Untitled Article

Mr . William Bove , a gentleman of Leeds , after a lengthened investigation , was convicted on the coroner ' s inquisition for poisoning his wife with strychnine . True bills have been found against William Palmer , of Rugeley , for the murder of his wife and Mr . Cook . That for the murder of Walter Palmer was ignored .

JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES . The , Eastern Counties directors have been re-elected on the ballot of the shareholders . On the 20 th , the Caledonian Railway Company declared a dividend at the rate of two per cent ., per annum . . In the Chester and Holyhead the preferential dividends only can be paid , A similar course is pursued b y the North British .

PROVIDENT . j £ . t the twelfth annual meeting of the Star Life Office , on the 4 th , a report was presented , which showed that in the past year the directors received no less than J , 187 . applications for new policies , for the amount of £ 371 , 659 ; of which number 714 resulted in policies for an aggregate amount of £ 216 , 685 , which y ielded a new revenue of £ 7 , 825 . 10 s . 4 d . The directors have paid during the year the sum of £ 12 , 737 : £ 12 , 129 . 19 s . being the net amount insured , under forty-four policies on forty-two lives ; £ 607 . Is . being bonuses declared thereon at the two quin ^ - duennial allocations of ascertained profits .

The annual meeting of the Railway Passengers' Assurance Company was held oh the 5 th , The report said , the amount received and due for premiums of assurance during the past half-year is £ 4 , 211 . 9 s . 7 d ., being £ 3 , 90 * 1 . 6 s . 7 d . on account of rail way accidents , and £ 250 . 3 s . on account of general accidents , which , added to the receip ts of the previous six months , makes the total income for the year just closed , £ 8 , 782 . 0 s . 5 d . The total amount paid as compensation for accidents since the commencement of the company is £ 18 / 873 . A dividend at the rate of four per cent , was declared .

On the 17 tb , the National Live Stock Assurance Company held its annual meeting . It appeared that during the past year the directors had issued 23 , 669 policies , insuring horses , cattle , sheep , & c , to the value of £ 425 , 253 . lis . 2 d ., the premiums upon which amounted to £ 13 , 085 . 2 s . 8 d ., showing an increase over the business transacted during the fifteen months ending 31 st December , 1851 , of sixty-six per cent ., and of sixty-three per cent , on the amount of premiums

received . During the past year the directors had awarded-compensation in 1 , 337 instances , for 2 , 186 animals , to the extent of £ 7 , 563 . 10 s . Id ., in addition to £ 1 , 961 . 5 s . 3 d . salvage , making the gross amount £ 9 , 524 . 15 s . id . Since the establishment of the company , a period little exceeding two years , the sum of £ 14 , 720 . 146 * . 3 tZ ., including salvage , had been returned to the insurers in payment of claims arising on their policies . A dividend at the rate of five per cent . was declared .

The Merchant ' s and Tradesman ' s Mutual Life Assurance Society held its annual meeting on the 20 th . The report , which was adopted , said : — "The number of proposals submitted during the year is 695 , for sums amounting to £ 170 , 066 ; the number completed from Feb . 1 , 1855 , to Jan . 31 , 1856 , is 537 , assuring £ 134 , 546 , the premiums on which amount to £ 4 , 510 . 18 s . 2 d . ; the amount assured prior to Feb . 1 , 1 . 855 , and still in force , is on 1 , 818 policies ,

£ 459 , 551 , the annual premiums on which are £ 14 , 573 . lis . 8 cZ . ; 113 proposals have since passed the board and been completed , amounting to £ 30 , 050 , the premiums on which are £ 964 . 6 s . 3 cZ ., making the amount of current assurances £ 642 , 147 ; the number of policies , 2 , 468 ; and the present income of the society , £ 20 , 048 . 16 s . Id . Claims in respect of deaths , with bonus additions , amounting to £ 4 , 925 . 4 s . 10 cZ ., have been duly discharged . Under the advice of Professor De Morgan , who has valued the assets of the Company , the Directors have

declared a bonus equivalent on an average to 1 £ per cent , per annum on the sum assured , or a cash bonus of very nearly 25 per cent , on the amount of premiums paid . " At the annual meeting of the Professional Life Assurance Company on the 26 th , a report was presented ; which stated that , during the past year , 574 new policies