The Express.
London, England, 1862-07-15 00:00:00

Es'+EißG, JULY 15, 1862.

RAILWAY AND PUBLIC COMPANIES IN

PAitLIAMINT.

Yesterday eight committees met for the despatch
of Waimea in the Lords. The first one, as the bills of the
Bseiesn Comities and Eastern Union, Norfolk, East
Anglian, and other railways, wee composed of the following
peers : —Lard Portman (chairman), Viscount Dungannon,
Earl of Caraarvaa, Earl Pomfret, and Marquis of Bath,
assisted by Lord Rodesdale, the chairman of committees.

The
yfirst case considered was that of the Eastern Union
Railwa Company, for adjusting and defraying their liabi-
lities by raising a sum of 250,0001. in new shares,
with a five per cent. preferential dividend. The
committee decided that the company should have
a bill giving them power to pay their existing
debts, that they should be compelled to pay off
by instalments some portion of their existing liabilities out
of their reeeipte applicable to dividend ou their ordinary
shares, and receivable under the proposed amalgamation
arrangements, but the committee would not allow any
larger claim to be made on the amalgamating companies
than the sum specified in the bill. The further coosidera-
tins of the bill was then adjourned until the committee
shell have dealt with the amalgamation measure upon
which it has a collateral connexion.

The next Oise taken was that of the Eastern Counties
Company for their Epping lines, which the committee pealed,
declining. however, to accede to an application on the part
of the promoters to withdraw the money deposited as a
rantee for making the Linea with the accountant of the
Court of Chancery.

The committee then proceeded with the consideration of
the main measure before them, the amalgamation bill of
the Eastern Counties and other Companies. The bill, since
it came from the committee in the Commons, has been coo-
siderably altered and enlarged, and is a legislative
curiosity in its way. It consists of 173 folio-
foolsoap printed pages, 21 of which are occupied merely
in recital abstracts of the acts of parliament, forming the
preamble. Some 115 pages are filled with the sections and
dame% of which there are 304 altogether, and riare devoted
to schedules. Commencing with the 6 and 7 of William IV.,
the preamble recites that the Eastern Counties Railway
Company have obtained 24 ants of parliament, the Norfolk
7, the East Suffolk 7, the Eastern Union 6, and the East
Anglian 5 ; their present respective capitals being, Eastern
Counties, 8,415,8321. ; East Anglian, 1,600,0004 • Eastern
Union, 1,748,3414 ; Norfolk, 1,458.8601. ; East Suffolk,
604,381; Newmarket Railway, 142,4251. ; exclusive of
each company's borrowing powers. Mr. Merewether, Q.C.
with whom was Mr. Burke, and Mr. Round, in a long and
able speech stated the cue for the Eastern Counties, and
stated that the objects sought to be obtained by the bill,
thetas consolidation of the undertakings under the title of
"The Cheat Eastern Railway." and an equitable fusion of
the stocks, might have been arrived at long since,
but for the reticence of the Eastern Union Corn-
peny, and their refusal, until yesterday, to render
an account of their liabilities, until the present
committee met and elicited from Mr. Ayres, the secretary
of that company, the required account of their liabilities,
without which the committee of the Commons were totally
unable to adjudicate on the questions in dispute, which it
would now be their lordships duty to determine. After
some general observations on the various provisions of the
bill, the learned counsel concluded by calling the first wit-
ness, Mr. Crowder, firm of Crowder and Maynard, mlicitors
to the Eastern Counties Company, whose evidence occupied
the committee until their adjournment to this day.

A committee consisting of the Earl of Romney, chair.
man ; Viscount Strathallan Lord Says and Seale, Lord
Sondes, and Lord Truro, Paned the bill of the Great
Western, Hereford, Roes, and Gloucester, and Ely Valley
Railways, the opposition having been withdraws ; and also
that of the London and North Western Railway, for ad-
dition.' powers, with the exception of that part of the bill
which relates to the making an embankment along and
otherwise improving the old harbour of Holyhead, and con-
cerning which the promoters propose to appeal to the Lords
of the Admiralty.
The bills of the Andover and Redbridge, Tottenham and
Hampstead Junctioo, and North Eastern (Hull sod Don-
caster branch), having been referred for consideration to a
committee consisting of the Lord Steward, chairman, Earl
of Desert, Viscount Clancorty, Lord Somerhill, and Lord
Raglan, they passed the two first bills, and Mr. Den=
Q.C., opened the case of the North Eastern, and
evidence for the promoters.
The Salford improvement Bill was under the consideration
of a oocimittee—formed of Earl Powis, chairman, Earl of
Yarborough, Lord Fortescue, Lord Wynford, Lord Wes-
look—all day, the case being conducted pro. and con, by
Mr. Grippe and Mr. Coates.
A committee, consisting of the Duke of Montrose, sad
Lords Harewood, Vane, Conyers, and Riven, inquired into
the merits of the Rent Coast Railway, sad atter hearing the
evidence of Mr. Holroyd, the secretary, agreed to pan it.
The opposition speech of Sir W. Alexander for the Edits-
burgh and Dunfermline, against the Edinburgh and Glas-
gow Bill, occupied three hours in Lord Donoughmore's com-
mittee. Further evidence for the promoters was
taken by Lord Wodehouse's committees on the
Pia of the West Riding, Hull, and Grimsby Hallway, the
parties having oome to an understanding in the ease of the
Shrewsbury and Hereford Hallway, the bill was passed by
the Duke of Richmond's committee, and the proclaim's/Rh
respect to the Middle Level Drainage and Navigation were
dually settled in that committee.

Tau HENDON Dirttozu.—A respite wee received
yesterday at New ate for James lawrence, who was con-
victed on Wednesday last at the Oentral Wades' Ooext,
before Mr. Joshes Orentptea, of the murder of his sweet-
heart. It will be remembered that the ease was Gee of a
very distresMag character. mad that the nolertusalie pri-
soner indicted almost deadly inkries upon himself at the
time the am was committed. e jury, at the trial, ipcsa
maeously signed • petttioe to the Home ffireretary, that the
capital musialisaasit aught be remitted, mid this so doubt
bed considerable afloat in obtaining for the *mew the sit•
commendation that the clancecy of the areermabould be
extended to him. The condition in all probability will be,
that he shall medals pesel servitude for life.