The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-21 00:00:00

all trains will have to be slackened on approaching t he St
Alban's junction, there will be no particular inconvenience.
expense, or delay caused by stopping the trains at the north
end of the tunnel instead, and allowing them to travel but
slowly for a distance of one or one and a half milee. There
are some of the stations wnich are not sufficiently set back
to allow of the line passing in front of them, and there it
is practicable to carry the third line behind them. There is
Tring station for instance, the approaches to that station
being on the opposite side of the line. In the estimates
provision has been made in all cases for giving passengers
access to the platform on the up and down sides, irrespe tire
of crossing the third goods line, either over or under. In
some cases the embankment line has been almost formed,
in others it will have to be worked, but in those cases we
have already land with n the slopes or within our
boundary line. The bridges have been each ex.
amined in detail, the alterations necessary decided
upon, and the estimates formed upcn each actnal
work. The estimate of £350,000 includes altering
the bridges over the lines ; a sum sufficient to widen them
not merely for three lines, but to widen them so that
should it ever be necessary, they will be enabled to have
four lines under them without any alteration. Out of the
£350,000 I think a sum of about £lB,OOO is included for a
purpose which is not actually necessary, to the formation of
a third line of rails. Besides taking a very high scale of
prices for the work, having regard to the position in which
a good deal of it must be carried on, namely, in the im-
mediate proximity to the passing trains, we felt it necessary
also that a large allowauce should be made for
contingencies.
A Proprietor : Accidents ?
The Chairman : No, for additional expenses incurred.
The usual am cant of 10 pee cent. has been put on. It is
right that proprietors should understand that is forming the
estimates in the first instance a very high scale of prices has
been ad ,peed. Ido not know that it is necessary to go into
any further explanation. I shall be very happy to give any
information required upon any further point if any question
should be put to me, but I do not know that I need go into
the matter more fully at present. I have, therefore, to
conclude by moving that the report be adopted.
Mr. Benson seconded the motion.
Mr. Franklin expressed a hope that, in adopting the
report, the proprietors would still leave the question of the
new works open. He urged that there were several points
to be considered before the recommendation of the directors
was adopted.
Mr. Dickenson expressed strong doubts as to the propriety
of undertaking new works, He reminded the meeting that
the Great Western Company was approaching Manchester,
and that there was a desire on the part of Manchester, as
well as of the company, that the approach should be com-
pleted. He objected to their going on year after year
adding to the expenditure, and complained that there
appeared no finality, and that the proprietors never knew
what their property actual'y was. (dear, titan)
Mr. Punshon urged that the new works should be
approached with something like consideration, while at the
same time he admitted he felt no doubt that they would be
carried out. From the first establishmeat of the railway
up to the present day, it had been positively a farce for the
proprietors to come there and argue upon the directors'
policy. He denied the necessity fo: the third line of rails,
and contended that, with proper Economy, a saving of
£162,000 per annum could be effected—at the stations,
£50,000 a year could be saved. They had 354 stations,
of which 166 were goods stations and 188 passenger
stations. Those 188 stations included a number of small
roadside stations, which he would set down as 88, and
even on the remaining 100 stations he believed, from his
own observation, and from what he had heard, that a
saving could be effected of from £3OO to £l,OOO on each.
(Oh !oh ! and hear, hear). He did not want to reduce
wages, he would rather increase them ; but he complained
of superintendents of stations having deputies, and the
deputies having assistants, and in some cases the assistants
having other assistants; and, in this respect, he urged that
a saving could be effected. They had 205,000 trains
running each year, and by saving a shilling on each in oil,
which could be done by supervision, they would save
£lO,OOO a year. Au advance of one-eighth of farthin
per mile on passengers would realize £315,000
aa year andg one halfpenny a ton advance 0115,000,1100 tons of merchan-
dise would realise £lO,OOO a-year. He also complained of
the extent to which free passes were given, which he said
aasounted to £26,000 a-year.
Mr. Hadfield (" Oh, oh," and laughten.)
, M.P., declared that if the directors would
not pursue proper economy, they ought to retire at once.
He strongly opposed the new expendittee, and the retaining
of a large balance in the directors' hands, and called upon
the proprietors to pnt a stop to such a course,
Mr. Doke also opposed the proposesl expenditure, and
urged that greater economy should be practised.
Mr. Malins, M.P., spoke to a similar effect. He also
asked the chairman if there was any truth in what was
originally reported, that the directors charged a fixed rate
for goods from Manchester to India,
The Chairman said the company never arranged for the
conveyance of goods farther than to London, for which
they had a fixed rate. With respect to
free passes
ho stated that for some time past the system had been
under consideration, and no pass was issued except under
certain conditions. Every peas was taken out at the
audit Shaffice, and submitted to the board every month,
The list was laid before the board every month, and exa-
mined by himself and another director regularly, and not as
a mere matter of form. He was also opposed to the system
of granting free passes to anything like the extent they had
been issued, and, he beligyed, were unanimous, or nearly
unanimous, upon that poifft, During the last two or three
years considerable limitation in connection with other coca,
panics had taken place in the privilege. Ile had a return made
out every month, and all the free passes issued during twelve
I months ending in June last, instead of £26,000 was only
£4,044. (Hear, hear.) Out of that amount nearly
£3,000 or £2,925 were passes granted to persons travelling
for the purposes of the clearing house, the telegraph
company, the refreshment rooms, or persons in the service
of the railway companies working in connection with their
company. (dear, hear.)
Mr. Tite, urged a postponement for the present,
before undertaking the largo outlay proposed.
Several questions were then put by Mr. Hadfield and Mr.
Locke to the chairman, with a view to ascertain whether
any steps had been taken to carry out the recommendation
of the committee of investigation appointed some time
since. A long and very desultory debate ensued.
The chairman replied at considerable length. Among
other points he stated that the directors did not conceive
that they were the parties to carry out the recommendation
for a reduction of the board, as they could not approve of
that policy. He also stated that the general attendance at
the meeting of the directors was rather more than twenty
seven out of thirty.
The adoption of the report was then finally put and
carried.
The Chairman then•propesed the half yearly dividend b
£2 15s.
Mr. Hadfield proposed an amendment, to the
the dividend be £3, and called upon the effect that
leave so, large a balance with the dire:: • meeting not to
expenditure.
Mr. Dickenson seeoncledil the tors for unneoessary
amendment.
.4 reuowed and Tel:3, animated debate took place, after
which the anseg.,,ini
able maioelsent was put, and carried by a consider-
Tree'37* Chairs man then proposed that the recommendation
to lay down a third line of rails be approved of, and the
expenditure sanctioned accordingly.
Mr. Hadfield proposed .a direct negative.
Mr. Dickenson seconded the amendment.
Mr. Glyn, M.P., strongly urged, upon the meeting the •
importance and necessity of the proposed work, and
warmly defended the policy of the directors. He declared •
that although he had no intention of putting forward
anything like a threat, yet if the proprietors refused to
sanction so important a portion of the policy of the board,
he could not help thinking that the time would come when
the directors should consider whether they could continua,
any longer to hold office:
A division was taken, when there appeared 98 for cone.
firming the recommendation, and 70 against it, The
chairman's motion was therefore declared carried.
The Chairman then moved that £25,361 be added ta
capital expenditure for additional works recommended.
The motion was carried without a division.
The next business was the election of directors. The
outgoing directors were, Messy. Robert Benson, George
C. Glynn, M.P., William Rawson, Manchester, Richard
Creed, London, Thomas Smith, London, and S. H. Thema*
son, Liverpool. Mr. Rawson and Mr. Creed did not seek
re-elecion : the other gentlemen again offered themselves,
mad were unanimously re-elected.
Three names were proposed t) fill the vacancies caused
by the retirement of the two gentlemen mentioned, Mr. C.
M. Lushingt in. M.P., Mr. George Dewhurst, Manches ere
and Mr. R. R. Dean, Lincoln's Inn. A poll beingetaien,
Messrs. Lushingten and Dewhurst were elected, the voting
being as follows :—For Mr. Lushingten, 65; Mr. Dewhurst,n
32 ; Mr. Dean, 18.
Mr. Henry Crosfield, Liverpool, the retiring auditor, was
re-elected.

The prooeedings then closed with a vote of thanks to tha
chairman.

PROSPERITY OF THE NORWICH UNION LIFE OFFICE.-131
0
Saturday last, a bonus was declared by. the Norwich Union
Life Office upon all participaqii; Policies. The surplus
distributed was £159,711 ss. 7d. in cash, equal to £180,627
Ss. 7d. in reversionary. additions. It appeared that the
policies in force were 10,132; the sums assured upon all
risks, £5,592,427 13s. ld. ; that during the preceding five
years insurance had been effected for £1,340,543 155., and
£1,048,112 3s. 3d, paid in claims upon daaths—namely,
£864,977 3,1. sums assured, and E 183,134 4s, boaus4
thereon.—Times
City Article, Feb, 9,