Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/378

 256

THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — CANADA

In addition to the capital, there was in 1911 the sum of 88,892,256 dollars of reserve funds belonging to the banks.

The clearing house transactions for 1911 amounted to 7,194,598,459 dollars, against 6,105,037,613 dollars in 1910. Of the transactions of 1911, Montreal had 32*92 per cent., Toronto 25 "75 per cent., Winnipeg, 16'30 per cent., and Vancouver 7 55 ])er cent.

Government post-office savings-banks have been in operation in Canada since 1868 ; there are also Government savings-banks, under the Finance Department, in the Maritime Provinces, Manitoba, and British Columbia. In 1912 the post-office savings-banks had 147,919 depositors and 43,563,764 dollars on deposit. The Government savings banks had 35,609 depositors and 14,655,564 dollars on deposit. Statement of transactions of the post- office and Government saviiiffs-banks in dollars : —

Year ended March 31.

Balances, April 1

Cash Deposited (Inch interest)

Withdrawals

Balances, March 31

1908-09 1909-10 1910-11 1911-12

62,581,145 59,938,920 58,264.229 58,094,331

13,264,038 12,642,761 13,980,279 15,352,152

15,906,273 14,317,452 14,150,177 15,470,986

59,938,920 58,264,229 58,094,331 58,219,328

The deposits in special savings-banks amounted in 1911 to 34,770,386 dollars, and in 1910 to 32,239,620 dollars.

Money, Weig-hts, and Measures.

The Dollar of 100 cents. The value of the money of the United King- dom is fixed by law as follows : — The sovereign, 4'86§ dollars; the crown piece, 1 "2 dollars ; and other silver coins at proportionate values. Notes are issued by the Government for 5, 4, 2, and 1 dollar, and 25 cents ; no bank is allowed to issue notes for a less sum than 5 dollars.

The Ottawa Branch of the Ro;, al Mint was established in pursnarce of Tlie Ottawa Mint Act, 1901. under Avhich an annual sum not exceeding 75,000 dollars is jayable to the Impei'ial Treasury for the purpose of defraying the salaries of officials and other expenses of the Mint, the fees and all sums received being retained by Canada. The Mint issues gold, silver and copper coins for circulation in Canada, and sovereigns and half-sovereigns coined will be legal tender in every country under the IBritish flag.

Gold, silver, and bronze coin struck and issued by the Ottawa Mint during the calendar years 1910 and 1911 : —

1910

1911

Struck

Issued

SI ruck

Issued

Gold (sovereigns). .■!

Silver

Bronze ....

No.

28,012

or $136,325.06 1,979,571.10 51,619.25

No.

28,012

or

$136,325.06

1,464,000 00

42,020.00

No.

256,946 or $1,250,470.53 985,678.50 46,599.47

No.

256,395 or $1,247,789.00 1,391,000.00 54,480.00

The legal weights and measures are the Imperial yard, pound avoirdu- pois, gallon, and bushel ; but the hundredweight is declared to be 100 pounds and the ton 2, 000 pounds avoirdupois, as in the United States.