5 JANUARY 1940, Page 32

MARTINS BANK'S GOOD FIGURES

Martins Bank shows some remarkably good figures. As ex- pected, the final dividend is maintained at the higher rate of 71 per cent. established by the raising of the interim last July, with the result that the total dividend for 1939 is 15 per cent., against 144 per cent. for 1938. Profits which are struck after providing for taxation and transferring to credit of contingency account, which itself contains full provision for bad and doubtful debts, is given as £876,025, against £872,929. A further L50,000 goes to reserve fund, premises redemption and pension fund each receive another £I o0,000, as a year ago, and there is £330,749 to go forward, against £328,730 brought in. Altogether, an excellent performance achieved in far from easy conditions. This bank should now have the benefit of the Lancashire recovery, specially in the cotton trade.

CUSTOS.