Page 11 Advertisements Column 2

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 209, 2 July 1904, Page 11

BROKERS.

SECRETARY (pro tern.)

J. S. Schwartz, Colonial Mutual Buildings, Custom House Quvy

every shade and hue, shady arbors and quaint summer-houses over which trail sweet-scented roses, interesting avenues of rare trees and shrubs brought from every clime. There are nearly all varieties of New Zealand trees in these grounds. The straightening of the Hutt Railway has been agreed to by Parliament, and this important public work has already begun. The improvement of the Hutt road is a work also to be put in hand immediately. It is needless to say that the Bellevue Hotel and Gardens will immensely profit by these improvements. "THE MANSIONS."

One ol the finest establishments of its kind south of the line is the handsome new boardinghouse known as "The Mansions," situated in Ghuznee Street. The fine proportions of this building, as it towers in its garb of white above those buildings which surround it, immediately arrest the attention in the panorama of Wellington City. The building, which is three storeys high, of brick and stucco, has a frontage of 47 feet 6 inches to Ghuznee Street by a depth of 66 feet 3 inches. The furnishing is of the most palatial character, as may be seen from the fact that it has cost nearly £4000.

FINANCIAL ASPECT. The Empire Hotel. The fullest investigation of the books and accounts of the Empire Hotel has been made by Messrs. Badham and Biss, professional accountants and auditors, Wellington. Their report shows that from June, 1899, to October, 1903, the receipts totalled £83,206, against disbursements, £51,371 ; leaving a net profit of £31,835, exclusive of interest. The following is a copy of a supplementary report from Messrs. Badham and Biss, showing the receipts for the four months from the Ist November, 1903, to the 29th February, 1904. " Wellington, March 10th, 1904. " Having been requested to supplement our former report of the 7th December last with a statement of the receipts of the Empire Hotel for the four months from the Ist Novembei last, we have accoidingly made a fuither examination of the books of the Empire Hotel, and have to lepoit that the leceipts of the business for the four months from the Ist Novembei to the 29th Febiuary last, inclusive, as shown theiein, amount to £10,571 ss. lid " This biings the total receipts foi the yeai ending 31st December, 1903, to £28,671 10s. sd. " Badham and Biss, " Professional Accountants and Auditors." It will be seen from the reports that the receipts show a marked increase year after year, rising from £14,040 for the year 1900 to £28,671 for the year 1903 — an increase of OVer 100 per cent., or more than double. Compared with 1901 — only two years ago — when the new building was completed, the receipts for 1903 actually show an increase of over 60 per cent. An examination of the books shows that the receipts for January and February, 1904, amounted to £5,570 10s. lid., which is at the rate of £33,423 per annum. The present rate of profit on the Empire Hotel alone represents in itself OVer 8 per cent, on the entire capital of the consolidation without taking into account at all " The Mansions " and the " Bellevue Hotel and Gardens."