The Express.
London, England, 1867-04-13 00:00:00

REMARK&

.....
Barometrical pree•nre has decreased both on the north and
east casts, and there has generally hem a small increase In
temperature. The winds on the southern coast have heisinie
south.weeterly, and have Increased a little In force. Weather Is
generally overcoat with rain In some places.

BIRMINGHAM BANKING COMPANY.—We are en-
abled to state that the official liquidators are arranging for
• further dividend of ss. in the pound, which they hope
to be in a position to pay to the creditors (not being
shareholders) in the second week in May.—Birminiduna
Pod.

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EwitrarLewerrr OF 2,000/. —At the Preston
Quarter Sessions, on Thursday, William Parkinson, 44, was
charged with embezzling a considereble sum of money be-
longing to the overseen of the township of Burnley. The
prisoner hail been for nearly 12 years assistant overseer of
Burnley. He pleaded guilty to several counts in the in-
dictment, while to others he pleaded not guilty. Mr. Kay
appeared for the prosecution, and said Chat the embezzlement
lied been committed in this way :—The prisoner had a book
furnished him, in each of the pages of which there were
three divisions. The first division contained a small printed
form of dates which were to be filled up with the amount of
rate and the time of payment ; the second contained a form
of receipt at the foot of which the name of the prisoner
was printed ; and in the third division there was a demand
for payment of poor-rate, with the prisoner's name printed
at the bottom. There was also, in large type, across the
end of the leaf the following words :—" On payment of
the rate require a printed receipt from the original check-
book corresponding with this." The duty of the prisoner
was to tear off the first division and serve it upon each
ratepayer when the rate became due, and the end form
containing the printed notice was to be supplied to them.
The practice of the overseers seemed to be to take it for
granted that if the receipt remained in the hook
the rate had not been paid, and the prisoner
had taken advantage of this for a considerable
length of time, and on various excuses had given re-
ceipts on loose bits of paper instead of taking them out of
the book. The result was that the prisoner was suspected,
found to be wrong, in his accounts, and apprehended.
So far it had been ascertained, said Mr. Kay, that the
prisoner's defalcations amounted to nearly 2,0001. The pri-
soner while assistant overseer was in receipt of 1301. a
year, and it was stated that be had exceeded his income
by living in an extravagant way. Two persona became
sureties for him when be took the office to the extent of
1,000/.. but they are comparatively poor men, and not
more than 5001. or 6001. will be realised from them. The
prisoner was sentenced to five years' penal servitude. The
chairman, in passing sentence, intimated that the pri-
soner had not been properly looked after by the authori-
ties at Burnley.
HolintltV AT • BRITISH CONMI'LATE. The
Journal du Havre recounts that the morning before last
the door of the British Consulate in that town was four d
to be open, and the safe, containing some 4,000 fr. in notes
and gold, besides a quantity of important papers, had
been removed. Soon after the missing safe was discovered
amongst a heap of rubbish at the gas works in course of
erection, and showing that great violence had been used
in endeavouring to force it open, but without success. The
thieves had only managed to drive the door inwards and
through the interstice thus left the coins could be seen but
the space was not sufficient to introduce the hand. In the
course of the day a young man named Deirdre was arrested
as one of the parties concerned. Although only 19, he
has already been condemned for theft.
ORTIITAL PAL•OI. 01g1 BEILLLENG
FRIDAY, APRIL 12.—Admielions on payment, 817 ; ditto
by season tickets, 1,134 ; total visitors, 1,961.