The Express.
London, England, 1853-07-07 00:00:00

THE COURSE OF POST FROM AUSTRALIA.

The homeward Australian mail, via Marseilles,
arrived at the General Post-office on the morning of the
2nd instant ; and the ()caviar l Australian mail, ri i Mar
stifles, will be made up in the General Post-office to•
morrow night, the Sth instant. Thus nearly a week will
elapse between the arrival of the homeward and the de-
epoch of the outward mail, which is just time enough for
the distribution of the former to the remotest parts of the
kingdom, and for the answers to the correspondence
which the homeward mail brings to be forwarded to Aus-
tralia to morrow night. The outward Australian mail, via
Southampton, was despatched on the 4th inst., conse-
quently only two days elapsed between the arrival of the
one via Marseilles, and the departure of the one via
Southampton. Again the homeward mail via Southampton
arrived at the General Poet-office yesterday morning, and
consequently only two days will elapse between the arrival
a the Southampton mail and the despatch of the Mai
milks one. Now, as a week is only just long enough for a
mai, to be distributed throughout the country and
answered, it follows that two days, as far as the country
generally is concerned, might as well be a month. As the
weir and despatch of an Australian letter via Marseilles
gives a person a week longer than if a letter is received or
despatched via Southampton, and as those two mail routes
will always be the quickest to and from Australia, and for
sums time to come almost the only one, it becomes a quer
tion of the greatest importance to this country why all
letters to and from Australia are not conveyed by way of
Marseilles? The answer is because of the great
'miscues of such a conveyance. A kali-ounce letter
from Australia, via Southampton, costs one shilling
via Marseilles, which is a shorter route by 500 miles, is
costa 2s. 3d., out of which the French government gets 10d.,
and the English g ent Is sd. The former govern-
ment actu .11; charges nearly es much for conveying an
Australian letter from Marseilles to Calais by land as is
charged from Sydney to Southampton by water. The
English government makes the matter worse; for while it
charges a shilling for bringing a letter from Australia to
Southampton, it charges 17d. if it drops the letter at Mar
seines and picks it up again at Calais. From a correspond.
once published recen.ly in the Australian papers between
the postmasters of Singapore and Sydney, it appears that ,
the Australian postmasters were ignorant of our postal
arrangements with the French government. The post-
muter of Singapore states that all letters posted in Aur
walla for England by way of India, not specially directedl,
rig Southampton, will be put in iron boles at Ceylon, and
sent through France, and will be charged 2s. 3d. each if
above a quarter ounce in weight. Now this will be a mot
serious matter to poor people in this country, and numbers
of letters brought by the Australian mail vie Marseilles will
be refused, or the working classes will be pinched to pay
2s. 3d. Why should not the Pacha of Egypt charge 101.
also for the Australian letter, as well as the French govern-
ment, for the letter posses through the territory
of the former before it reaches France ? Bu
the fact 1., the Pacha is far more liberal in
his postal arrangements with this country than France
is. Twopence a letter ought to be quite sufficient for pin-
ing it through France, gad if the English postage were re-
duced to 101. every Australian letter could be sent via
Marseilles for a shilling, and then there would be plenty
of time to answer correspondence in this country by return
of post. The Chambers of Commerce and the Postal Re-
form Associations should at once see to this. They will
Had neat month when the new Australian arrangements
with reference to the homeward mails come into operation
that our postal arrangements with France in reference to
Australia are on a most unsatisfactory footing. The Aus-
tralian mail via Marseilles, is due here on the 31st instant.
But the one via Southampton is due on the 4th of August.

Now the ooly Australian mail which will be despatched
next mouth will be on the 4th. Those, therefore, who get
their Australian correspondence by way of France, will be
enabled to send off their answers immediately. Those who
get their Australian letters via Southampton, will not be
able to reply to them for a month afterwards.

PERPETUAL INVESTMENT, LAND, AND
BCILDING SOCIETY.

Yesterday evening the second annual meeting of
the members of the society was held at Radley's Hotel, Mr.
Joust °oven in the chair. The chairman having opened
the business in a brief speech, in which he pointed out the
peculiar excellencies of t►e society and the favourable pro-
gress it was making, the report was read, of which the fol-
lowing contains the principal points.
"The number of shares issued during the ant year, was
1176, and during the second year, 2273, making in the
whole, 3449. The number of shares issued and withdrawn
to the 30th of April last, are as follows, vii :-
101. 251. 301. 501. 1001. Total.
Issued .61 . 964 . 325 . 2,034 . 3,449
Withdrawn - .15 . 50 . 34 . 370 . 469

---
In force . 85 .48 . 914 . 291 . 1,664 . 2,980
The withdrawals of shares during the put year has afforded
an incidental instance of the benefits conferred by the insti-
tution. The withdrawn have arisen principally among
members who have emigrated, and who had used the so-
ciety as a Savings Bank, until a sufficient sum was deposited
for their outfit and passage money, then withdrawing the
amount with the accumulations of interest. in the deposit
department, considerable sums varying in amount have been
neeived, upon which interest at the rate of 41. per cent. oer
arum has been paid; the funds of this department being
advanced to the members who desire to receive the amount
at their shares, they are assisted, while profit is secured to
dr asadvanced shareholders; the depositors receiving at
ihs semi time a satiafactory return for their investment.
The advances made to members upon the security of houses
sad bede amounted in the first year to 11,1361. 10s., and is
the .seal pear to 15.6111. 17s. Bd., making a total amount
!Weaseled upon mortgage of 26,7481. 7s. Bd. In accordance
with the 28th rule, a careful valuation of the liabilities and
wets of the society has been made by the actuary; the result
of which is highly satidactory, and enables the directors,
after carrying 10 per cent. of the profits to &reserve fund, to
declare a bonus equal to 11 per cent. compound interest, on
the subscriptions t,f shares now participating, in addition to
the 41 per cent. compound interest, fixed by the society's
table*. This bonus will be carried to the account of each
share, and will be receivable upon the completion of the
time fixed for the maturity of the share. There is every
probability that this ratio of profits will be maintaiaed, if
not increased, thus rendering the society a most advantage-
ous medium for investment. In the freehold land depart-
ment, two eligible estates have been purchased, situate clout
to the railway station, at Sutton, near Croydon, in Surrey,
the greater part of which has already been taken by the
members."
The balance sheet showed on the debit side of the in-
vestment department, a sum of 30,7371., and on the 30th of
April there was a balance at the hankers of 313/, The
freehold land account showed on the debit side an amount of
4,1771. 195., and there was a balance at the end of the year
of 191. 3e.
The Rev. Dr. Braga, in moving the adoption of the re-
port, recommended the society as one which combined the
advantages of a deposit department, which held out far
greater advantages for the investment of savings than the
savings banks, with undoubted security, and a permanent
investment department, which also held out great advan-
tages to the public.
Dr. BENTHAM seconded the motion, and observed that
the advantages which the report had shown to be obtained,
Iwere secured at • very small comparative espouse of
management.
The motion was carried unanimously.
Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Cuthbertson, and Mr. Cover were
te.e'ected directors, and Mr. Mien was re-elected auditor.
The Rey. C. OUGUILLY moved, acd Mr. Mugu seconded
a resolution, expressive of the satisfaction of the meeting at
the progress made by the society, as indicated in the report.
A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the pro-
ceeding'.
-

RETRESENTATION Or LIVERPOOL.—WEDNESDAY.
—A crowded meeting of the conservative party was held
In the Royal Amphitheatre to-day, at 12 o'clock, Edmund
Molyneuz, in the chair, at which the candidates,
Messrs. 11. T. Liddell, and T. B. llonfall, addressed the as-
sembly at considerable length. Resolutions were passed
thanking the Constitutional Association ter their choice of
candidate+ and expressive of confidence in the gentlemen
brought forward by that body. After the meeting the hen.
gentlemen Wen introduced on 'Change and favourably re-
ceived. The liberal candidate, Sir Erskine Perry, addresses
a meeting of the liberal electors so night in the Royal Park
Theatre. Mr. John Bramley-Moore, the third conservative
candidate, has issued an address, stating that the time has
arrived when he must unreservedly place himself in the
hands of his fellow townsmen, and should he be elected,
will serve them with seal and fidelity. The nomination
takes place to-morrow. All parties seem sanguine of
Ounces.
AUSTRALIAN NABOSS.—Among the passengers
who came home in the Indus, which Landed the Indian
mail at Southampton on Tuesday, were 19 Australian re-
turned emigrants, must of whom were from Melbourne.
They wore white calico hats, and their hale, hearty, and
John Bull appearance formed a: striking contrast to
that of the Indian passengers. The salubrity of the climate
from which they had come wm manifested throughout the
Torino in the range and power of their organs of digestion.
TheiNkl all made rapid and large fortunes.