The Express.
London, England, 1868-09-03 00:00:00

DAsrso RODBFRY AT A SOLICITOIL.B.

Berbrirlye, aged 18, a respectably-dressed voung
man, a copying clerk in a solicitor's office, of ss, tipper
Rosomun-sticet, Clerkenwell, was charged before Mr.
Darker with stealing from a cash box 21. and other monies
belonging to his master.
Mr. Charles Davis Andres, a solicitor and managing
eh rk to Mr. Heron, of 3Zi, Flly•place, Holboni, said the
prisoner had been in Mr. Heron's service as copying
and common law clerk for the last eight years. On
Fnday morning when he (witness) opened the iron
safe he found that the cash-box had been broken
open, and between 131. and 141. extracted. Thepri-
seiner ou being asked if he knew anything about the money
at once admitted having stolen it. fie waa:wiren in charge.
but his master did not wish to press luirdly upon him,
thinking that be bad been led away by bad companions.
If he obtained a good character from the chaplain of the
prison he would be taken back to work again.
The prisoner pleaded guilty, and begged hard of the
magistrate to settle the case at once.
Mr. Barker sentenced the prisoner to be imprisoned and
kept to bard labour in the House of Correction for tur
calendar mouths.

GREAT WESTERN RAIL WA E—(FHLS I. )
This afternoon the half-yearly meeting of the
proprietors was held at the Paddington Terminus, Sir D.
Dowd, M.P., in the chair.
The report having been taken as read,
The CumawArt, in moving its adoption, said that the
results of the half-year's working were satisfactory. There
was an increase of '4,8821. on the receipts of the corre-
sponding period of last year, whilst there was a decrease
in the expenditure of about 16,000/. The receipts for the
half-year were 1,951,0001., which, after deducting the ex-
pewee, would enable them to divide 1/. ss. per annum on
the Grist Western Consolidated Stock ss. on the West
Midland (Oxford) Stock, 10s. on the West Midland (New-
port) Stock, and 3/. 10s. on the South Wales ConAolidated
Stock—leaving a balance of 17,8501. to be carried forward
to the next half-year's account. There was an increase
of 16,0001. under the head of rent charges, attri-
butable in part to the opening of now lines and in
part to increased rAes in respect of rates under
agreements in operation. The bill to confirm
the issue of stocks and shares in payment of dividends had
become law, but that portion of it which contained powers
for the future issue of stock in lieu of dividend had been
withdrawn in deference to the expressed opinion of the
shareholders and the improved financial condition of the
company. Au agreement had been come to with the
Metropolitan Railway Company which would relieve the
company from the obligation to take over the spare lands
at Farringdon-street and diminish the other obligations
imposed on the company by the agreement of 1865. On the
other band, the company agreed to give up the working
of the broad gunge over the Metropolitan line and
to reduce the number of trains they were entitled to
run over it. The directors also proposed to discontinue
the broad guage over about 06 miles in length of the linos
of the company ou which the mixed guage extended. It
was intended to take up the third rail between Oxford and
Wolverhampton (81 miles), and between Basingstoke and
the junction near Reading (15 miles). It was likewise
to convert the broad gunge between Here-
ford and Grange-court into narrow gunge, and
to lay a third rail within the broad gunge rails
between Grange Court and Gloucester, and from the
latter ylace to Standish Junction, so as to form,
in conjunction with the Midland line, a complete
through narrow gorge between Bristol and the narrow
gunge lines north and south of Hereford. The rails to be
taken up would go far to complete the rail to be laid
down and it was proposed to take a vote of 15,640'. to
complete the work which would result in increasing the
traffic and diminishing the cost of working. It would be
necessary to expend 71,7001. in the providing of additional
narrow gunge rolling stock to provide for the service of
these lines as well as the Metropolitan. If the whole of
the rent charge stock was taken up by the shareholders it
would leave a sum of 100,000/. available for the general
purposes of the company. The directors would receive
applications for debenture stock hearing interest at 41
per cent. iu replacement of terminable deben-
tures up to the Ist of November next. The
entire of the expenditure which the (newtons asked
the proprietoni to tqinetiou on the present ocxxu,ion was
12240 d. . . . . .

The motion having been lleCondeil.
Mr. CH AN objected to putting down to capital any of
the dents 'pled for except Nos. 1,8, and 0, viz., thu
i 1,7181/. fur additional narrow guago rolling stock. 3,sthif.
pl.llllflllke of miuetah, 1.-01111,4.111,410011, Ike.. and 6,309'. for
new station% jointly with other companies.
me. Cyiit fyi.ov expressed his satisfaction gonorrilly
with the ctnt. mititt pre-tented, although there were some
matters on witieh amendment ...aid be made.

Mr. A PANS Ilk!, wive his opproral to the
rr-
purt, which, atG•r I.OIIIP farther discussion and criticism,
wu adopted.