25 MARCH 1938, Page 68

EASTERN BANK.

Despite the disillusionments of 1937 Mr. J. S. Haskell, the chairman of the Eastern Bank, took quite a hopeful view of the outlook when he addressed the shareholders last week. He pointed out that the bank has no commitments in China and that the small decline in profits shown last year was wholly due to the incidence of the N.D.C. Iraq, he reported, had enjoyed an excellent year with rising exports and India has had a good monsoon. With any recovery in world trade he believes that India will be the first to benefit.