The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-30 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER,

TRICKS OF BUILDING SOCIETIES. —A corporal in the
Grenadier Guards solicited the magistrate's assistance and
advice under the following circumstances :
Applicant stated that he had been induced to invest his
savings in the 48th Star Bowkott Building Society, held at
Bass's Assembly-rooms, Vauxhall Bridge-road.— Accord-
ing to the rules, any person wishing to withdraw from the
society was to give three months' notice. Applicant did
so, but was told he must wait, and one three months hav-
ing expired, he waited for a second like period to obtain
his money, but with no better success ; and although still
further time had been given, he was no nearer than before.
Nine months had now elapsed since he first gave notice to
withdraw his money. He was at the society last night,
and there was no prospect that he could see of getting it.
Mr. Arnold asked applicant for the rules of the society,
observing that unless jurisdiction was given him by them
he could not interefere.

Applicant handed him the rules, whi,h, having perused,
Mr. Arnold said he was afraid ho could do nothing for ap-
plicant, as according to the rules all disputes were to be
settled by arbitration. This, however, he should think,
could hardly be termed a matter of dispute, as it was the
mere withdrawal of his money. He might sue for it iu the
County Court.
Applicant said that by the rules of the society the
amounts withdrawn were to be paid from rents of appro-
priation. They must have received plenty of these, but
had not paid tho withdrawals.
Mr. Arnold asked the amount of his claim ?
Applicant replied £6 10s.
Mr. Arnold referred him to the County Court.

Tremendous Fire in the Minories.

.<.----

This (Tuesday) morning, at an early hour, a
terrible fire, attended with the loss of property
valued at many thousand pounds sterling, happened
in the extensive pile of premises belonging to Mr.
A. Worman, boot and shoe exporter, carrying on
business at 126, Minories. The discovery was made
by ono of the inmates, who at once gave the usual
alarm, but he, and also the other residents, had the
greatest difficulty in effecting their escape, owing
to the rapidity with which the flames extended. In
the course of a few minutes the fire escapes arrived,
as well as numerous land steam and manual—power
engines, by Shand, Mason, and Co., of the same
description as that just awarded the prize medal at
Paris. Captain Shaw, with a strong body of
firemen, and Mr. Swanton, with the London
Salvage Corps, and Mr. White, the assessor to
the County Fire Office, accompanied the engines,
but upon their arrival they found that the premises
of Mr. Worman were on fire from the base to the
roof, and the flames were belching forth from over
a doien windows, and also through the roof, and
already ignited the premises of Mr. Carter, a
butcher, No. 127, in the same thoroughfare, and
were attacking the offices of Mr. B. Berend, com-
mission agent, and several merchants, at No. 8,
New-square. Mr. Poole, inspector of the New River
Company, arrived with several turncocks, when,
plenty of water having been obtained, the engines
were set to work with full vigour, and some tons
weight of water were momentarily scattered upon
and into the burning premises; but the flames con-
tinued their ravages, and it was some hours before
the progress of the conflagration could be arrested.
An attempt was made to get the books out, but the
flames drove the parties back. It is satisfactory to
state that, having been locked up in one of the
patent Reliance fire-proof safes, they received not
the least injury, although exposed to such an intense
heat. Eventually the firemen had the gratification
of seeing the fire extinguished, but not until Mr.
Worman's premises were all but destroyed ; the
valuable stock in trade, furniture, and other effects
consumed. The premises of Mr. Carter, butcher,
partly destroyed, but a considerable quantity of
property was saved by the London Salvage Corps.
The offices numbered 8, in New-square, are also
extensively injured by heat and water. The origin
of the disaster is at present unknown. The City
and Metropolitan Police rendered great assistance
to the firemen by keeping the crowd out of danger.