Untitled Article

only , instead of for life , as at present . The Lord Mayor who need not have served any other office , is to be elected by the common council ; and the magisterial functions of the aldermen transferred to stipendiary magistrates . On Wednesday , after Mr , Headiam ' s Medical Profession Bill had been postponed , a new writ was ordered for Athlone , in the room of Mr . Keogh , who has succeeded to a judgeship in the place of Mr . Justice Torrens , deceased ; and for Ennis , in the room of Mr . Fitzgerald , raised to the dignity of Attorney-General . On the 3 rd , Lord Palmerston , in reply to a question , stated the armistice had been extended to the sea as well as land . A committee

was agreed to to inquire into the operation , of the Act to substitute other punishments ( the ticket of leave system ) in lieu of transportation . Mr . Malins obtained leave to bring in a bill to abolish distinctions between special and simple contract debts , and the Attorney-General to amend the law relative to the criminal appropriation of trust property . The Bankers' Draft and the Factories Bills were read a second time . After the House had on the 4 th been occupied a considerable time with the personal disputes of Sir James Graham and Sir C . Napier , the members went into committee of supply , and several votes for the public service were passed . On the 7 th , a motion of Mr . Cowan ,

to the effect that it was the duty of the Government to abolish the system of enlistment in private houses in Scotland , was carried by 139 to 116 . The House went into committee of supply , and votes were passed relative to the National Gallery and other public institutions . On the 8 th , a motion of Mr . Muntz , relative to a more equitable adjustment of the income-tax was lost by 194 to 63 . The Lord Advocate introduced two bills relative to education in Scotland . On the 9 th , the Oath of Abjuration Bill , which , if carried , will admit Jews into Parliament , was read a second time by a majority of 230

to 195 . On the 10 th , the House went into committee to consider Lord John Russell ' s educational resolutions , and after some discussion , the debate was adjourned until the following day , when the resolutions were negatived by a majority of 260 to 158 . On the 14 th , the House was occupied in committee of supply , and a motion of Mr . Williams , to reduce the salaries of the governors of Jamaica and Western Australia , was lost by a majority of 269 to 3 . On the 15 th , Mr . Spooner ' s motion against the Maynooth grant was carried by 159 to 133 : leave was therefore given to bring in a bill for its abolition . On the 16-th , Mr . Pagan ' s Ministers ( Ireland ) Bill was lost on the second reading , and

the Keiormatory and industrial schools Bill read a second time . No House on the 17 th . On the 18 th , after some discussion relative to the proposed new thoroughfares through St . James ' s-park , and the new monument to the memory of the Duke of Wellington iu St . Paul ' s Cathedral , the House resolved into committee of supply . After some objections had been made on the 21 st to the proposed Peace rejoicings ^ and votes taken for the British Museum and Board of Health in supply , the Chancellor of the Exchequer moved the second reading of the Pire Insurance Bill , intended to prevent the evasion of the duty by foreign companies . The debate was adjourned , the prevalent

opinion being ., that the best way to prevent evasion would be to lower the duties . On the 24 th , Lord Palmerston laid on the table the papers relative to Central America . Lord Gooderich carried a resolution against the Government for the carrying out of the competition system for public offices ; and Sir Prancis Baring obtained the appointment of a committee to inquire into the receipt , issue , and audit of public moneys . On the 25 th , the House was principally occupied with discussions as to the cause of the accident which prevented honourable gentlemen reaching the review in sufficient time on the previous Wednesday ; after which it went into committee on the Borough and Counties Police Bill .

PROVIDENT . The annual meeting of the Prudential Life Assurance Company was held on the 1 st , when a report was presented , which stated that the new business exceeded £ 2 , 000 a year , and that the total income of the association now amounted to £ 19 , 142 per annum . The report was adopted .

The first annual meeting of the Empire Life Assurance Company was held on the 22 nd . The report , which was adopted , said , that up to the 31 st of December last the directors had received 223 proposals lor the assurance of £ 70 , 770 , of which they had accepted 176 , assuring £ 53 , 480 , and yielding an annual income amounting to £ 1 , 942 . 18 s . The only claim falling in during the year has been one for £ 100 . Since