The Express.
London, England, 1851-02-15 00:00:00

NORFOLK RAILWAY.

On Thursday an extraordinary general meeting of
thiseompany Is. held at the ottlecs. in Liuildliall-buildior,
for the puree of considering and adopting the new agree-
rnent proisre.ll by the Eastern Counties Company for the
union of the Norfolk and Eastern Union Companies with
the Eastern Counties Railway Cumpuny. Major Ttitu.tLE
took the chair.

The SECRETARY read the heads of the agreement,
which have already been alluded to in the Express.
The CHAIRMAN moved the following resolutions :
" Resolved, that the terms of agreement now read be, and
the I,lllle ore hereby, approved and adopted, provided that
a similar resolution be this day passed by the Eastern
Counties Railway Company and the Eastern Union Rail-
way Company respectively." " That, in the event of such
resolutions lacing passed by the other companies, the
directors of this company be and are hereby authorised and
empowered to carry the terms of the agreement into full
effect ; and to enter into and execute under the company's
seal such deeds or instruments as counsel may advise to be
necessary for that purpose."
Mr. 1 M.P. (a director), seconded the motion.
Major COURT rose to make some objections to anything
like a precipitate assent to the agreement now before the
meeting. Ile considered that the guaranteed and deben-
ture shareholders would not be sufficiently safe under such
terms as those now proposed. They ought to possess more
information as to the real position of all those companies
before the y agreed to bind themselves for ever.
Mr. BRADLEY took a similar view of their position.
Mr. PETO, M.P., agreed that the company ought to
take high ground, for the Norfolk Company felt themselves
quite independent, and would not care if they were free of
the Eastern Counties tomorrow. Their traffic in goods
from the Norwich station had increased exude. If they ap-
plied to the Great Northern he had no doubt they would
be very glad to take there oa liberal terms. After a careful
consideration of the terms now proposed by the Eastern
Counties Company, he came to the resolution to recommend
them to the shareholders of the Norfolk Company, as it
would tend to put an end to that spirit of rivalry which had'
as long existed, and was the only means of their working
the lines with greater economy, with a view to afford a
larger dividend to the shareholders. lie most cordially se-
conded the resolutions.
After the explanation of Mr. Peto, and the statements of
various shareholders in favour of the resolutions, theoppovi-
tion manifested by Major Court was withdrawn. The reso-
lutiotts were then put and passed unanimously.

GLOUCESTER ANT? DEAN FOREST RAIL-

WAY.

121
♦7O
1711

111
160
9
28
491

After our report from Gloucester had been de-
spatched on Wednesday by the last available train, the dip
eussion on the proposed new lease to the Great Western
Company was continued, and brought at length to a close.
Mr. TWITT, a Cheltenham shareholder, detailed the
circumstances attending an interview between the directors
and a deputation of Cheltenham shareholders. The direc-
tors had given them every information in the most candid
manner. In so tar that the agreement was for a loan at 41
or 3 per rent. it was not satisfactory, but after the explana-
tion which had been given, it appeared that no better terms
could be obtained, and such being the ease, it would be un-
wise to refuse the terms offered. It was possible for the
shareholders to overrate the value of their property.
(Hear, hear)
Mr. KIMBERLEY (Gloucester), protested against the
agreement, and handed in a written protest, signed by a
number of shareholders, intimating at the same time their
intention to oppose the bill before the House of Lord..
The lease would prevent the shareholders from hereafter
deriving those advantages from the undertaking uhith
their peculiar position enabled them to demand.
Mr. WILLIAMS (Cheltenham), moved an adjournment
for a month, to give the shareholders time to consider the
proposition.
- The CHAIRMAN reminded Mr. Williams that they
were already under an agreement for a lease to the Great
Western Company, at 4 per cent., and half surplus profits.
The present proposal was for a modification of that ar-
rangement.
After a good deal more discussion, the original rewind n
for the modified lease was carried.
A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the proceedings.

CALEDONIAN AND DEMB.►RTONSMBE JUNCTION
RAILWAT.—The half-yearly ordinary general meeting of
the ►hareholders of this company was held in the Queen'►
lintel, George-square, Gleagow, on Wednesday, l'eter
Blackburn, Esq., in the chair. The chairman, in moving
that the report be received, said it ►howed that the line of
railway was now completed, but he was sorry it did not
show it had been all paid for There were still outstanding
accounts against them to the amount of 65,4821., but the
directors trusted that this rum would be raised by the pay-
ment of calls of which there was still a large amount of
arrears still standing. It was limed that the number of
directors should be reduced front 1.5 to 9, and after a vote of
thanks to the chairman, the meeting separated.