The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-29 00:00:00

16s. old. per annum, exemption from stamp dr-itips,
priority of payfz,ci.lt from executors of persons dying
I in their debt, and exemption from probate duty to the

amount of 201.

1
The Act 3 and 4 Viet., c. 73, took away all ex-
emption from stamp duty, and power to invest in
savings' banks or with National Debt Commissioners,
from the societies granting an assurance above 2001.,
and as a compensation for these privileges, it allowed
in direct terms a power of assuring to any party a life
policy by nomination.
The existing Act, which passed in 1850, restricted
this last remaining privilege of nomination to the case
of a widow, widower, or child, but imposed no re-
striction of amount in their case.
The Clergy Mutual Society seems to have been the
first which undertook a large description of insurance
under the Act of 1829, by issuing policies to the ex-
tent, first of 1,0001., afterwards of 5,000/. The pre-
sent number of their policies is above 2,000, and the
average amount is about 9501. Their capital is
525,000/., of which 315,000/. is invested with the
National Debt Commissioners. The expense of ma-
nagement is four per cent., nothing is paid for agency.
Annual income, 60,0001. per annum.
The Friends' Provident Association, at Bradford,
has a capital of 350,0001., of which 96,0001. is in-
vested with the National Debt Commissioners. Mem-
bers, 2,079. Average amount of policies, 700. Ex-
tent of life assurance, 2,0001.

The Provident Clerks' Society was established in
1840. Has a benevolent fund attached for granting
loans, annuities, and gratuities, raised by 10 per
tentage on all profits, and a small subscription from
each member. Capital, 84,0001. in Three per Cents.
stock, and
6,4501. on mortgage. Average amount of
policies, 1921. Number of members, 2,735.
The National Benevolent Institution was esta-
blished in 1835. The annual income arising from
premiums is 167,0001. ; the interest on capital,
capital is about 8,,
33,000/. ; the cap 00 0004 of which
93,0001. is invested with the National Debt Com-
missioners. The number of members 9,300, and the
average amount of the policies is about 5001. The
extent of life assurance is 5,0001.
The United Kingdom Temperance Society was
established eleven years ago ; the average amount of
their policies is 1301.
Although it appears that these soclfst;es posseL6 and
exercise privileges and exemptions for which they
can allege specific statutes, passed for the encourage-
ment and protection of friendly societies, it appears
to your Committee, that as they have manifestly
outgrown the particular class of objects which were
in the contemplation of Parliament when those sta.
totes were passed, and have become in fact life as-
surance offices, they ought to be placed upon an
equal footing, in respect of such exemptions, with
other assurance companies ; either by being de-
prived of those privileges, or by extending them to
all alike.

There are grave considerations which should make
Parliament hesitate before it proceeds to adopt the
former alternative.

To make provision for a wife or family out of the
savings of a salary, or wages, or small income, is an
object which ought unquestionably to be fostered
and encouraged. This would be checked and damped
if an advantage hitherto offered should now be with-
held.

But it is said, confine these exemptions to societies
which do not issue policies above 1001. or 2001. If
this were done, so far as these five societies com-
plained of are concerned, they would indeed lose the
privilege which they hold under the specific authority
of Acts of Parliament; but they would still continue
their transactions, and would be in the anomalous posi-
tion of being constituted under friendly societies Acts,
but destitute of all the benefits conferred by such
Acts.

STATUE of the DUKE of WELLINGTON
at MANCHESTER.
A meeting called by circular by the Mayor, Mr.
Robert Barnes, was held yesterday afternoon at the
Town-hall, in Manchester, for the purpose of consi-
dering the propriety of erecting a permanent memo-
rial of the late Duke of Wellington. The meeting
was attended by many of the most influential people
in the town. The Earl of Ellesmere and the Earl of
Wilton arrived before the commencement of the pro-
ceedings, and the Bishop of Manchester arrived
shortly after. The Mayor of Manchester was unable
to be present, illness obliging him to go to Harro-
gate; Sir John Potter, therefore, officiated for him.
In opening the proceedings, Sir JOHN said they
were brought together by the demise of England's
greatest son—of a man alike distinguished by the
wisdom of his counsels in the field and his counsels
in the senate—a man who, by his brilliant victories,
raised the name of England to a height it had never
before attained—and who by his victories had secured
to us more than thirty years of continuous and com-
plete peace.—(Cheers.) Whether as a statesman or
a general, all must feel that the Duke of Wellington
would ever rank foremost amongst the heroes of
Europe. It was felt two years ago that something
should be done to testify the gratitude of the commu-
nity for the services Sir Robert Peel conferred upon
us, and surely it was a duty now to make equal, nay
greater, efforts to commemorate in Manchester, the
centre of the peaceful industry of England, the
memory of the man to whose achievements we owed
the peace 'spoil which every domestic and commercial
blessing had rested.—(Cheers.)
Mr. THOMAS BAILEY proposed the following reso-
lution :—" That in order to testify the high admiration
entertained by this community for the exalted talents
and distinguished public services of the late lamented
Duke of Wellington (as a soldier and as a statesman),
it is, in the
that a statue should be erected in Manchester,
that
of this meeting, desirable
by public subscription, to his memory ; in grateful
recognition, as well of his transcendent genius and
undoubted courage, which, under Providence, secured
to himself the reputation of the greatest general of the
age, and to his country the enjoyment of prosperity
and liberty, as of the deliberative wisdom, disinte-
rested judgment, and noble spirit of patriotism which
ever directed his endeavours to perpetuate and extend
the invaluable blessings of peace., "—(Cheers.) He
remarked that of the loss which the nation had sus-
tained in the death of the Duke of Wellington, hap-
pily there only prevailed in the vast community one
opinion, and that was well embodied in the sentiment
of regret, and of desire that the glorious deeds of the
great Duke should be had in memory, and that a
permanent record should be raised to remind posterity
of the deeds he had done, and to perpetuate the grati-
tude of the age rind generation in which he had ex-
isted. Having quoted the words of Lord John Rus-
sell at Stirling, Mr. Bazley proposed the resolution.
The May or of SALeoen (Mr. Ashton) seconded the
resolution, and expressed on behalf of the inhabitants
of that borough the pleasure they had in joining in
the tessitnonial to one who had benefited both
boroughs alike. He was happy to find it was in-
tended to place the statue in front of the Royal In-
firmary, in company with that of Sir Robert Peel,
and (be had been further delighted to learn from a
private source) in company with a statue of the Duke
of Bridgewater, another of the great benefactors of
was
chosen It seemed to him that the site
chosen well for placing the memorials of three of the
s
greatest benefactors of the land in front of the most
noble institution they had for the amelioration of the
suffering of the poor.
A short discussion then ensued as
character of the memorial should be dtoeclid.
meeting. There was an unequivocal feehleiedntghbenlyra;thhine-e
fated that it should be a statue—
or otherwise, to be left with the
The resolution was carried committee.
number of gentlemen unanimously.
The Rev. Canon CLIFTON whether equestrian
to
act moved theo -13
stated that it was to beas%set it was not de-
sired to confine the understood tsubscriptiontothe
chester. As Manchester mitniteees. ofH ae
of all the
ma-
nufacturing districts, was. the
that the statue to
it was right
eenttorewnefotfheMan
be erected should be th joint contribution of all the
to the
manufacturing districts connected with it. The mayors
meenteiingghbonoutrhiantggbrooruonuctlas had been summoned
Mr. J. C. IluzvrEn, in seconding the resolution,
read a list of twenty-four firms and individuals who
had contributed 1001. each. Several would have given
more, but it was
thought that 1001. was a very fair
limit. The names of the Earl of . Wilton, and the Earl
of Ellesmere appeared in it. Mr. Hunter expressed
his confidence that with a good canvassing committee
10,0001. might and should be raised.
Mr. M. Ross moved that the names of several fo-
reigners, Germans, Portuguese, and Spaniards, resi-
dent in the town, should be added to the committee.
He knew that they were anxious to join with their
English friends in testifying their respect to the me-
mory of the great deceased.
The resolution was then put and carried. Another
resolution of a formal character was passed, and the
business of the meeting concluded with a vote of
thanks to Sir John Potter, moved and seconded by
the Earls of WILTON and ELLESMERE.
Some subscriptions were handed in, and at the close
of the business the subscription list stood et 2,5501.

THE INFERNAL MACHINE.—I he Moniteur de
l'Annee says--" It has been reported that the conspiracy
against the life of the President was hatched at Toulon,
where the machine is said to have been constructed. It was
calculated to make 800 victims. According to the same
version, arrests are said to have been made simultaneously
at Marseilles and Toulon, and it is added that the authors
of the plot form part of a secret society called Lea Yen-
geurs.”
QUEENSTOWN, SUNDAY.—IV Arun tne last week no
fewer than 150 vessels, corn-laden, have arrived, some have
left for other ports, but about 80 still remain. A vessel is
also lying here, the Lord Auckland transport, having on
board 260 convicts, taken from the Spike island convict de-
pot, about to sail for Van Diemen's Land. These
men have
been presented with tickets of leave for good character. and
on arrival in that colony are to be permitted to turn their at-
tention to any pursuit they please. The expense of sending
out these men will fall little short of 10,000/. Whether the
home or colonial Government, is to pay for their transit we
are unable to say.