NEW ZEALAND COMPANY MEETINGS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12144, 21 September 1907, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND COMPANY MEETINGS.

THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICUL-

TURAL CO., LTD

The report of the above company, for the year ended Juno 30, presented to the meeting on Thursday, states that the profit and loss account shows a. credit balance of £4,454, and, after providing for income tax and adding a small sum realised on the redemption of an exchequer bond, there is £4,303 carried to the balance sheet, increasing the amount available to £6,766, out of which it is proposed to recommend a dividend of Is per share, less income tax. leaving £1,882 to be carried forward. Practically the whole of the land was sold in the early part- of the year; the balance, consisting of some very small sections of a value of about £120, has since been disposed of. ROBERT CAMPBELL AND SONS, LIMITED. An extraordinary meeting of the above company was held on July 30th, for the purpose of passing a resolution to reduce the capital from £180,000 into 60,000 £3 shares, fully paid, to £60,----000 in 60,000 £1 shares, by returned to holders £2 per share. A sale of the company's station of Otekaike has recently been made to the New Zealand Government on satisfactory terms, and resulting from it and previous saks, the amount of cash in hand will shortly be much more than the directors can see any prospect of being 'able to profitably employ either in Australia or Neiv Zealand. They, therefore, pro pose to apply to the Court for authority to reduce the capital of the company by the repayment of £2 per share to the proprietors. MELLIN'S FOOD (Australia and New Zealand). The report of the above company ior the year ended April 30th last, presented at the meeting last week, states that the balance of trade profits, after deduction of advertising, general expenses, etc., amounts to £5,0.33. After crediting dividends received for the year 19U6 upon investments and other charges, and for the dividend of 6 per cent, paid on the preference shares, the balance" to the credit of profit and loss account is £4,115. The directors recommend that £3,000 be devoted to the reduction of the amount now standing to purchase account, and that the balance, £1,115 be carried forward. NEW ZEALAND CHESS. I am again favoured with an advance copy of an extract which is to appear in the Weekly Times with reference to the Problem Composers of New Zealand. The article is by Mr. Alain C. White, and has reference to Mr. A. L. Kuskop. To-day, says the writer, I bring this series to a close. If it has heretofore been difficult for me to select : from the wealth of material submitted !to me by Mr. Kuskop's problems, the | best specimens of which number upwards of one hundred. I offer this second selection, then, with the understanding that it might easily be repliced by many times as many other problems of equal merit. A few points I may well bring out, however, in those I have selected. First and foremost, is the remarkable pair of New Zealand twins, Nos. 134 and 135, showing how different the solution may be in similar placing of the men. Then there is the No. 129,, one of the few problems extant to have won three separate prizes at one time, from the International Tourney of the Melbourne Leader. It is a g^ood example of Mr. Kuskop's favourite Xt play, and the variations are well linked together. Another.trait in Mr. Kuskop's problems, is that Q sacrifices, where such exists, while artistically rendered; are to a certain degree incidental, while in earlier New Zealand problemists we sometimes found them made the entire raison d'etre of a problem. Of course, Mr. Kuskop's method is the more advanced one, and, helps to add difficulty to his problems. I Mr. Kuskop has composed a number of, first-class miniatures, one quoted last month being among the best I know. In taking leave of this interesting group of Island problemists, we cast a look towards the future, nor is it entirely easy to see what this future will bring forth. Most of the lesser composers we have met belong distinctly to ( the past, and though the leaders of the present school stand in clear relief, the rank and file has still to be heard from. Under such leadership, it should piomise well, but there is always danger in delaying too long the exercise of one's activities; now is the time when all problemists in the Island should come forward. To me the study of the New Zealand school has been of great interest. If I have been able to communicate any of this interest, my readers must give the acknowledgement to Mr. Blackbourne, whose generous tender of his voluminous materials has alone made this series a possible undertaking. Problem No. 126—White (9 pieces)— Kto Xt 3; Rat X B 6; bishops at Q B 5, X Xt 4; Knights at Q Xt 6, Q 5; pawns at Q2, X B 3, X R4. Black (4 pieces)—K at K4; Rat X B4; pawns at Q 6, X Xt 3. Mate in two moves. Problem No. 127—White (5 pieces)— X at Xt 6; Q at Q B sq; .R at Q 4; knights at Q Xt 3, X B 4. Black (5 pieces)—K at K4; knights at QKt 4, K5; pawns at Q B 3, X Kt.6. Mat* in two moves. Problem No. 128—White (5 pieces)X at Q Xt 2; Q at Q B 8; Rocks at Q 85, Xt at K5; X B 5. Black ('. pieces)—K at Q3; Bat X sq; Xt al Q R 6; pawns at Q Xt 2, X 2, X 5, X B 2. Mate in two moves.

Problem No. 129—White (5 pieces)— Kat Q B 8; Q at X B 6; Bat X B sq; knights at K4,K 5. Black (9 pieces) — X at Q 4; bishops at X Xt 8, X R 2; knights at Q R sq ; X R 8; pawns at Q Xt 3, X Xt 3,» X R 6, X R 7. Mate in three moves.