The Bank of England gold reserve against its note issue is £126,929,- 690, as compared with £126,929,400 last week. No gold has been on offer since last Friday. To-day's quotation—93/9d. nominal—is a fresh low record for exportable gold since September, 1919, when dealings in such gold were resumed. and represents a premium of about 10$ per cent. over the Bank of England pre-war buying price.
The shortage of supplies here owing to the Rand strike has caused a shipment of gold, worth $800,000, to be arranged from the United States to Bombay. This is the first consignment of gold to be exported from the U.S.A. for some months. A fall took place last week in the Indian price of gold, possibly in view of the above.
We are informed that the situation on the Rand has somewhat, improved. Some miners have resumed work, but pressure exerted by extremists hinders the return of many. A few of the mines, with the help of native labour, mine officials and others, are now turning out about 50 per cent. of their normal output. No advice has been received during the week of gold being received in New York.
It is reported that gold has been discovered near Bontddu, Merion: ethshire, whilst men were preparing to plant trees. It will be interesting to see whether the "axe" will now fall less heavily on the department concerned with afforestation,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.