The report for the first half of the current year has been issued, and is satisfactory Teading for the shareholders. The profit on working account amounted to $71,057.10 as compared with $48,644 for the corresponding six months of 1897, being an increase of 71. The credit balance shown is 568.94 as compared with $31,791.70 at the same period last year, and the directors propose to deal with this amount as follows:—To set aside $6,000 against repairs and renewals, to pay a dividend of 4 per cent for the half-year, to write $10,000 off value of furniture and fixtures, and to carry forward to new account the balance of $24,805.04. This report is, T think, the best that has ever been Inid before the shareholders.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.