27 JULY 1944, Page 23

MPANY MEETINGS

BEECHAMS PILLS LIMITED

ARGER PROFIT FROM WORLDWIDE ACTIVITIES sixteenth ordinary general meeting of Beechams Pills, Limited, was yesterday in London. . Louis Nicholas, J.P, the vice-chairman, presided, and read the " owing statement of Mr. Philip E. Hill, the chairman :— e trading profit for the year ended March 31st last, earned by the panics of the group operating in the British Empire and in almost parts of the world other than Europe, amounted to £1,471,560, as pared with £1,269,334 in the previous year. The overseas trade was t satisfactory and provides encouraging hope for the post-war period.

£1,675,037 IN TAXATION •

ur group of companies has contributed to the National Exchequer 079,152 in Excess Profits Tax and National Defence Contributions and 5,885 in income-tax, a total of £1,675,037. reference shares in subsidiary companies have been redeemed during year to the amount of £105,019. As this sum came from taxed profits

r paying income-tax at ros. in the L the amount provided from profits

£210,038. A small number of shares in a subsidiary company were during the year at an excess over book value of £192,404, and this has been placed to capital reserve.

e group as a whole has a reserve set aside for future taxation amount-

to approximately £300,000. Nothing has been included in the accounts respect of the post-war refund of Excess Profits tax, which is estimated amount to £269,000 after allowing for income-tax thereon at rm. in L. The Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget speech in April gave satisfactory assurances with regard to this refund.

EXTENSION OF INTERESTS •

is business commenced over roo years ago by the sale of the pro- tary medicine which gives its name to the company, but at the present e many goods other than proprietary medicines are sold, and your ectors are year by year extending beyond proprietary medicines the iety of the group's products.

uring the past four years much time and thought has been devoted the development of overseas trade, and the company is confident of king a considerable contribution to the export trade of this country ich will be so necessary after the war. I would like to pay a personal ute to the work of managers and staff at our factories and offices at e and overseas during the past year.

e report and accounts were adopted.