The Press.
London, England, 1856-09-13 00:00:00

Rittronolit an.

THE PROPRIETORS OF THE UNITY LIFE ASSURANCR
SOCIETY held an extraordinary general meeting on
Thursday at the London Tavern, to receive from the
directors an explanation of their reasons for accepting
the resignation of Mr. T. 11. Baylis, the manager.
Dr. Davis having been appointed chairman, Mr.
JACKSON, a director, proceeded on behalf of the Board
to state their reasons for unanimously accepting Mr.
Baylis's resignation. The first reason was that of
Mr. Baylis's great and disgraceful inattention to
business details. He paid no attention to the busi-
ness of the office, and knew nothing of the transac-
tions of the local boards. With respect to Mr.
Aitkens' Glasgow affair Mr. Jackson explained that
after Dr. Lloyd's arrival at Glasgow on the 3rd July,
he telegraphed to Mr. Baylis:—
Circumstances being suspicions, Dr. Macfarlane pro-
poses a post mortem. I must, therefore, stop till to•
morrow.
On the 4th :

May I settle for seven hundred and fifty, and no post
mortem ? Send answer. Messenger waits reply.
Glasgow July 4, 1866.

Send me an answer immediately-ZMaY I give seven
hundred and fifty ? Not a moment to be lost.
To which Mr. Baylis replied :

4th July.

Yes, if you think it desirable.
The compromise was effected, and Mr. Baylis imme-
diately sent down the money to Wieland :
Instead of waiting two or three days for a board meeting
he drew a cheque for Mr. Wieland. Why did he send the
money out of his own pocket? On the 7th July the board
met. Mr. Baylis said he wanted a cheque for 7501.—that
he had settled a life loss for 7501., at Glasgow—that he had
sent down the money, and that it was all settled. Mr.
Edward Tayloe, who was present at the board, said,
" Compromise a life loss ! What is the meaning of it ? "
and objected to such a step.
Mr. Baylis replied that he wanted the money, and
he obtained it. On the 10th of July the matter came
before the board for confirmation. Mr. Baylis was
present at the board, but offered no objection. On
the 17th July Mr. Baylis recommended the board to
retrace their steps, and on the 24th, upon their con-
firming the transaction, Mr. Baylis resigned.
The ground Mr. Jackson took in defence of the
conduct of the board was that no distinct claim was
made for the 1,2501., and that they could not, after
the transaction, entertain any proposal to pay the
money except through a distinct claim. Coun-
sels' opinion had been taken, and was against pay-
ment after compromise. A claim had now been
made by Mr. Aitken and the money would be paid
KO soon as Mr. Aitken could prove his claim and
show why he made the offer of a compromise.

A SHAREHOLDER here denied that the offer of com-
promise came from Mr. Aitken.
Mr. JACKSON concluded his explanation by saying
that the board were very glad to get rid of Mr.
Baylis for his general mismanagement of the affairs
of the company, and urged the point, that if Mr.
Baylis did not know the circumstances under which
the compromise was effected, why should he have
been in such a hurry to pay the 7501., when the
usual way of paying claims was after three months'
notice.

Mr. VAUGHAN, another director, followed in the
same strain, giving similar reasons for accepting Mr.
Baylis's resignation.
Mr. BAYLIS defended his management of the
affairs of the Unity institutions; and, with reference
to the Glasgow case, said he did not at that moment
know the basis which justified the compromise, but
that to Dr. Lloyd's query he could only return the
general reply he did.
Dr. LLOYD said he accepted Mr. Baylis's tele-
graphic reply a.s a direct authority for agreeing to the
compromise. When ho arrived in London, a day or
two after, he went direct to Mr. Baylis, and told him
every circumstance, and read one or two documents
connected with the affair. Mr.l3sylis so far approved