The Express.
London, England, 1850-02-21 00:00:00

ton. The chairman stated that he did not conceive that
anything would min to ndtme their interest below fin
per cant.
Mr. KIRBY asked iif than was say doubt about the
gunantee
The CHAlRMAN—Certainly not. (Hear, helm)
Mr. BEAUMONT ;nposia a !isolation, that 5 pie Sete
be reeomnessdad as the per tentage of Mr M. Stephenson,
under the scheme now proposed, and took that opportunity
of paying that gentleman a very high compliment on his
merits es an @neater.
Captain HENDERSON seconded the motion, which wu
passed unanimously.
The retiring directors and auditor were then reelected,
and a vote of thanks wu peeped to the directors.

WIA.II VALLIIY.—The half-yearly ordinary general meet-
ing of the Wear Valley Railway Compaq wee held at Dar-
lington, on Tuesday, the 19th instant, at 11 o'clock. H.
Btobart, Esq., chairman of the board of directors, presided,
and a dividend was declared as follows :—On the 601. shares
paid in full, 11. 10s. per share; on the 261. shares paid in full,
16e.; on the 2.51. shares, calls duly paid, 10s.; the said divi-
dend to be paid on the 18th day of April, to such proprietor
as may
IbeB6o registered on the books of the company on the 314
Much. .

MIDDLIBDOBOI7OII AND RIDOAII.—The ordinary half-
yearly panel meeting of this company took place on the
19th instant, at the office in Darlington. J. C. Hopkins, Esq.,
took the chair at 12 o'clock. The Secretary road the state-
ment of seconats for the half-year, which showed that the
receipts had been 81,9951. 65., and the payments
82,1121. 18e. 3d., leaving a DeLuca of 1171. 13s. 3d. A.
dividend of 30s. per share (less income tax) was decrared for
the kel:aw ending liar* 31, 1850, and the meeting
separated

SHEFFIELD, ROTHERHAM, BARNSLEY, WAKEFIELD,
HUDDRIMFIELD, AND GOOLE.—The ordinary halfitarly
meeting of the shareholders in this company wu held at the
company's office in Wakefield, at one o'clock yesterday.
The chair, in the absence of T. B. Beaumont, Esq., was oc-
cupied by John Barff, Esq. The secretary road the report.
It announced to the proprietor of the guaranteed stock the
completion of the line from Barnsley to llorbury junction,
sad that the lumen (the Lancashire and Yorkshire Com-
pany) commenced running trains upon it on the let day of
the present year, from which time the guaranteed rent of
5 per cent. upon 260,0001., or 13,0001. per annum com-
menced. The report further stated that the line would cost
ultimately 263,2531. The amount over which the guarantee
extends is 260,0001., or 3,2531. less than the actual cost. The
directors have called up 259,0001. (161. 10s. per share), and
they will have to all up Is. 6d. a share, and to make two
deductions from the dividends of 2s. 6d. per share, to entitle
the shareholders to • permanent dividend of 5 per cent.
The dirtctors further announced their willingness t) verve
this Tear without remuneration. The report was adopted
unanimously.

RAILWAY BILLS ON STANDING ORDEIIB.—The select
committee have declared that in the cue of the Leeds and
Think (extension of time for completion of Leeds and
Hartlepool Railway) the standing orders ought not to be dis-
pensed with, but that in the cue of the Caledonian and
Edinburgh and Glasgow Amalgamation Bill they may.
^ _

_ .
DISSOLUTION AND ABANDONMENT OE RAILWAYS.—•
Yesterday a bill, originated in the House of Lords by the
Earl of Granville, to facilitate the abandonment of railways
incorporated by act of parliament, was issued. Its provi-
sions, which are of great importance to the railway interest,
are to the effect that railway companies may make applica-
tion to the cutnmissioners of railways fur leave to abandon
their undertakings. The directors may call meetings for
this purpose, and the shareholders may require the directors
to do so upon requisition, signed by not less than five of the
shareholders, and holding notless in the aggregate than one-
twentieth of the share capital, with calls paid up, the meet-
ing to be held within 28 days; no payments to be made by
the directors, except under existing liabilities, no new con-
tracts to be entered into, nor new calls made after the re•
ceipt of such requisition.
LONDON AND BIEMINORAM EXTENSlON.—Yesterday
the affairs of this undertaking came on before the Muter in
Chancery Blunt. About 33,0001. was received by the direc-
tors at depoeit, the greater part of which was expended in
parliamentary and engineering expenses. The existing lia-
bilities remaining to be defrayed by the shareholders amount
to 10,0001. There were upwards of 4tho shareholders en the
list of contributories, and the Master tiled on the list as liable
all those who paid the deposit and signed the deed, reserving
for argument and consideration the cves of these who
appeared, and who object on various grounds to be held
liable at all.

THE MUTUAL LP; E ASSURANCE t0r..1.:71t.

of this society was held yeater-
_
The annul mr_eting
.n Tavern, Me. Wuisktts in the chair.
eater-
day
haet
actbteuLaroyade
Mr. HARDY, read the annual report, which
presented a :,view of this society's business during the year.
The amour ;
A of premiums received for new assurance, ef-
fr„t2et, 'lAring the year ending 31st December, 1848, is
24. 2,1. ; the total number of existing policies, 1,247
-.tie capital sums assured under them, 828,0901. ; the in-
come of the society from premiums, 28,2231.95. 4d. • the
assets of the society, 148,.?171. 2s. 9d.; the clear divisible
surplus on the 31st December, 1848, constituting the profits
of the society up to that date, and applicable to the augmen-
tation of the sums assured under the policies of all the mem-
bers. 74,0961.25. 9d. The divisible surplus on the 31st Dec.,
1847, amounted to 58,8521. 14s. Id., consequently a clear
increase of 8,3661.5 e. 9d. has taken place in the society's
profit fund during the tut twelve months. This will have
the effect of materially increasing the amount of bonus,
already added to the policies of the existing members.
From the general cash account it appeared that, after
providing for all liabilities there remained on hand a balance
of 6,4821. lie. 7d. on the 31st Dec., 1849.
The CHAIRMAN then moved that the report be re-
ceived, adopted, and entered on the minutes,
The motion having been seconded, and some discussion
having ensued,
Mr. ROWE complained of the expenses of the estab-
lishment, and referred to various details in the present and
former reports, with which he found fault. cte would
move that an account of the liabilitiee ana ass is, the receipts
and expenditure of the company for each year, be printed
and sent round to the members, along with the circular
calling the meeting.
Mr. BECK, one of the directors, seconded the motive,
which was unanimously agreed to.
On the motion for receiving the report being put,
Mr. BOLTON said he could not agree to the report with-
out adding to it some words like these—" relying that the
directors will take all the means in their power to keep down
expenses."
After some discussion, the amendment was put to the
meeting, and negatived by a large majority, and the motion
to adopt the report was agreed to unanimously,
Mr. CLAYTON, one of the directors, here rose, and
called the attention of the meeting to an advertisement
which had appeared in some of the newspapers, which he
said was of a very mischievous character, but it was not big
intention to dwell upon any particular advertisement—he
rose to enter his solemn protest against this sort of paper
war as most injurious to the society. If a gentleman had
anything to say upon the staject of the management, it was
his duty not only to the society, but tis himself and his own
family, to reserve what he had to say for the floor of this
room. (Hear, hear.) He had no right to go forth to the
public and make it appear that the society was in a state of
rottenness, or that its business was declining. (Applause.)
He did ant wish to put any distinct motion before them, but
he called upon the members to hold up their bands in token
of their reprobation of this system of proceedings. (Here
the great body of the meeting held up their hands amidst
great applause).
Mr. ROWE had no hesitation in avowing himself the
author of the advertisement in question—(hisses)—and he
would add that if the same fair play had been shown to him
on former occasions which be had experienced to-day, he
would not have done it ; and he would tell them fairly, that
if full and fair discussion was allowed in (mute, he would
not do it main. (Hes; hear.)
The meeting was then made special for the election or two
directors, in room of Mr. Godson, deceased, and Mr. Br,-
.