, or melaleuca. This is a tree very much resembling the white gum in growth, but the bark grows in very thin hakes, very much like tissue paper, which may be torn cflF in large quantities and burns like tinder. Again, whilst travelling through apparently dry country, you strike a beautiful stream of water, clear as crystal,.- with fish similar to. those in the creeks near Adelaide, and lined on both sides with beautiful trees, vines, and creepers of all descriptions, cabbage ferns and fern palms, from the former of which cabbagetree bats are made ; and the latter are very beautiful, with leaves something like cocoanut leaves, growing to the height of about fifty feet. You also find on the edges of creeks and swamps, groves of bamboos fifty or sixty feet high. The curryjolin also grows here ; the natives use the roots of this tree for food, and the bark is a good substitute for rope. Besides these, there are numerous trees the names of which Ido not know. The most beautiful water lillies are found in the swamps ; they are pink, white, and blue, growing as large as a saucer. The climate at this time of the year is very pleasant. It is now winter. There has been no rain since we landed, and the country looks as though none had fallen for some months past ; but the dews which fall at night fully compensate for this, and cause the grass to spring as I before mentioned. It is warm in the sun during the day, but pleasant in the shade; the wind is never hot here as, in Adelaide. Our pi’esent situation i 3 very pleasant and healthy, and the ground is dry and sandy. The trees, which are tall and numerous, are of the stringy bark tribe. The sea at high water washes the foot of the cliffs, from the top of which o.ur tents are about fifty yards distant. I have got to give you a list of the animals and birds which I have seen. Niggers, alligators, kangaroos, wallabies, rats, snakes, lizards, wild duck, and opossums, emus, turkeys, geese, ducks, pigeon, native companions, quails, pheasants, and all soils of things.”

BANK OF NEW SOUTH WALES,

The following is the report of this Bank for the half year ended on the 30th Sept., 1864 :

Which the Directors appropriate as follows : To payment of dividend at the rate of 15 per cent, per annum— On old stock for 6 months ... £56,250 0 0 On new do., paid in the Colonies, 5 months ... 8,172 10 0 On new do., paid in London, 3 months ... 1,894 10 0 £60,317 0 0 To bonus at the rate of 2i per cent, per annum on capital * paid up ... ... 11,052 1G 8 To balauce carried to “ Profit and Loss,” new account ... 2,809 19 7

PROFIT AXB XOSS. Dr.

The net .profits for that period, after deducting Rebate on Current Bills, Interests on Deposits, providing for bad and Doubtful Debts, and reducing valuation of Bank premises and Office £ B. d. Furniture, amount to ... To which is to be added— Recoveries from debts previously written off as bad 74,176 16 8 or doubtful Undivided balance from last 2,106 3 11 half year ... 3,896 15 8 Giving for distribution £80,179 16 3

£80,179 16 3 Balance Sheet. Dr. To Bank Stock ... * ... £ s. d. 931,280 0 0 To Reserve Fund 310,428-13 4 To Notes in Circulation 591,687 0 0 To Bills Payable 1,547,105 2 7 To Deposits & other Liabilities 3,758,286 14 10 To Profit and Loss 113,338 7 2 £7,252,123 17 11

Ch. £ s. d. By Coin and Cash Balances ... 1,293,709 17 7 By Bullion in hand,' and in transit to London. 30th Sept., 1864 618,145 3 4 By Government Securities ... 310,300 0 0 By iSTotes of other Banks 9,272 0 0 •By Bank Premises ... ■ 115,160 10 0 "By Bills Receivable, Bills Discounted, and other debts due to the Bank ... 4,89S,6S9 15 11 By Insurance Account 0,846 11 1 £7,252,123 17 11

To Rebate (at current rates) on Bills discounted not due at this date 33,158 10 11 To Dividend at tbs rate of 15 per cent, per annum 66,317 0 0 To Bonus at the rate of 2 h per cent, per annum on capital paid up 11,052 16 8 To Balance carried to “Profit and Loss,” new account 2,S09 19 7 113,338 7 2 N. Or. By Amount from last Account (March 31) 3,896 15 S By Recoveries from Bad Debts 2,106 3 11 By Balance of Half-year’s Profits after writing off Bad Debts ... 107,335 7 7 £113,338 7 2