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The Law Amendment Society closed its sittings for the season with a dinner at Greenwich, on Wednesday last; Lord Brougham, its President, in the chair. The first business toast was devoted to "the Fusion of Law and Equity," in connexion with the health of Mr. Justice Parker, one of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, who was present as a guest. Mr. Parker acknowledged the compliment in a very animated speech ; gracefully claiming to be not a stranger, but one of the inheritors of the language and old glory of England, though a native of a distant land : and he bore testimony in the strongest terms to the success of " the fusion of law and equity " which had been effected in the State of New York, where the work of months and years is now done in hours and days. The other great speech was Lord Brougham's review of the state and prospects of Law Reform. An interesting episode nar- rated the assistance which he had received in law amendment on many oc- casions from the late Duke of Wellington. The eloquent chairman made severe remarks on the system of Private Bill legislation ; and he expressed an opinion that our lawmaking will never be placed on a satisfactory footing until we have a Minister of Justice, responsible to Parliament and to the public for the general superintendence of the legislation of the country. lie invoked a tribute to the memory of the departed Law Reformers, Sir Samuel Romilly, Sir James Mackintosh, and Jeremy Bentham, the earliest and greatest of them all.

The ninth annual meeting of the Society for Improving the Condition of the Labouring Classes was held at Willis's Rooms on Tuesday. The Earl of Shaftesbury presided ; and bore testimony to the good effect of improved dwellings upon the poorer population in diminishing vice and crime. In the cottage allotment department there has been an increase of 100 allotments during the past year, making a total of 1264. None of the tenants have violated the law ; and many have been reclaimed from vicious courses. The health of the inmates has been good.

The ninth annual meeting of the Society for Improving the Dwellings of the Industrious Classes was held at the London Tavern on Thursday last week. Among the persons present were Lord Radstock, Lord Ebring- ton, Lord Robert Grosvenor, Mr. W. A. Wilkinson, and other gentlemen active in the cause. The proceedings showed the sustained zeal of the members ; which was, indeed, justified by the facts as Dr. Southwood Smith stated them, in moving the adoption of the report. " When the facts detailed in this year's report were considered, it would appear that the main object of the Association was already accomplished; for they had placed within the reach of the artisan and labourer houses in which they enjoyed health and found homes ; and this had been followed by beneficial results so far exceeding all reasonable expectation, that nothing but the clearest evidence of the facts could render them credible. In the Metropolitan Buildings, Old Pancras Road, for example, containing a popu- lation of 680, the deaths during the last year had been 9, being in the ro- portion of 13 and a fraction out of 1000 living. The total population,

together the whole of the Society's establishments, amounted to 1343, out of which number there had been only 10 deaths, being at the rate of 7 and a fraction in 1000. The total deaths in the whole of the Metropolis had reached, during the same period, 22 and a fraction in 1000; so that the total mortality in London had been three times greater in proportion than in these establishments. It appeared further, that of the total population, (1343,) 490 were children under ten years of age; of these, 5 had died, being an infant mortality of 10 in 1000, whereas on an average of seven years the infant mortality in the whole of London had been 52 in 1000 ; so that the infant mortality in these establishments had been not so much as one-fifth that in London generally. Another circumstance deserving special attention was, that in London the average deaths from typhus and other forms of fever amount to about 12 per cent of the total deaths. Typhus fever is not the disease of the young, the weak, or the destitute ; it is preeminently the disease of the adult, the well-nourished, and the strong : it is the destroyer of parents, not of children, and is thus one of the great causes of orphanage and of consequent pauperism : it has its source in no want of food or clothing, in no condition natural to this climate, in no habits peculiar to the people ; one single word comprehending its main condition—AA, and one main source of this filth being the poison-pit—the cesspool. These es- tablishments have been provided with efficient drainage, a good supply of water, and the cesspool has been removed ; and the result is, that there has not been a single death from fever in any one of them since they were first opened—that a barrier has been placed around these dwellings, which this mortal pest of our towns and cities has not been able to pass. "Precisely the same result has followed the working of the Common Lodginghouses Act. That act imposes on lodginghouse-keepers the neces- sity of maintaining certain conditions of cleanliness, forbids overcrowding, and directs the Police to enforce the law. The town of Wigan may be taken as fin example of the result. In this town there were twenty-five lodging- houses, which have received during the past year 29,655 lodgers. The Su- perintendent of Police reports—' There has not been a single case of fever in any one of these houses since the act has been in force.' The town of Wol- verhampton affords a still more striking example. In this town there are two hundred lodginghouses, which have received during the year the in- credible number of 511,000 lodgers. The Superintendent of Police reports- ' There has not been a single case of fever in these houses since the Lodging- houses Act has been in force, in July 1852: Similar returns have been re- ceived from other towns, as well as from the Metropolis also. Before these houses were under regulation, twenty cases of fever have been received into the London Fever Hospital from single houses in the course of a few weeks."

The descendants of John William seventh Earl of Bridgewater seem like- ly to have sense trouble in consequence of a most unusual proviso in the will of that noblemen. The Earl. of Bridgewater died in 1823. As we for- merly stated in an earlier stage of the legal proceedings now pending, he devised a great portion of his vast property to Lord Alford, son of Earl Brownlow, with remainder in succession to the Egertons of Tatton, Oulton, and Malpas in Cheshire, and their heirs-male. But he annexed to the pos- session of the estates the condition that the possessor under the will should obtain the Marquisate or Dukedom of Bridgewater within five years, or that the property should pass to the next heir. Lord Alford became possessed of the property, and assumed the name of Egerton, in 1849, on the death of the Countess of Bridgewater. But he died in 1851 without having fulfilled the condition in the will ; and his eon filed a bill in Chancery against the trustees, praying that he might be declared equitable tenant in tail-male is possession. To this Mr. Charles Henry Egerton, brother of the late Lord Alford, demurred ; and Lord Cranworth decided, that as the late Lord Al- ford had not attained to the dignity of Marquis or Duke of Bridgewater, the estates passed to Mr. Charles Henry Egerton. Against this decree the son of the late Lord Alford, John William Spencer Brownlow Egerton, has ap- pealed to the House of Lords; and the case has been in part heard this week. A great array of counsel appeared on either side. The general ar- guments relied on by the Solicitor-General for the appellant were, that the condition was a condition subsequent, and therefore illegal; that it was against public policy thus to tie up the estate and embarrass the Crown

that Lord Alford could not comply with the proviso, for he could not make himself Marquis or Duke of Bridgewater ; and that therefore the condition could not be performed. Sir Fitzroy Kelly spoke. on the same side. The arguments were resumed on Thursday ; Mr. James Russell and Mr. Bolt appeared for the respondents. Ultimately, the Lord Chauoellor sub- mitted several questions to the Judges for their opinion ; and the Judges re- questing time, judgment was postponed.

Three cases of perjury arising out of the elections have been tried this week in the Court of Queen's Bench. Stephen Mount swore before the Chat- ham Election Committee, that Sir Frederick Smith had canvassed a MSS

named Bradshaw, on the Military Road ; that he promised to do all he could to get Bradshaw a pension, and in going from him gave bins a sovereign or half- a-sovereign. Mount also said that Bradshaw showed him three sovereigns received from Sir Frederick Smith. It appeared from the evidence adduced, that the only atom of truth in the first statement was that Sir Frederick Smith had more than one interview with Bradshaw. But it appeared that subsequently Sir Frederick did endeavour to get Bradshaw into Greenwich Hospital, on application from the latter. The Jury acquitted Mount on all the counts charged against him, except that relating to the payment of the sovereign or half-sovereign ; they recommended him to mercy, on the ground that in his cross-examination before the Committee he had been led to say more than he intended. Sentence, six months' imprisonment. Saiauel Mastern was indicted for swearing before the Southampton Election Committee, that Mr. Andrews, the Mayor, bribed one John Oakley to vote for Sir Alexander Cockburn and Mr. Willcox. The evidence against Mastern was conclusive, and Lord Campbell sentenced him to imprisonment for two years. Warren, the keeper of a beer-shop, had deposed before the same Election Committee, that Sir Alexander Cockburn, Mr. Pocock, and a party, came into his house, drank some beer, and asked bins for his vote ; that Pocock told him he ought to have a licence, and, pointing to Sir Alexander Cockburn, said he knew the party who could get it for him. It was admitted, that on the occasion referred to there was a good deal of conversation about the licence, chiefly jocular ; but yet of such a nature that Lord Campbell said he should himself have taken the words of Pocock for a hint. Mr. Sharp, an attorney, who had professionally opposed Warren's licence, was of the party. He deposed that Pocock said it was a shame the house had not a licence ; but all the witnesses denied that anybody said—" You know the party who can get it for you." Lord Campbell interposed twice to stop the ease ; but Sir Frederick Thesiger thought he was bound, as the House of Commons had ordered the prosecution, to carry it on. Lord Campbell said he thought there must have been some mistake, and that Warren had not stated what he knew to be false : that was the only ground that presented itself. The Jury concurred, and Warren was acquitted.

An unusual application was made to the Bow Street Magistrate on Tues- day.. A young man, respectably dressed, stated that he was married on Monday morning at Islington Church; he had scarcely got out of the church when his bride threw her wedding-ring in his face, declared she would not have him, and returned home to her friends. What was he to do ? could he not have a summons to compel her to live with him ? Mr. Hall regretted that he had no control over the young lady ; and as the marriage had not been consummated, the applicant could hardly go into the Ecclesiastical Courts for the restitution of conjugal rights.

Mr. Baron Alderson has been summoned by a cabman for 8d. A cab was called to the Judge's house, but it was not needed ; on a subsequent day, two cabmen called and one was paid the fare ; after that another cabman de- manded the fare, and as it was not paid he obtained a summons. Baron Alderson appeared in person before the Marlborough Street Magistrate ; and explained that he had resisted the second demand, as he feared otherwise that he should have " the whole cab-rank" coming to his house in suc- cession, each driver demanding eightpence. It seems that the driver who really had a claim had talked about it, and one of his roguish companions had gone to the house and got the money. The Magistrate decreed the Judge to pay 8d., and 2s. for the summons; but did not allow the cabman anything for loss of time.

The Magistrates are putting in force the new act for the protection of women and children in cases of assault. Mr. Hammill has sent Davison, a journeyman carpenter,'to prison for six months, for savagely beating his wife : subscriptions have been sent to Worship Street for the relief of the poor woman. Mr. Ingham, the Thames Police Magistrate, has condemned Asher, a Jew, to be imprisoned for two months, for assaulting his wife. Bishop, a labourer, has been committed for three months by the Marylebone Magistrate, for shamefully maltreating his wife while he was drunk. There is no appeal from the decision of the Magistrate in these cases.

A very impudent theft has been brought under the notice of the Clerkenwell Police Court. William Davis entered a jeweller's shop. in Marchmont Street, and pretended that he wanted to purchase a diamond ring : a case containing thirty-five rings was placed before him ; whereupon he flung a handful of snuff into the tradesman's eyes, and ran off with the case. But he was pur- sued, and taken, with thirty-two of the rings in his possession ; and the Ma- gistrate has committed him for trial.

Breese and De Leeuw, the men accused of forging Dutch bank-notes, have been committed for trial.

After more inculpatory evidence had been taken, the Lord Mayor, on Tues- day, committed William Woodward for trial, for stealing 1001. in bank-notes from the National Provincial Bank, in which he was a clerk.

John Hutchinson, chief managing clerk at the Great Northern Railway Company's coal-depot in London, has been remanded by the Clerkenwell Magistrate on charges of embezzlement. It was the duty of the accused to collect monies from the customers of the railway, and he failed to account for upwards of 7001. of the cash he had received.

By a fire on Saturday night in a house in Hatton Garden, occupied by many tenants, an old man and a child were burnt to death, and a woman who leapt from the second-floor window was all but impaled by falling on the iron railings.