Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-08-19 00:00:00

REPORT.

The directors in submitting to the proprietors the accounts
of the company for the financial year ending the 30th Jun°
last, have the satisfaction of reporting that the business of the
company continues to increase.
'I he proprietors will remember that, to make up the divi-
dends for the year ending 30th June, 1866, it was necessary
to draw from the reserved fund the sum of £1,335 764
whereas the accounts of the year just closed show that the
profits of the company enable the directors to recommend the
payment of the fu'l amount of dividend to which the pro-
prietors are entitled by the company's Act of Parliament, and
to carry to the credit of the reserved fund the sum 01
£660 18s.
The directors hope that the prosperity of the company will
continue, so as to enable them at no distant period, to make s
further reduction in the price of gas ; but they must remind
the proprietors that this entirely depends on the company being
I enabled to enter into contracts for cannel coal on favourable;

terms.
The dire,ctors have pleasure in stating that the works of the
company are in a most efficient state.
The dividend for the half-year ending 30. h June last, if
the recommenelation of the directors is ficlop•ed, will be £5 per
cen,. on the consolidated stock of the company, which may 10
paid on the 20th instant.
Tue directors beg to inform the proprietors that the four
following gentlemen retire by ro•aion from the board of
director., but aro eligible for re-election, namely, Dr. Bran-
droth, Mr. James Bateson, Mr. Joepli CloopA., and Mr.
Daniel Mather ; that Mr. Wm. Di ury Chidson, one of the
auditor,, who was elec'ed last year in the place of Mr. William
Mann, who resgned, retires by rotation, but is eligible for
re-election. JosEril COCP:at, Chairman.
Gas Company's Offices, Newington' Aug. 12, 1857.

- -
The CHAIRMAN in movirg that the report now read,
together with the accounts, be received, adopted, and con-
firmed, said, he had to congratulate the shareholders 00
the great improvement which had taken place in the
concern, and also on the great increase in she demand for
gas. While wages during the last year or two had been
greatly increased, and raw material of almost every descrip-
tion had also greatly gone up, that company was still able
to maintain its dividend and to leave a small sum
again for the reserve fund. The ( Wavertres works
were now completed, and were so ex magi's
as to be capable of meeting all the demands
which would be made for the present, and for some years
of the future; so that they would not, very likely, hava
much capital outlay for some years. Taese works were
doing esaential service to them, and the gradual increase
of their income would enable them to meet the domande of
the raw material.
Mr. CLARE seconded the motion, which was unanimously
agreed to.
The Chetenee moved a resolution declaring; the divi-
dend as recommended in the report.
Mr. A LEXANDER seconded the motion, which wB5
agreed to.
The out-going directors and the auditor were nasal'
mously re-elected.
The remuneration to the directors, being £5OO, the saute
as the previous year, was passed.
.Mr. Bertram said, it might be satisfactory to all to 1010/1
that, the question which nad been raised in the TOO
Council with respect to the testing of metres, had been
fairly met. Ho thought it would be well to have somer
information given to the proprietors upon that point, as, 1;
he understeod rightly, the company was placed in a WO5
satisfactory position regarding it. (Hear, hear.)
The CHAIRMAN : I can state that the Corporation hal
now got the testing machinery, and have commence
operations. It is exceedingly satisfactory both to thiS
company and the Corporation. I believe it will be
great advantage to the public, and elso to this company'
inasmuch as our metres will now be registered and stamped
with the Corporation stamp, which will take a grey
reTankibility off our shoulders.
Mr. BANNER then moved a vote of thanks to the
man and Directors of the Company.
The motion was carried by acclamation.
This concluded the business.

EXIMA.ORDINARY CHARGE OF RAPE•

A well-dressed man, named Elias Davis, described t?
jeweller, was placed at the bar of the Marylebone P. bee"
court, London, on Monday, charged with having cot!l'
mitted a rape on G-eorgiana Waite, aged 17. ProsecutO,
on being sworn, said : I came up to London yesterday'
by the cheap train from Bath, where my mother lilt
and I arrived at Paddingion between ten and eler:
o'clock. I have a brother living in Wych-street, Strap°'
On leaving the station I inquired of several persons fors.
lodging house called the "Servant's Home," where I vir,
anxious to sleep for the night, as I did not like Im,„
disturb my brother by going to his house at so 1_1"
an hour. The prisoner was one of those of whom I plal
inquiry, when he said that he did not know the place.
wanted, but that, if I liked, I might go home with 11111
for the night. I gave him to understand that I would lic)
do anything of the sort, upon which he told me that
friend of his, who had two children, wanted a servant, 51„1„
that if I suited him, and ha 4 an engagement, I might .6;
out with the children into'the park every day, and eil.rlo
myself, and that I need not think of going to my brother t
at all Mr. Broughton : Then you had stated to him rbJl
you were about to go to your brother Prosecutrix :
sir. I walked with him a long distance, and rapeatedl
asked !aim how much further he Was going, and upon eac,o
occasion he said, t‘- Oh, not much." After wishing me it
ride in an onanibu., which I refused to do,telling him tn
I was not at all tired, as I had ridden so fir, he went act?s,,,
to a cab-stand and spoke to a cabman, leaving me stsndil
on the pavement; in five minutes he returned, and told 0,0
to follow him, which I did. I then got into a curb, and
followed me. He gave directions to the cabman as to where
he was to go, but I did not hear what he said. The
was then driven on, and in a very short time the prisone"
pulled me on his lap and began kissing me. (She hoe,
stated such particulars as went to show that he had critelo
naily assaulted her in the cab.) Mr. Broughton : rid iff
call out ? Prosecutrix: It, would have been useless J‘),„
me, to have done so, sir, as the prisoner had one hand 0,
my mouth., and the cabman was going so fast that if I 1110
been enabled to cry out it would have been useless.
about ten minutes the cab was pulled up at some 105';
11
when the prisoner alighted and went in. 'There were tit
women at the door at the time. I asked the cabman 5%„,-'11!,
sort of a house it was, and he said he could not tell. J34l;f.
Broughton : Did you tell the cabman what had occarre',a
Prosecutrix : No, sir. Mr. Broughton : After the P,'9,
sonar entered the home what next happen 06
Prosecutr;x: Prisoner came to the door and beckoe%
me to go in, but I would not, and he then paid
to the driver, who wont off as fast as he co.g't,
A police constable came up,. and I gave the prisoner V3r,
custody. At the station a constable was sent by the sea
g.eint on duty to take me to a respectable house; he 'la
so, and I there slept. Read. 412 8, gave evidence es ely
his taking the prisoner in charge, and also the prisooFl;.,
denial of his guilt. In answer to the magistrate's inqua;
as to what he had to say, the prisoner declared irn
solemnly that he had not used any violence whatev,eo
towards the prosecutria, and alleged that, in taking het to
tic) cab to the house of his friend, he had no impre.&,
object in view. After some further proceeding',
Broughton came to the cinclusion that, although, ill
opinion, the prisoner had taken advantage of the opPor"0,
nity afforded him, while in the cab with the young wonlltt,
the charge of rape had not been satisfactorily made e
the prosecutrix, not having stated that she made such re'
sistance as. under the circumstances, it was in her po/1
to have done. The prisoner was discharged.