26 MAY 1933, Page 44

HABIBROS BANK.

At the recent meeting of shareholders of Hambros Bank, Mr. R. Olaf Hambro, the Chairman and Managing Director, made some interesting references to conditions in the countries in which the operations of the bank are so largely concerned. With regard to Greece he was glad to report the existence of a strong- Government which, he said, had begun to make -itself felt in the general situation and he commended that Government for having decided to invite the Financial -Committee of the League of Nations to help them to straighten out their difficulties. After referring to the improvement in conditions in Norway and to the balanced Budget in Denmark, Mr. Hambro said with regard to German commitments of the bank that with the exception of a small proportion taken over by the Gold Discount Bank, the directors were satisfied that they were in the hands of Institutions which are quite sound "'and which, in normal 'conditions of exchange, are perfectly capable of repaying and, in fact, in most cases, are desirous of doing so, if existing regulations permitted." With regard to Hambros Bank itself, the report was a thoroughly favour- able one, and the 18 per cent. dividend was amply covered by the sum available, and profits showed a slight advance.