The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-13 00:00:00

REPOUT.

The directors aro again enabled to present to the share—
holders accounts of a past year, which testify satisfactorily to
the soundness of their institntion, its progress and prosperity.
CAPITAL.—An addition has been made to the capital of the
company by the issue of 2,075 shares, making the number in
the hands of the proprietors, 87,604, which, at £2 per share,
gives as the paid up capital, £175,008,
Finn DEPARTMIINT.—MO growing importance of the fire
business cannot fail to prove gratifying to the proprietors.
Last year, the premiums reached 4186,271 16s 11d, indicating
pretty Clearly the estimation in which the company is held ; but
this year they have attained the much greater sum of £222,279
10s 6d. Any augmentation of liability, however, the proprie-
tors, will be glad to know, does not arise from an indiscriminate
increase in the amount taken on individual buildings, but is
caused by a multiplication in the number of such insurances,
which adds, materially and obvionsly, to the security. of the
result. The losses amount to £108,306 15s 10d ; and, in
illustration of the last remark, but without wishing it to be
understood that a more serious casualty cannot occur, it may
be mentioned that £6,000 will cover the largest loss by one
fire.. _ _

LIFE DEPARTMENT.—The new business of the past year has
attain surpassed that of its predecessor. The number of policies
batted is 531, insuring .E 418,866, on which the premium is
£12,770 14s 1 ld. The total income from premiums is
£72,78115310d, and, in addition to that 5um,X17,338 10s10d
have been sunk with the company in the purchase of annuities.
The claims under life policies have amounted to £28,855 43;
and the annuities paid to £11,993 2s 6d. Of the recipients
nine have died, to whom £209 123 9d was annually payable.
The balance at the credit of the account is £339,450 5s 10d.
BRANCH ESTABLISHMENTS AND AGENCIES.--In the course
of the year opportunity presented itself of placing the business
in Scotland under the management of a board, whose great
personal weight and valuable local knowledge were esteemed
most important elements in the chalices of success. The
advantages anticipated from the arrangements thus made have,
to a considerable extent, developed themselves already. In
other quarters mach benefit has been derived from the influence
and supervision which boards have exercised, and the directors
appreciate very highly the assistance so given in promoting the
interest of the company. The increase in the number of
agents, and fhe szrvices they severally render, should not pass
unacknowledged, for there is no part of the establishment
which has a stronger claim to be remembered than the agent
who exerts himself to work efficiently the town or district
committed to his charge.
RESERVED SURPLUS FUND.—The premiums received on
the shares issued during the year has been carried to the credit
of this fund, which now amounts to £180,262 103.
PROFIT AND LOSS.—The balance of this account is
£174,655 lls 3d. On a full consideration of all the cir-
cumstances of the company, the board have determined to
declare, subject to the approval of this meeting, that a dividend
of twelve shillings a share, less income tax, be paid to the
proprietors, according to their respective shares in the com-
pany. After payment of the dividend, the balance at the
credit of the account will be £125,653 64 sd.
It may be convenient to the proprietors to have presented to
them in one view the additions which have been made to the
various funds, and thus to see the extent of advance actually
made in the year

1857.
Increased by is now
Capital
Reserved Fund 169.150 0 0 .. 11,112 10 0 .. 185,:62 10 0
Life Fund 293 557 4 5 ..45 P 93 1 5 .. 319.451 5 10
Fire Re-incur. Fund 82,526 17 5 .. 43.126 9 0 .. 125,05 $ 6 5

1856.

A 671-0,022 110 104,282 0 5 820,374 2 3

The new buildings are rapidly progressing, and it is the
confident expectation of the board that the next annual meeting
of the proprietors will be held within its walls.
It is with much regret that the directors have to record the
death of Mr. T. B. Blackburne, who for so many years has
filled the office of one of the auditors of the company. That
protracted connection is the best evidence of the respect in
which ho was hold, and of the value of those services which
are nsw lost to the proprietors.

On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. F.
Haywood,, the report was unanimously adopted, and such
portions of the report were ordered to be printed as the
otffutors mtgto, ttiliik at.
It was also resolved. on the motion of the same proposer
and seconder, that a dividend of 12s per share, less income
tax, as recommended in the report, be adopted.
Mr. Parkes moved that the thanks of the meeting be
given to the directors for their services to the company
during the past year.
Mr. Lamb seconded the motion, which was unanimously
adopted.
On the motion of Mr. Brancker, seconded by Mr. A. P.
Fletcher, the retiring directors were unanimously re-elected
and on the motion of Mr. Menley, seconded by Mr. Haigh,
thanks were unanimously voted to the Board of Direct Ors in
London, Manchester, and the other local boards
On the motion of Mr. Langton, seconded by Mr. T. S.
Gladstone, Mr. James was re-elected and Mr. C. J. Cor•
billy appointed in auditor of the company.
Other formal votes, ineluqing a vote of thanks to the
secretaries; whose zeal and ability were mentioned in very
eulogistic terms, were also unanimously passed ; after which
thanks were vefed to the Ciairman, and the 'meeting
separated.

TENACITY OF LlFE.—About a month ago, Mr. Raper
innkeeper, St. Sepulchre Gate, bought a quantity of straw,
which he carted home and placed upon his premises, When
he unloaded the straw it was thrown upon an empty beer
cask, which had one of the ends knocked out, and into
which it appears one of his fowls, a cock, must have taken
refuge, for last week when the straw was removed
it was there found in a state of nudity. It certainly
was alive, but could scarcely stand, and from its ineffectnal
attempts to escape, it had polled off all the feathers from its
breast. It had been in the barrel no Jess than 20 days,—
Doncaster Chronicle.

THREATENING LETTER.—It is to be hoped that. the
baneful effect of agrarian legislation is not again about to be
revived in this county. A few days ago a herd. earned
John Burke, of Park, received a letter, bearing the Parsons-
town post mark, cautioning his master, Mr. Joseph Abraham,
who resides in the Queen's County, not to take a certain
farm at Cloncarbin, near Thomastown, and that if be
persisted in doing so, he would get the death of Pike,
who was shot dead on the road near Killyon a few years
ago. A plough, belonging to a farmer, was maliciously
broken on his lands last week, in order to intimidate him
from taking some land for which he was in treaty.—County
_Kerry Correspondent.
Tux SCOTTISH POOR 1836, the total expendi-
ture on behelf of the Door in Scotland was £629,348; in
1855 it was £611,784. There was thus an increase of
£17,563. The number of registered poor on the 14th
May, 1856, was 79,973, being an increase of 86 since the
same date in the previous year. The number of poor who
have died or ceased to receive relief during the past year
was 19,390, making the whole number of poor redeyed by
order of the' parochial boards, and admitted by their
respective parishes to be properly chargeable to them,
99,363. For the previous year the eorresp mding number
was 100,560. , The number of casual or unregistered poor
was 38,020, being a decrease, as compared with the pre.
oeeding year, of 4,843.
Berreee HOUSES.—At one of the London police courts,
on Wednesday, Charles Thorpe was summoned by the police
for being the occupier of a room in the house 124, Jermyn
street, kept open for persons to resort to for the purpose of
betting upon horse races. Several witnesses were examined,
and proved the existence of gaming implements in the house
in question. Mr. Lewis took several technical objections
to the evidence, and appealed to the bench not to be guided
ia its decision by any outcry against betting houses, or by a
desire to acquire popelarity, but to decide on the merits of
the evidence. Mr. Beadon, in passing judgment, said that
the case was analogous to that of Ray, who hail been pre-
viously convicted, and ho should, therefore, inflict a similar
fine £59, or four months' imprisonment. Mr. Lewis was
understdod to say he should appeal against the conviction.
THE BEER IJOVSE QuesreeN.—A deputation from
Bedford, on the subject of the evils arising from the present
beer house and public house system, with a view to the
alteration of the laws regulating those houses, waited upon
Sir George Grey on Wednesday, to present a memorial
fr me the Bedford Society for the Suppression of Vice.
The amendments in the law which were suggested were the
increase of the minimum number of magistrates signing
public house licences, that beer houses should be licensed
by magistrates instead of by the excise, for the purpose of
giving the public an appeal against such licenses ; that
longer and more public notice of intended application for
licenses should be given ; that persons applying for licenses
should produce favourable testimony to their character ;
that in case of all new licenses regard should be had to the
increase of , population ; that brewers should not be
magistrates in ,boroughs; that brewers should not be present
at a watch committee; that more stringent measures to
prevent the encouragement of prostitution and gambling in
public houses should be adopted. The deputation was
courteously received by Sir George Grey; who promised an
attentive consideration to its important statements.