The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-15 00:00:00

SHREWSBURY AND CHESTER RAILWAY.

THE GREAT WESTERN ALLIANCE CARRIED.
CHESTER, WIDNISDAY.
The adjourned meeting of the shareholders was
held to-day, for the purpose of receiving the report of the
serutiann on the amendment proposed by Sir Win. John-
ston against an amalgamation with the Great Western
Company. JOHN WILLIAMS, Esq., ex chairman of the Board
of Directors, took the chair at 12 o'clock, when a conside-
rable number of shareholder were present.
Immediately on the Chairman taking hia seat, Mr. Ken-
nedy, the mutineer on behalf of t►e supporters of the
amendment, rose and read the following document, which
bevifterware a handed in :

Report made by Henry Kennedy, Rsq., Banister-at-
law, one of the scrutineers appointed by the meeting of
shareholders of the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway Com-
pany, held at Cheater on Tuesday, the 13th of September, I
1853, upon the votes tendered by both parties, upon an
amendment by Sir William Johnston to the motion from
the chair. Not concurring with my colleague, Mr. Low, I
reject those votes the authenticity of which I dispute, the
means for testing and verifying which were refused to mei
after repeated applications to the chairman; these mean's
being the register of transfer, the call books list of share-
holders in arrest of calls, and cash books. I therefore re-
port to the meeting that the amendment is carried by a
majority of 1,044 votes.-411WHY KENNEDY."
Cruitutue said that the document, u
handed in to him, was not a report, because it did not state
the numbers for and the numbers against the amendment.
It objected to a number of votes, and, without giving any
reason for it, it jumped to a result. He should therefore re-
«ire it as a protest, but not as a report. (Hear.)
Mr. Mormon thought the report of the two scrutineen
ought to be beton the meeting before the chairman de-
cided upon taking any step.
Mr. KENNEDY stated that he had merely banded in the
document as a protest.
Mr. Low, the other scrutineer, then read his report as
follows:

Against the amendment.
Persons present, 54, representing 2,052
Proslee held by ditto

-12,449
For the amendment.
Persons present, 32, representing 1,363
Proxies held by ditto
....„

-= 8,924

Ilajorityagainst the amendment, and in favour
of this original motion
Mr. Kennedy, the other scrutineer, bas declined signing
this report, but bus assented to the accuracy of the numbers
as above stated. WILLIAIK Low.
Mr. MORRO' denied that Mr. Kennedy had given his
consent to the document just read.
The CHAIRMAN said Mr. Kennedy was present, and
would no doubt speak for himself. (Cheers.)
Mr. Mownoz wished the Chairman would ask him.
The CHAIRMAN—Does he deny the accuracy of it ?
Mr. ICANNEDI admitted that he agreed with the expla-
nation made by Mr. Low at the end of the report.
A BHARRHOLDRA supposed then that Mr. Kennedy's
statement would only be received as a protest.
The CHAIR/Law—Certainly. Ido not receive it as •
report.
Mr. TEM/01ra* for the purpose of saying that Mr.
Kennedy's statement ought not to be received at all, either
as • report or a protest. rat, hear.) It was a most ex-
traordinary proceeding. e denied the right of any share-
holder to investigate into his title to his sham. heers.
There was nothing is the act of parliament which C entitled ) a
shareholder to challenge his right to his shares. He might
as well ask him to produce the title deeds of his estates.
(Hear, hear.) As • shareholder, be protested against the
document being received at all. 'The proper way for Mr.
Kennedy to do would have been to give the figures, and
not coolly say " I reject it." He supposed the next thing
would be that they would be going to the Court of Chan-
cery to compel the shareholders to produce the probates of
their father's wills. (Loud laughter.) He never heard any-
thing more monstrous in his life than Mr. Kennedy's pro-
ceeding. (Cheers.)
A SEARanoßnut remarked that the directors had stated
that with the view of showing the correctness of their share
register, they were going to submit it to the Board of Trade,
and here they now refused to let a scrutineer sea either
their cash book or any other book. That was not right.
After some further discussion respecting the statement
handed is by Mr. Kennedy,
The CzAramius said that the matter stood thus. Two
sorutineen had been appointed. One of them had given in
the voting containing a list of figures, sad the co-scrutineer
agreed with him in that list of figures.
Mr. Mowaoa—l deny it.
The CstAntwArs—lt is for Mr. Kennedy to deny it, not
you. (Year, hear.)
Mr. AWN/In.—l gave neither Went nor consent. The
figures appear, prima foci*, to be correct. That is all I
agree to.
The CHATWILN accepted the report in that sense, and
ordered the decision of the shareholders to be recorded in
the books. Mr. Kennedy had also handed in a paper,
which, he thought, ought to be received for what it was
worth. (Laughter.)
Mr. Mormon objected to the chairman's proceeding. Mr.
Kennedy's statement was a true and correct one, and he
said that the amendment, according to that report, had
been carried. (Cries of " Oh, oh," and laughter.)
The (Hainan r—The amendment is lost, and the ori-
ginal motion, sanctioning the amalgamation with the Great
Western Company, is carried. (Loud cheering.) The other
motion, which was contingent on the Shrewsbury and
Birmingham Company rejecting the amalgamation with
the Great Western Company, was now before the meeting.
He read the following resolution:—" That the directors
be authorised to proceed with the said bill in the event of
the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Company refusing or ne-
glecting to become partite thereto, or to proceed with the
same provided the Great Western Company consent to a
separate amalgamation with this company upon the terms
now accepted and ratified."
The resolution having been seconded,
Mr. Mows.on protested against it in the following form:
" That it is illegal to consider the motion now made, or any
motion entitling the directors to proceed in parliament, in
the event of the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Company
rejecting the offer of the Great Western Company ; and that
this meeting has been convened for a special purpose, and
not for any such object as is now attempted to be accom-
plished."
Tha resolution proposed by the chairman was carried,
and the proceedings terminated.