The Express.
London, England, 1859-08-13 00:00:00

GREAT WM9YILLW RAILWAY.

The holf-yearly meeting of the proprietors wee
held yesterday afternoon, at the Paddlngtoa Terminus ; the
Bari of BitaLnuttnn, chairman of the hoard, presiding.
After the report had been read,
Tha CHAIRMAN proceeded to reply to various ques-
tions. He stated that, se regarded the third claw IMAIOIRMO.

dation on the line, he was not aware whether it could at
present be extended; but the second class amommodation
had been under consideration, and wee being improved.
The Aylesbury and other lints were not euarsatees, but
only lines worked at • rewal, which it was believed would
be tonefidal to the company. The Birkenhead line, he
admitted, stood in • &iffiest position, and partook more
of the eaterm.of • transfer them a gm:antes ; but that
subject would come before them at • special meeting, and
most be considered as an exceptional case upon its own
merits. When Mr. Brunel became the consulting in-
stead of the acting engineer, there were cases of great
importance pending, involving large sums of money, such
as those of Mackinioah, Ranger, sod others, which it was
asessemy he should watch and edviseupon. He had also to
give ee before committee* in parliament on schemes
aiming their railway. and if his services bad been paid for
by the time occuMed, the amount awarded te him would
have bola greeter. In regard to • somewhat thalegous noes
—that et Mr. Goooh—tbe directors were aware that he was
sageged ta other tranametens, end Mr. Oueett bad, when the
subject wee heroes alluded to, offered, if tiny were supposed
to interfere with his duties to We company, at once to re-
dga ; but the directors fait that the cowpony would be the
greaten losers if they melded hie resignatim. Week for
other companies was performed at the Swindon works ; but
the profits wee carried to the credit of the company, and it
was e.thrl in keeping their hands together.
Mr. Honor explained that thin hod doss work for the
Beath Devon, Bristol and Exeter, Vale of Reath, and other
HMO, the average profits on the work being 15 per cent.
Mr. Arai scow, the auditor, soared the meeting that the
Oranawnione alluded to were both honourable and right.
After some further dimuminn in the comae of which the
chairman expensed his eitinfidslice that the Metropolitan
Company would go on, and stated that the difference m the
interest accounts id lists company arose from certain deben-
tures issued in 1854, which had to be paid of in May, and
that therefore the half-yearly interest payable oa the kith
February, and the tour months interest payable in May,
both entered into the past half-year's accounts, the report
Ins adopted.
The dend was then declared, and 1,0001. voted towards
the formation of an assurance fend, to be extended homelier
to 20,0001.
Mr. ATIETHSON having declined to be elected on the lbw
Lion, but (ignored hie willingness, if it was the wish of the
shareholders, to eel ve another year as an auditor, it wee pro-
posed that a vol. of thanks be given to the auditors for their
past service., sod that Mr. Atkinson be re-elected.
After • noisy cthversation. arising from • shareholder
stating that the auditors were wretchedly underpaid, the re-
solution was put and carried with one dineatient, Mr. Court.
Mr. ATKINSON thanked the shareholders for the compli-
ment, and declined to scnept any increase of salary se pro-
posed. He also prophesied dist within three pare, under
judicious management, the Bas would pay from 3 to 4 per
p mot per annum.
I. reply to a question from Mr. Nouns,
The Cucuta/or stated that there were abaft 1,000 of the
amps* 's servants at the &dada: station, and that about
700 affdren attended the schools, which were open to
children of all denominations. The total cost, including the
stipend to the clergyman, the repairs of the chorch, the
echooliseaster'• salary, and other expenses, was about 4301.
Lczwhich bad hitherto been paid out of the subscription
ly made; end he thought it worthy of consideration
whether the company ought not rather to do something for
the support of the church and schools, instead of allowing
them to fall into dilapidation.
Mr. Boners, M.P., on the ground that properly had its
hake ea well as its rights, moved i` That the directors be
revisited and authorised to appropriate the sum requiellej
arc eneeediza.4o.ol. per annum, in aid of the church .
school st 8
Mr. BATATIotta seconded the motion.
After marldemble opposition, the motion wee withdrawn,
on the undemanding that the directors would take into oon-
siders;ton • plan to be submitted to the proprietors for
million the necessary amount by voluntary subsoriptiou.
The =slag wee then made special, and a resolution put
smeovieg and confirming the agreement entered into between
lM Great Western, the Loudon and North-Western, sod
to Birksobsod Cowpony, for the transfer of the line of that
company to the two erat-named companies.
The CHAIRMAN strongly advocated the proposed agree-
betwil....medi tees imble...gpritypoveadtirl:poltiiuinf:wi.thtthhiset.hmsfromliii:ndtotty.,eanaaliaddbiNealito:urth.;
the division of traffic and other difficulties to which they had
bola satrateed by the want of • chow trommthies with the
Birkenhead limes.
After • sheet conversation lire neolution wee carried with
roar dieratiests, it being explained that through the apes-
moat of the Birtenttead and North Weasels Cosepsaies. this
anoogessest moored the access of the Great Western Com-
pany not only to Birkenhead but to Mearesslse
• vote of thanks to the chairmen sad direetere closed the
precoollega