Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-25 00:00:00

INSURANCE NEWS.

TILE E3IPIRE LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY held an extra-
ordinary meeting on Tuesday, at which resolutions to the
effect that the society should be dissolved and its business
transferred to the Family Endowment Assurance Com-
pany wore passed. It was understood, however, that these
resolutions should receive the sanction of another meeting
before being finally acted up Dn.
Tux MoNitwit held its meeting on Monday, and the
AMICABLE on Tuesday. Reporters were excluded from
both. The ALFRED meeting occurred also on Tuesday,
when the following results of the year's business were
announced. The new premiums were £2,195 183 61 The
claims have been £15,322 is id, and bonuses have been
added to policies to the extent of £lBB6 4s ld. The
total realised assets were £164,751 13s ld. and the value
of premiums £360,151 33 10d—total, £524,902 16s 1 ld.
Against this there are various liabilities, including the
risks, amounting to £462,127 17s 83, and thus a surplus
fund exists of £02,774 193 3d—a sum which must be an
evidence of the company's good condition.
THE MINERVA has recently held its annual meeting.
The total income of 1856 has been £69,455 198 2d, of
which £6,445 lis 3d consists of new premiums. The
total assets of the life fund was £1,014,148 lls 61 and
the liabilities £974,775 Ile 43, leaving a surplus of
£29,373 61 2d. Of this surplus nearly all is to be distri-
buted; which we would rather had not been done. The
claims and additions amount to £29,471 03 21 which is a
large sum in proportion to the income.
THE LONDON MUTUAL balance-sheet just issued does not
show as favourable a result ; while the total premium
income is £16,511 103 6d, the expenditure is (inclusive
of re-assurances, &c.) £5,316 13s sd. The claims are
.£3 639 6s 21

THE UNIVERSITY LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY has just
held its meeting. The total premium income is £45,066
12s 7d, of which £2,053 17s 6d only is new business. The
claims have amounted to 22,550, and payments have
been made on account of the previous year, £18,099.
Total, £40,649, which by additions and surrenders is
increased to £58,755 64 9d, The expenses are £4,919 8s
31 We leave out a host of figures relating to investments
and re-investments, simply stating that the income there-
from is £31,265 is sd. Although this is a large sum the
relative amounts of premium income, claims and expenses
do not look well, especially as it may be that the sum
stated as paid in c'aims may not include, for anything the
report says to the contrary, some still unsatisfied, as must
have been the case in the last balance-sheet. In short,
on the one side the payments for claims, additions, and
surrenders, exceed the premium income by £12,853103 7d.

NAVAL PRIZE-MONEY.—The receipts or naval Ariz
bounty, salvage, and other moneys, during the year ended
the 31st of March last amounted to £88,951, and the pay-
ments to £48,270, leaving a balance of £40,681. Tne
amount distributed or paid away in the year 1856-67 on
account of captures made wider the Prize Act (Russia)"
amounted to £72,055, and the balance on the Ist of April
last was £30,330.
IRON AND COAL MASTERS' ASSOCIATION FOR TILE DIFFU-
SION OF EDUCATION.—An interesting ceremony took place
at Newport, in Monmouthshire, on Tuesday, when the
bishop of the di tcese distributed money prizes to the
amount of between £BO and £9O, and varying from £2
downwards, together with a number of beautifully bound
Church Services, Bibles, and Prayer Books, to more than
one hundred out of two hundred and nineteen children,
who were last week examined by the Rev. H. M. Bellairs
and J. Bowstead, Esq., two of Her Majesty's inspectors of
schools, and who were selected from various schools in the
mining districts of the county. The Iron and Coal
Masters' Association is composed of the iron manufacturers
and colliery proprietors, who are actuated by a praise-
worthy desire to induce parents to keep their children at
school longer than at present is usual, owing to the early
age at which children become a source of profit to their
families. The scheme upon which the Monmouthshire
Association is based has been received with much favour
in Staffordshire, Cheshire, Birmingham, and elsewhere.
In Monmouthshire, although established less than a twelve-
month, the association has met with large support and
sympathy from all classes, and the subscriptions have been
very liberal. The course of examination comprised the
four simple and compound rules of arithmetic, reading,
writing, grammar, geography, and needlework, to which
were added exercises in the Scriptures and Catechism.
The ages of the children ranged from eight to fourteen.
The expenses of teachers and children attending the exami-
nation are paid by the association.
SHOCKING TRAGEDY IN THE HIGHLANDS.—On Th r 'day
the 9th inst., the island of Benbecula was the scene of one
of the most frightful incidents which ever occurred in that
quarter. The particulars, as they have reached us are as
follows : It appears that last spring a young man residing
with his father and mother in Benbecula showed some
symptoms of insanity, but as these seemed to wear off, no
steps were taken to confine him, the young man going about
as usual, and apparently quite harmless. Fatal mistake!
Oa the Thursday above mentioned the young man went to
the house of his aunt, who resided not tar from his parents,
and coolly murdered the poor woman by cutting her throat.
He then came back to his fathers house, and murdered his
own mother in the same manner ! Lamentable to relate,
the tragedy did not end here. The youth's father was em-
ployed in the immediate ne'ghbourhood amongst his potatoes
totally unconscious of what was gciog on ; and being
called upon by his sin to come to him —the maniac
standing at the door of the house—no sooner was the old
man within his reach than he set upon him, and cutting his
father's throat, also smashed his head in the most frightful
manner. Thereafter the maniac concealed the body under
a bed, and immediately took to the bills, as if coesctous
of the nature of the work he had been engaged in. During
the night the madman seems to have gone to the mill of the
district, and setting it going. the mill took fire with the
friction Little damage', however, was done, es the fire
was observed and speedily extinguished by some people who
had gathered from the neighbourhood.
..Clu the appalling
facts becoming known, they were immediately reported to
the authorities at Lochmaddy, who at once proceeded to
the island, and succeeded in securing the murderer, who
was biought over and safely landed in Lochmaddy prison.
He is about 24 years of age, and is said to be a strong and
powerful fellow. We have not ascertained his name.—
Invernaiss Advertiser,.