The Express.
London, England, 1849-02-24 00:00:00

NORTH-WESTERN,

Halqarly Mating.—Skipton, .Skliston,Fei;.n —P ['MIX Daw-
sow, , chairman, presiding.
Mr. MELON, the secretary, read the report of the
director; which tea as follows:
"The directors have ranch pismire in again meeting the
shareholders, and reporting the progrres which has been
made with the undertaking during the past half-year. It
would have been most satisfactory to the directors to have
now bees enabled to state that the line from Skipton to
Inlet's was ready for opening, but for 'several months
past seeldastes, prilliTele hoe not been made with the works
en epalien of the lies at the Skipton end, although the re-
aming part is shame completed. The contractor assigns the
continued rains, end the difficulties arising from the nature
of the materVa, as a cause of this delay, but the din ctors
have nee bun satisfied, sad have done in their power, by
peemmel inspection and othorwise, to urge on the contractor,
else hes meetly given a pledge that the whole of his works
shall he eampkted within three months from the present
time. The weeks from Lancaster upwards, which were sus-
pended Iss. =me months, have been recently recommenced -
and the &ream entertain little doubt that the line from
Lawasegy to Wanniafton, a distance of seventeen miles, will
be ready he opening on the autumn of the present year, at
which time, therefore, the whole of the line hum Skipton to
Lancaster, with the exception of an Interval of about *even
miles, will be opened to the public. The directors have
much satisfaction to stating to the shareholders that
'the contracts necessary for the completion of the
works, which have been catered into since the
last meetinx, fully bear out the 'lantana contained
in Mr. Stephenson's report, that the entire line from Bkipton
to Lancaster will he completed for the sum of 750,0001. The
direetore, in their endeavours to make ell ingensents with
the contractors for the suspension of the works on the main
line from Clapham to Kirkby Lonsdale, found that part of
the contract which lies between Clapham and Ingletcrn so
far advanced u to render its completion most advantageous
to the interests of the company. The additional cost of theae
Ave miles of railway will be 37,0001., but this will be com-
r4latefor by the additional traffic which will be thus
upon the line. The directors beg to state
that the call due on the list January last has
bees most satiafactorily responded to, and that the &nears
of former calls have been reduced since the 31st of Decem-
ber last by the sum of 13,0001., and arrangements have been
made which will secure the payment of • large additional
sum during the present Wiper. Six of_ your direct on
retire at the present meet'M
W. orgatroyd, J.
Salisbury, Rand, R. DSalisbury,li. e, J. Waddingham,
ussip
and H. liornby—who are all le for re-election, with
the exception of Mr. H. Hamby, who has retired from the
Muslin. Mr. Peeves, one of the auditors of the company,
retires
_ly makuity, and is recommended for re-election.
• speilit needy; will be held at the oleos of these proceed-
ing/. hie the largess of exallredne the forfeiture of 711
drew, di* Iris already bees eteelsted forfeited by the

-
Ilkeston, wider arranaeseat wi.k the pe.opriesees to pay the
silts in arum and take sew certilleatee.'
The SECRETARY meat reed the !sandal statement of
the eompany, whisk showed that the ammo remind for
calls was 848,2691.85. 2d. ; fa respect of Welted shares,
17,8721. 10s. ; as adVaaaa milk 9,ohif.; Monet,
6,1471. 12s. 9d.; loans and other sourom /AMU la 14.:
make; a total of 471,4191.12 e. The papaienO daring the
half year ended on the 81st of Dumber, ISO, were
106,3661. Ilk. 3d., '
maiden the total penmattof the coupesy
meant to 477,0241. 17a. 2d. • sad the Waste* to the heads
of the secretary Wog 291. 2e. 6d., then was a balance due to
the bathes of 5.6341. 4d.
The CHAIRMAN moved that the reports, with the state-
ments of accounts now read, be received and adopted ; and
that the same be printed sod circulated amongst the Mare-
holden.

bIiiiIIULBECIE, Ties &thinner the company, seconded
the motion._

PHILLIPS moved, " That the directors do pledge
themselves to confine their operations to the com-
pletion of the through line from Skipton to Lancaster only,
with the exception of the null portion of the line whisk is
now nearly ocuspleted from the junction to Ingleton, and
that not more tout 151. per share be called up for that pur-
pose."
Mr. MURGATROTD suggested that instead of adopting
the proposition of Mr. Phillip as an amendment, the diru-
ton should adopt it u part of their report, and embody it
therein before the report was (Anniet
Mr. BIRHBBCK concurred in the suggestion ; and, upon
that understanding, the resolution ter receiving and adopting
the report was agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN said that the next business was the
election dein directors in place of those who retired to stated
in the report, and it was open to any shareholder to propose
any gentleman to supply their pleas.
This question gave rice to some discussion ; a scrutiny was
demanded, and it was resolved that Mr. G. Jewett should be
re-elected an auditor, end Mr. Sangster and Mr. Newbould,
with the secretary, Mr. Whelon, were appointed saunters
to take the votes for the several candidates proposed as diree-
ton. In about an hour therantators reported that the num-
ber of votes given were, for—
Mr. William Margatroyd 2162
Mr. John Bank _ 2162

1 Mr. licenby Roughiedge 2150
Mr. Derutch twice
I Mr. Edward Dodson &allabary ... lBl7
I Kr. Humphrey John Here 1577
Mr. lames Kitson 797
Kr. John WeddWO= 590
The &a'-mentioned sm gentleman were accordingly declared
elected directors of the company.
A special meeting was then held, at which the forfeiture
of the shares mentioned in the directors• report was con-
firmed.

SOIJTII YORKSHIRE, DONCASTER, AND GOOLE.
Ralf-yearly Meetirtg.—Loadou, Feb. 22.—Lord Wriaate
clam in the chair.—The report stated that the construc-
tion of the por ion of the line between Doncaster and the
Midland Railway at Swinton had steadily proceeded during
the past year. The greater portion of the land had been
purchased, and the works are now in a forward state. In
addition, the Elsecar branch has been commenced, which,
with the other coal branches, and the remainder of the main
line, will be prosecuted with due vigour, so as to carry out
the general objects of the undertakiag by thoroughly open-
ing the South Yorkshire coal field. The amount of
surplus profits that accrue to this company up to the
30th of December last, to be paid on the completion of the
amalgamation of the navigation companies, is 23,9541.
From this the deferred dividends declared at the last two

meetings, amounting to 7,3121. being deducted, a balance
remains of 16,6421., out of which it is proposed to declare a
dividend of 3 per cent. for the haltyeer ending the 22nd of
January lest, amounting on the capital Row called up to
5,600 k The engineer's report stated that the desire to post-
pone calls as far as practicable has limited the outlay and
retarded the works, but notwithstanding these circumstances
the heavier works are in so forward a state u to place the
completion of the line to Swinton and the main coelpits
within the compass of a few months. An arrangement has
been made with the Great Northern Company for the use of
about half a mile of their line at Doncaster, which effews a
saving of about 10,0001. in the outlay of capital. It is anti-
cipated that the board may find it more advantageous to
arrange for working the line by the larger companies with
which the South Yorkshire communicates than to supply
the plant and work the line themselves. The capital account
to the 30th of December showed that 190,0651. had been re•
caked and 174,607 k expended, leaving a balance in hand of
15,5.581.
_ The CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the report.
In answer to questions it was stated that 16,0001. had been
paid upon mills dace the accounts were made up to the end
of the last year; that it was not expected that it would be
to call up more than 151. per share to complete
the warks ; that the amalgamation between this company
and the Dan Navigation Company would be completed
about the end of this year, when half the capital would have
been paid up and expended, at which time the shareholders
would receive their deferred dividends, which had been e,t
aside oat of the profits of the Dun Navigation. It was not
absolutely trootootry to make the Sheffield and Rotherham
line to inenn the MONIS of this company, but the directors
proposed to do ao if they could enter into such arranges mints
for reducing the line as to insure Its being made fprolitable
to the proprietors. It wee calculated that when the line was
completed it would pay better than even the Darlington
Railway, which was a 10 pea cent. line.
The report was adopted, the dividend declared, and the
retiring directors and auditors were re-elected, and alter a
vote or thanks to the chairman the meeting separated.