should continue; whether, moreover, what are deemed blameless causes of disease and death, which the public have an interest in knowing and preventing, shall continue to prevail and pass unnoticed? And, if their objection is only to the preventive measure proposed, what other have they to propose ? Crime, fraud, comes within the province of the economist and of our department, as involving the reductions of values from insecurity, from the labour of verification, as well as direct waste from mere spoil and destruction. The costs of shipwrecks are in various ways, as well as by extra premiums, thrown upon the consumer; and they amount with us to a tax of several millions per annum, which has its effect in reducing consumption, from the augmentation of prices. The extra risks of fire insurance are additions to rents. The frauds in life insurance are stated to be so frequent in Ireland, that respectable offices charge extra premiums on all Irish lives. Thus, the frauds of the dishonest, occasioned by unguarded insurance, are charged upon the honest insurers in Ireland. Unguarded insurance is the greatest tax on safety. The aggregate of these losses will establish a large case for the securing of efficient public measures and agencies of prevention. Horrible shipwrecks, frightful conflagrations, terrible murders, seem only to supply a passing and depraved inconsequential excitement. That such events may occur again and again, and pass without any earnest consideration, or any action upon them, would seem to denote a low social and political condition. The very statistical returns from year to year are brutalising, by creating an almost Turkish impression of the fatalism of the vast evils recorded. It is to be hoped that this Association, which has already, though in its infancy, promoted inquiry and beneficent action upon some great topics, may do something on these, and aid in staying immense and increasing waste, as well as immense crime. JURISPRUDENCE AND AMENDMENT OF THE LAW. Report of the Standing Committee of the Department. ACTS OF PARLIAMENT, THE following Acts which refer to the special objects of this ment : Costs of Private Bills, 28 & 29 Vict., c. 27.-This Act contains an important provision in respect to the machinery of Private Bill Legislation. It provides that when the Committee on a Private Bill decide that the preamble is not proved, and unanimously report that any petitioner against the Bill has been unreasonably or vexatiously put to expense, such petitioner may recover his costs from the promoters. Also, that when the Committee decide that the preamble is proved, and unanimously report that the promoters of the Bill have been vexatiously subjected to expense by any petitioner against it, the promoters may recover costs from such petitioner. The costs are to be taxed by the taxing officer of the house, and when taxed, may be recovered by action of debt in any superior court. Law of Evidence and Practice on Criminal Trials, 28 & 29 Vict., c. 17.-This Act, inter alia, assimilates the practice in criminal trials with respect to speeches of counsel, to that existing in civil proceedings, thus giving to the counsel for the prisoner the right of summing up the evidence after calling witnesses for the defence. This measure was strongly recommended at the opening meeting of the Department, in November, 1864, when Mr. Denman, Q.C., undertook to introduce a Bill for the purpose. He did so in the next Session of Parliament, and the Bill passed into law. Concentration of the Courts of Justice, 28 & 29 Vict., caps. 48 & 49.-These Acts have been passed for the purpose of concentrating on one site, between Carey Street and the Strand, all the superior courts of law and equity, with their offices. The first of these Acts provides the funds (£1,500,000) required for the purpose; 1, by a sum of £200,000 to be provided by Parliament, being the estimated value of the present courts and offices, which revert to the |