B—ls

In view of the reduced interest receipts, the amount required for taxation was lower.Comparative figures for the past five years of gross profit, expenses, and net profit are as follows :

and for the same years the dissection of expenses and the total number of staff are :

The amount returned to the New Zealand Government by way of taxation and dividend in each of the last five years was

Balance-sheet Deposits; Fixed and Free (£83,826,003). —These show an increase of £6,127,225 for the year, the main fluctuations being an increase of £6,531,412 in free deposits from the public, an increase of £449,537 in fixed deposits, and a reduction in Government balances of £896,385. The following figures for the past five years show the fluctuations in our New Zealand deposits, advances, and investments, and the relationship of total advances and investments to deposits :

3

— Gross Profit. Expenses. Net Profit. £ £ £ 1946 2,099,046 1,704,967 394,079 1947 2,100,630 1,665,380 435,250 1948 2,236,477 1,806,681 429,796 1949 2,473,798 2,073,818 399,980 1950 2,456,399 2,052,739 403,660

Year to— Staff Salaries. Rates and Taxes. General. Total. 1 Total Number of Staff. £ £ £ £ 31st March, 1946 665,231 849,690 190,046 1,704,967 1,743 31st March, 1947 762,777 671,188 231,415 1,665,380 1,862 31st March, 1948 833,918 678,358 294,405 1,806,681 2,018 31st March, 1949 895,335 858,665 319,818 2,073,818 2,099 31st March, 1950 971,229 710,082 371,428 2,052,739 2,140

Twelve Months Ending—New Zealand Taxes Actually Paid in Year. Dividend Relative to Year. Total. £ £ £ 31st March, 1946 793,377 264,581 1,057,958 31st March, 1947 625,439 395,066 1,020,505 31st March, 1948 628,255 397,504 1,025,759 31st March, 1949 770,698 397,785 1,168,483 31st March, 1950 594,378 398,027 992,405

Total Advances Deposits. Advances. Investments. and Investments. New Zealand business only) £ £ £ £ 31st March, 1946 54,632,818 23,489,095 15,050,845 38,539,940 31st March, 1947 61,635,272 28,302,743 12,745,140 41,047,883 31st March, 1948 69,826,785 34,048,861 11,688,832 45,737,693 31st March, 1949 69,068,401 32,118,045 10,226,302 42,344,347 31st March, 1950 75,631,374 32,297,296 7,938,754 40,236,050