The Express.
London, England, 1850-03-01 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 1, 1850,

proms, and to the utility or necessity of undertaking sera
hereafter."
Mr. GROVES seconded the amendment.
The CHAIRMAN said he had not the slightest objection
to the appointment of • committee of ir TAIT.
On the question being pun the *sentiment was reject( 1,
only seven bends being held up in favour of it.
Mr. I/ CORES then moved the following amendment:—
" That the present system of auditing railway amounts Is
objectionable, and that this meetieg is favourable to a pure
system of government audit." Re believed the object or the
prometers of the audit bill which had been proposed was to
stave off the question for another year, and unless share-
holders generary interfered and obtained the protection of
the government, they would never be safe.
Dr. RI LEY seconded the amendment, which was rejected.
Mr. PRESTON moved, "That the.register of shares be
open to the inspectioa of shareholders at all reasonable
times."
The amendment was seconded, and agreed to, with the
addition of words requiring the payment of a shilling as a
onndition of inspection. About six hands were held up
against it.
The meeting next proceeded to the election of directors.
After a lengthened discussion, which was culled on amidst
much contusion and several amendments and counter-
amendments, Mr. Park. r was re elected, and the candidats
recommended by the directors were also added to the bard.
Other formal resolutions, in accordance with the report,
were also agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN thin moved, " That a committee be,
and is hereby appointed, to consider the Remotion of sn
aadit of railway accounts on behalf of the Great Northern
Railway Company, and to co-operate with similar commit-
tees of other railway companies on the subject"
Toe motion having been seconded, was agreed to unani-
mously.
The CHAIRMAN stated that the board had determined
to leave the nomination of the committee entirely in the
handed the meeting.
Messrs. Green, On, and Nash were ultimately ap-
pointed.
The CHAIRMAN then moved that the salary of the
secretary should be reduced from 8001. per annum to 6001.,
obvcrvieg that he thought it far better that directors and
officers should alike prepare to meet the necessities of the
ease than that they should be goaded to make nductions by
the shareholders.
Mr. HUGHES moved, se an amendment, that the secre-
tary's salary should be 7001. per annum.
The amendment was seconded, but on the question being
put the original motion was carried. 1001. was voted as a
ceetribadon towards the religious instruction of the labourers
on the towns' line.
The CHAIRMAN then announced the result of the poll
en Mr. Hatchison's amendment with respect to the con-
straetima of the line from Askern to York. The votes
were, he said
For the report 27,625
For the amendment
Majority
The report was accordingly adopted.
The meeting then approved (subject to the revision of the
committee which it had appointed) el the draft of a bill on
the subject of audit, also the draft of a bill with respect to
the raising of the tolls, and some deviations of the hoe near
Leeds. . . . .

ic;Ots of thanks to the ehainaan was carried usly.

MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, AND
LINCOLNSHIRE.

After our report had been despatched on Wedccs-
day evening of proceedings up to 5 °clock, there was a scru-
tiny demanded by Mr. Webster upon Mr. Morton's amend-
nicht for a thorough investigation, which had been carried
by a lira. majority.
The CHAIRMAN raid, as it would b. impossible to finish
the proceedings this evening, he should move en adjourn-
ment till to-mnerow at 11 o clock.
Mr. MORTON moved, as an amendment, the tdjostrn-
nient till that day meht.h.
The amendment basing been put, there was a large mein-
rity in It. favour.

kr. TURNER, director, then demanded a serntii y.
Mr. STEVENSON, solici'or, here mid he would be
obliged to the shareholden not ea the platform if they would
hold up their proxies.
Mr. BRADSHAW vehemently &tined to do so.

Here, amidst great uproar, many of the shareholders pro-
tested spinit the use the directors were making of the
proxies ot absent shartholden, tore up theirs, and scattered
the frAmet tots about the floor. The scrutiny was then pro-
ceeded with ; but it being us& mood that the directors wire
prepared with something like 6,000 of these proxies, many of
the shareholders retired, taking it for granted that thit pro-
ceediegs stood adjourned till next day, and not till that day
month.

ADJOIMNED PROCEEDINOS, TZSTERDAT.
The meeting r.-asnmbled yesterdsy, at 11 o'clock, when
there was a comparatively thin attendance, about 200 pro-
prieton
The CHAIRMAN (Lord Yarborough) announced the re-
sult of the scrutiny as follows :—.The votes represtnted byy
tho'e present in favour of Mr. Webster 's motion were 2,608,
and the pr. aids given by than persons in favour of Mr.
Webster'. amounted to 6,103; fur Mr. Merton's motion the
votes et persons present were 1,011, and the proxies were
315. The total cumbers were—
For Mr. Morton's motion
For Mr. Webster's motion 8,911
Majority 7,555
_

The next amendment wee that for the adding Mr. Samuel
Lees' name to the directory, in pace of /dr. Vernon's.
His Lordship then called tor a show of heads. end declared
Mr. Lees to he carried by a majority of 50 to 32.
Mr. FITCH tf•rn TOw to propose that the uamre of all
defaulters iu the proprietary of the various undertakings
asna4.arnated is this company be printed and circulated
. .

among the pronrietors, with the numixr of their shares.
Mr. BRADSHAW seconded the motion ; but it was then
negatived.
The CHAIRMAN then moved a resolution. proposing—
" That for the interest accruing between the 30;h of June,
1849, and the 16th Jan., 1850, upon such of the 'bares ss
canted interest to that ate, warrants be issued to the share-
holders, indicting the amount of listens: due, but with a
postponement of paymentsuntil a dey to In fixed at a tenure
meeting of the shareholden."
Tne motion wee esconded and carried.

A variety of other resolutions were carried, amongst
which was that a dividend be now declared at the guaran-
teed rate of 7{ per cent. per annum for the last hall
year, ul on the No. 1 Quarter Shares, but that the paymint
thereof be postponed to a day to be named at a future
meeting of sh.rrholders.
The CHM 11.11 AN then moved the adoptisn of the draft
of the bill, which was agreed to by a majority cf 65 to 19,
out of a meeting which had dwiLdled down to about 80
persons.
A vote of thanks was then given to Lord Yarborough for
his services in the eh tir, and the proceedings terminated a
little before five o'clock last evening.

Company, in conjunction with whom the expenditure had
been made..

The CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the directors'
rerort aid the anoints.
Moja, COURT pointed out some diserepanein, to the
extent of 60,0001., between the neonate rendend ,hy this
company and then of the Eastern Counties Company. He
dented the right of the directors to issue proxies at the ta-
rries of the company. He never would cement, as an
auditor, to aokaowledge the cheques of the directors as
vouchers.
.

The CHAIRMAN give some explanation of the circum-
stances under which the proxies had been issued.

--- -
Mr. LAWRENCE, the other auditor, Mid he had
thought it his duty to allow the charge. He took an entirely
different view of the accounts from that taken by his worthy
colleague. Ila had treated the company as he would any
other mercantile concern. From their connexion with the
Eastern Counties Company it necessarily ►appened that
many of the vouehers were in the bands of that company, as
payments to the extent of 9,0001. out of 13,0001. had been
paid in conjunction with that company. Fr m the cheque
hooks and other documents there was sufficient moral
evidence of the accuracy of the payments, end the account*
were kept in a very excellent manner. Ilia colleague had
a great tancy for going minutely into accounts, muca more
so than he thought neceseary, He met with him, Lot only
here but at the South Welts and other compels's., he
might he called a kind of account►nt.q. nerai. (Laugh's r.)
Mr. A. MILLS moved u au amendment that Major
Court's report should be printed along with that of the
directors. _ .

Mr. PETO, M.P., a director, seconded the amendmert
and exprused his belief that the contents of Major Court's
report were calculated to throw light on the affsiis of the
company, and would not injure the directors. Every thing
they knew the proprietors should know ; and when the
report of Messrs. Quilter and Ball wee presented it should
be fully laid before the shareholders. He had recently
become a director, but would not continue so a moment
longer than he had the confidence of the proprietors.
Mr. QUILTER pledged himself to give not only • bs.
lance-sheet, but a minute detail of the receipts and expendi-
ture of the company from its commencement. This would
be done before the next half-yearly meeting. He felt the
difficulty in which Msjor Court had been placed by the
Eastern Counties Company holding the vouchers; but when
the accounts between the companies were closed, the vouch.
era would be handed over, and the account* might then IN
properly audited.
A SHAREHOLDER suggested, that if Major Court's
report was circulated, Mr. Till's answer to it ought also to be
published.
The amendment was altered accordingly, and in that
form wu adopts d unanimously.
Resolutions were thi n passed, declaring a dividend at the
rate recommenced in the report, appointing Capt. Wardell
and Mr. Arthur Mills director., and re-appointing the
auditors.