The Express.
London, England, 1868-03-05 00:00:00

FAILURE OF A FREEHOLD LAND AND
BUILDING SOCIETY:

We have to announce, with much regret, that
the Victoria Freehold Land and Building Society, which
has its offices in Union-street, has been compelled
to close he operations. Yesterday the directors
planed the affairs of the society in the bands
of Mr. W. B. Allen, - with a view to the pre-
sentation of a petition to the Court of Chancery,
ander the winding-up act. The liabilities are not yet
precisely deertaMed ; but we believe that 30,0001. is
;due to depositors, and that the deficiency amounts to
about 7,0001. A meeting of members and creditors
will be celled at an early period, when a full statement
will be laid before them. In the meantime, the manage-
meet of the proceedings is in good hands, and the
persons concerned will best consult their own interests by
abstaining from action opposed to that instituted by the
directors. The failure of the society has, we understand,
arisen chiefly from the depreciation in the value of the
land purchased by it at Vauxhall and at Wed Brom-
=d
.S.l.ll...deurulaticeiring woLittetrret owing to the
prepsrty i
been held. =her cause is inherent in the constitn-
a ken of the society. Usually land and building uncle-
; ties charge premiums to purchasing members, and to
Made requiring advances; whereas the members of the
Victoria Society have been allowed to purchase land
at net cook the institution conaecreently deriving no
peneniary benefit from the sales. The Victoria Society,
which is registered under the Friendly Societies
Aet, was ostahlished in July, 1848, on a conservative basis,
other freehold land son ties having been previously
banded in connection with the liberal party. Since
I the date above-mentioned, the total receipts of
Vistaed have amounted to newly 200001.
a S abeirest of account from June, 1866, to Jew,
; (the last dined), shows a total receipt for the year
of 11,4451., and 12,15681. repayments to members end de-
, pashas, and errandes of management.
‘,4tooording to the
node repent the society was under the patronage" et
Lend skorps sad Mr. Nowdegate, M.P. The prodded
wee Mr. Edward Gem, and the vice-president Mr. Charles
litatediff.--41iriatingskim Post

The committee's report upon the amendments to
the Press Bill has improved with a vengeance upon
one of the most absurd of them. The majority of
the Chamber approved of M. Guilloutet's sugges-
tion that any " ill-natured" statements relative to
private life, though not coming within any of the
known legal definitions of • libel, should be
punishable by a tine of 500 fr. The committee
has struck out the word " ill-natured"
(malcriliante), and the clause an sent up,
proposes to enact that any statement whatever
relating to private life may be punishable, &c.
What will become of the papers that live by gossip
and cAroniqusa I It will no longer be lawful to say
that Madame Trois &odes had • reception on
Thursday het, in the Champs Elysees.
A curious, paragraph appears in the Frouce. Re-
ferring to .a telegram stating that a London journal!
at DIM OF a Dermarratc OLD WOILAII.—Thad
whichparrea es a special organ of Lord Stanley and Neon fflodit wry 27. an eccentric old lads.'
Mr. Disraeli had contradicted the rumour Za kw" ter lie elle! of Miag Hall, at the ado of
of On alliance between " England and the t ye=llllll lidliViamdal"em, for
mmy rasa in •
Continental powers ;" it says that what'ilaigAni *hough AM 71iitif of
kaowa
was meant to be denied Ina • state- I aim of she Li psi for tweet; el
mut of " certain foreign journals " that sad.__ .sewafibh Sh• IP" feast Mal ea Me Ma "Ow
England bad made an alliance with Pressis. The waw0":1,241.1 the1"08
whew _,_asd 'hater were fir Ibir
insinuation of La France is that the alliance of shiviFtereme disirerphorsafee withlf VetWala"r
England with France and Austria may yet be true. was and in their search y dimmed
'This wish. I hope, is father to. the thought. SUMS mow to Us 'repeat of 2 la lid.,
The Bourse waa dull. Rent* closed at yeater- I jeweils", asd Mk* &Malt slid it 1,710. ed ;is am •
day's price for cash, and at 69fr. 274 c. for account, agar/ la tit at Moo, Oil
with a fall of nc. Italian roes 20e. ; Ur. 'III 4= ill= Ire! :mar rn
Credit Fancier was without gunge, and eQinPieje; umbel& IN& Mahe the memo by, 111afeb
d'Eteentepte 3fs. The. &ow all*