The Express.
London, England, 1857-03-09 00:00:00

BRITISH COLONIAL BANK AND LOAN
COMPANY.-(TRIS DAT.)

This afternoon, the sixteenth annual general
meeting of the shareholders in the above company was bold
at the offices, Coleman-street, City. Mr. CIIAItLES LUSH.
INGTON, Deputy-Chairman of the Beard of Directors, in the
' chair.
The following was the report :—" Following up the date-
went made at the annual meeting in March hat, the directing
dairy to remind the shareholders that, in addition to the re-
turn of the whole of the original capital, and the
payment of 5/. per share out of the surplus funds of
the company ; they were enabled, in November last,
to distribute a further sum of 21. 10e. per .bars.
Though these disbuseements have not wholly exhausted the
Ponds in their custody, the directors are of opinion, that, is
acceding to the urgent instances of the shareholdera for the
payment of the last instalment, they have for the present
reached the verge of prudence. The result of the sale of
the remaining properties of the company, and the prospect,
of contingent liabilities, will of course guide any farther
recommendations on this head on the part of the directors.
A small portion of the properties in question has been ad-
vantageously sold by suction, but the residue, conaisting
principally of stores in Sydney and Port Maarten,s
sad laud near Maitland and Port Phillip, were
withdrawn, no reasonable offer basing been meal
for them. The resolutions pawed at the emend and
extreordinary meetings bitterly held for abridging the
number and qualification of proprietors competent to form a
quorum at such meetings, And the mulitienthm of the
clauses of the deed of settlement regarding the quorum et
the directors, will tend 'ovally to facilitate the transaction
of the remaining buaiaeea of the company. According to
the sinetion of the shareholders, given at the extraordinary
general meeting held on the 22nd Oct., the guarantee deed to
Mears Blonsome and heron has been executed by the board.
Mr. Bloiumme having formally resigned the service of the
company, Mr. Ritchie has surcoded to the Mike of manager,
the cetabliehment being placed on a reduced scale.
Mr. Ritchie is new the only paid officer of the com-
pany in the colony. The following director., areoeding
to the deed of settlement, retire from the direction, hat
being eligible, offer themselves for re-election,
Sir Froueis Sheckburgh, Bart., James Stewart, keep,
and the Rev. John Howard Hinton, M.A. The accounts
for the past year, up to the 30th J une bet, not having been
received, the board cannot Fermi, a correct fuancial state-
ment on the present ocCflaiull."
The report was adopte.t end the retiring directorate elected.

The Commissioners of Customs hare authorised
the farination of a mutual guar.tre fund for such officers of
that establislitnent so may be disposed to avail themselves of
it, in lieu of providing by other means the perronsl security
required front them. It is to be eonstitutel by a payment
from each ether of 1 per cent, on the ;thicituit of security
taken. No further payments will be called for, except in
cane of necessity, to prevent the fund from falling below
3,600 L
The special report from the Committee of Selec-
tion, .sued this morning, is ''That under existing circum-
stances., they have postponed, for the present, the meeting of
all committers on opposed private bills already sHminted."
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