THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1871.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 22, 1 November 1871, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1871.

The half-yearly report of the operations of the Bank of New Zealand for the past half year is, in all respects, as eminently satisfactory as many which have preceded it. The condition of the banking accounts so far as the proportions of assets and liabilities are concerned, does not show much practical alteration, and there is the customary large dividend, and equally customary large bonus, besides a fair amount carried to the new profit and loss account. Taken altogether, the report is just such as might have been anticipated, and is also such as may be reasonably anticipated in the future, unless any unforseen circumstances should interfere to prevent it. The shareholders are to be congratulated —highly congratulated upon the regularity with which such splendid dividends are declared, and it is not impossible that, under the full appreciation of these dividends and congratulations, the. shareholders may not devote their attention io the aggregate balancesheet of the bank at the 30th of September, And yet, viewed outside of the pleasing halo which a ten per cent, dividend, and a five shillings bonus surround it with, this balance-sheet should furnish food for calm reflection to all who hold au interest in the bank, nay to all in the Colony. In saying this we do not wish to be understood as saying anything depreciatory to- the condition of the bank, but merely to point out that, as the institution is in fact closely associated with the financial and business position of New Zealand, it should therefore receive a large share of attention. That attention being devoted to the balance-sheet, it will be found that the total liabilities of the bank are set down a5 —L 4,643,339 ss. lid., and of this, under the head of deposits and other liabilities, comes L 2,593,079 17s. sd. By this wo presume are meant such liabilities as can be claimed from the bank by persons who have entrusted their capital to its coffers. Besides this we may take the bills in circulation, L 910,983 14s. 10d, and the notes in circulation, L 380,671, from which it will be ssen that the total liabilities of the bank, the f our million and six hundred and odd pounds sterling will require a safe and. reliable quantity of assets, to a very large amount of tangible security, in order to afford a ready means of meeting claims which might perhaps be readily enforced. Turning to the Other side of the balance-sheet, and investigating these means, we will find that of somewhat over a million in coin, cash balances, and bullion of less than a quarter of a million in Government securities ; of some twenty-three thousand pounds in notes and bills of other banks and landed property ; and, finally, of bills receivable, bills discounted, and other debts due to the bank, L 3,047,420 4s. lid. This is a fair statement of the positionof the bank by which it will be seen that over a million and a quarter of the securities is of a nature known as that which is as good as money—being coin, bullion, Government securities, and landed property ; and of three millions of such securities as many a business house regards as most excellent, but which are undoubtedly subject to business fluctuations. This, it will be remembered, is against more than four millions and a half of liabilities, of which more than two millions and a half are deposits and other liabilities. A due examination of the various proportions disclosed may, as we said, be found interesting.

The fortnlghtly‘mecting J pf the Wesleyan Band of Hope Was held on Monday evening ) in the bhortland Cliapel. Mr E. Carr, vice president, occupied the chair. The meeting was addressed by the Rev B. C. But land, Mr {Jhelton, and Mr iticljiAds. A piece of music by. Miss Hunter applauded, and several members of the society gave recitations, in which the useful, instructive and moral were blended. A most agreeable evening was spent by those who had the good fortune to be present. His Honor Judge Beckham wore the New Zealand War Medal yesterday whilst sitting on the Bench. The business done will be found reported in another place. We have been requested to state that the next sittings of the District Court at the Thames will be on Tuesday, the 21st November; and Tuesday, the 19th December. " We observe' that the steamer ‘ Golden Crown ’ will call at Coromandel this afternoon on her way to Auckland. Wc hope on this occasion she will not get stuck on the mud flats ns on a recent trip.’ To be forewarned is to be forearmed and therefore it may be fairly presumed that no such mishap will again occur. The trip to Auckland, calling in at the picturesque harbour of Coromandel, is in fine weather usually a very enjoyable one, and we hope to sec the < Golden Crown’ well patronised on the occasion

By reference to our advertising columns it will be seen that Mr Dowden will offer for sale to-day a very valuable lot of books comprising works of divinity, history, law, architecture, and also light literature, amongst which will be found many standard works and popular novels. We hope to see a largo attendance. For several days past an advertisement has appeared in the columns of all the local journals offering a reward of £IOO for the production of evidence tojsubslantiate certain charges made against workmen in the Caledonian mine, but as yet no one has come forward to claim the reward. The combatants at the recent pugilistic encounter at Tararu have been summoned to appear at the Police Court this morning, on a charge of disturbin g the peace. Mr Thomas Young, late Inspector of Nuisances in Auckland, notifies that he has no intention of seeking the reappointment to that office. We understand that the sum of £36 has been handed over to Mr A. S. Butler, in accordance with a vote of the late Fire Brigade, being balance of funds collected for relief of persons injured at fires. The amount was paid yesterday by Messrs P. A. Phillips and E. Waytc.

The great match against time, iu which Mr Gwynue, the landlord of the Junction Hotel, backed himself to walk eighteen miles in three hours, came off yesterday afternoon, in Cuuuiugham’s paddock, Newmarket. The match created considerable interest, as it was known that Mr Gwynne was a large and heavily built man, and by no means young, and in consequence opinions were various as to the possibility of his accomplishing a feat seldom attempted by the young and agile. Some 200 or 300 people were on the ground, and a great number in the road outside. Betting was free during the event, and a considerable amount of money changed hands. The pedestrian started off at a tremendous rate, and accomplished the first mile in nine minutes, in good style. He kept up a fast speed until the thirteenth mile, when lie began to show symptoms of fagging, and his pace gradually slackened until the fifteenth, when lie found he had taxed his power of endurance to too great au extent, and very wisely yielded up the victory to Old Time. Mr Gwyunc’s muscles, however, when rendered flaccid by over-exertion, must have extraordinary powers of retraction, for lie was very shortly afterwards seen at liis hotel conversing with people, and apparently quite restored, whereas less powerful men would assuredly have” been found in bed. Mr Gwynue, therefore, although he says he is too old, is evidently juvenile enough to win more victories of pcdcstrianism, in spite of the feat attempted yesterday being a trifle too much for him. — Herald .l