CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1915, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

TRADING PROSPECTS. "Imipforts," observes the Trade "Re-' view, "have been coining to hand more freely lately, which calls for financing by the banks, but in many quarters stocks are low, and so merchants are in ' a good position financially; also exports are keeping up well for the time of the ■year helping to balance the account. The surplus of over £5,000,000 of deposits over advances, as shown by the bank returns for the last quarter, means a considerable fund to carry on operations for the next few months or so. This puts the banks in an excellent poaitron to meet the demands that wiM shortly set in for the gathering, ami moving of the coming season's produce. The Savings Bank figures show that the government holds the enormous total of over £20,000,000 to the credit of depositors. Tliis shows that the savings of the community stand at a high level, Mid they must have increased by cuvur £2,000,000 in the last twelve months. Also, the Government has acquired substantial funds at a comparatively cheap rate through this channel. While money is plentiful at present, rates arc iiot lowering, as there is a general feeling that before very long there will be ample scope for investment at very remunerative rates, and the expectatiop is that rates will not ease In the nea.r future, but rather that the value of money will maintain a fairly high level [or some little time to come, in view of the enormous calls for capital caused »11 over the world by the war."