HOUSE.....No. 5.

To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in General Court assembled, A. D. 1845:

The undersigned, Register of Probate for the County of Suffolk, respectfully asks leave to submit the following statement:

His salary, as now established, is nominally $1500—a small one, it would seem, for the city of Boston, were he permitted to retain the whole to his own use; but when it is known, that out of it he is required to furnish the stationery, and pay the clerks employed in the office, its entire inadequacy cannot fail to be seen and acknowledged by every one whose mind is not closed against conviction.

In addition to his personal services, which are exclusively and entirely devoted to the duties of his office, he employs one clerk at a salary of $600, (being $150 less than the same clerk received previous to the reduction of the Register's salary, and much less than his services entitle him to.) Other aid has occasionally been employed, no account of which, or of the stationery, has been kept; but these items, it is supposed, may together amount to $200-thus leaving the Register a net salary of only $700, which would be further reduced to $300, were he to pay a reasonable compensation for all the aid that is needed in the office.

In 1823, when the Register's salary was established at $2000, the population of Boston was about 45,000. It is now supposed to be 110,000-and the business in the probate office has increased in a ratio beyond that of the population.

The number of inventories returned the last year was 299the preceding year 248-being an increase in one year of 51. Thus must the expenses of the office be continually increasing—and, by the present system, they must be paid by the Register, out of a salary, the whole of which would afford him an inadequate support.

The undersigned does not expect or ask for a high salary, but he respectfully asks that such compensation may be allowed, (taking into view the expense of living in a city,) as will afford him a reasonable support beyond the amount which he is required to pay out for expenses belonging to the office.

And believing he has a just claim, and that the Legislature will be disposed to view it with favor, he respectfully asks that such action may be had in the premises as the case may seem to require.

H. M. WILLIS.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

SECRETARY'S OFFICE, BOSTON; Jan. 8, 1845.

SIR,-I have the honor herewith to lay before the House of Representatives, for the use of the Legislature, the Annual Abstract of the Returns made to this office by the several Institutions for Savings, showing the condition of these Institutions on the last Saturday of July, 1844.

I am, respectfully,

Your most obedient servant,

JOHN G. PALFREY, Secretary of the Commonwealth.

To the Hon. SAMUEL H. WALLEY, JR.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

$887,023 75 138,191 65 264,163 74 $51,791 26 $92,770 88

101,102 40 $4,000 00

4,404 81

244 85

ucket, Nantucket,

333

67,045 34

5,600 00

250 00

31,108 23

5,481 91

2,432 89

300 00

8,000 00 12,986 32 18 1 59 1,08 49,699 8,261,345 18 1,659,145 57 53,826 56 110,212 38 1,737,70338 18,178 38 15,000 00 2,799,741 82 665,740 59 1,080,10500 252,975 68 311,421 45 22,688 15

REMARKS.

STON.-In the column of "Loans on Mortgages of Real Estate," are included the Real Es-
of the Institution, $22,815 50, and Real Estate taken for debt, $32,000 00.
VERHILL-In the column of "Loans on Mortgages of Real Estate," is included
50 00, the value of real estate owned by the Institution; and in the column of "Loans to
ty or Town," $3,600 00 is loaned to School Districts.

LEM.-In the "Total Dividends for the year," are included $21,790 42, Extra Dividends.
MBRIDGE.-The amount in the column of "Loans to County or Town," is loaned to Parishes.
WTON.-The Dividends are the "total amount of dividends for 5 years preceding Jan. 1, 1844."

SPRINGFIELD.-Not sworn to by the Trustees or Managers.

ROXBURY.-Has $6,025 53 invested in Real Estate, and it is placed in the column of "Loans on Mortgages of Real Estate."

FALL RIVER.-The $20,500 00 in the column of "Amount secured by Bank Stock," is secured by pledge of incorporated manufacturing stock.

TAUNTON.-"No Dividends made the past year, the Institution being under injunction." PLYMOUTH.-The $5,000 00 in the column of "Amount invested in Rail Road Stock" "was loaned on rail road stock as collateral security."