The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-01 00:00:00

CENTRAL FUND.

A meeting of the Executive Committee was held at the
Town-hall, Manchester,yesterday. The Earl of Derby pre-
sided, and there were also present Lord E. Howard, M.P.,
Lord Egerton of Tattoo, Col. W. Patten, M.P., Major
Egerton Leigh, the Mayor of Manchester, Messrs. Hugh
Mason, G. Ashworth, S. J. Stern, W. Rathbone, jun., G.
L. Ashworth, J. Platt, J. Worrall, H. B, Farnall, R. H.
Hutchinson, M.lRoss and J. W. Maclure, Hon. Sec. Mr
Rawlinson, was also present.
The Hon. Secretary reported that £230 7s 53 had been
received during the past week, and the balance in the bank
was £101,667 16s 11d.
The noble CHAIII,IIA.N, referring to what passed in the
committee last week respecting the comparatively small
number of factory operatives employed on public works,
said that the communication on the subject which by di-
rection of the Committee was sent to the Manchester Town
Council had not yet been officially answered, though he un-
derstood it shortly would be. In the meantime, without
desiring to enter into any controversy with the Town Coun-
cil, which ought to be avoided, it was thought by Sir J.
Kaye-Shuttlewortb, and he (Lord Derby) concurred in the
opinion, that it might be as well to notify to relief commit-
tees that in cases where money had been advanced to their
own localities under the Public Works Act they should put
themselves into communication with the local authorities,
for the purpose of stimulating the employment of cotton
operatives on the public works. It seemed to him (the
chairman) that neither party thought it its duty to take the
initiative in this matter. The local authorities said they
were not bound to look out for these unemployed factory
operatives, and the relief committees did not think it neces-
sary to send to tho authorities lists of factory workmen fit
for employment. So between them, as there could be no
doubt whatever, only a very small number of operatives
were at work under the Public Works Act, Sir James had
forwarded him a number of suggestions, which he recom.
mended should be embodied in the form of a circular, and
sant to the several committees,

The Chair man read the suggestions, and after some con,-
versation the following circular embodying them was una-
nimously adopted, and ordered to, be forwarded to_the Relief
Qoninnttec—

" The Central Executive Committee has from the first
upported the plan of public works for the relief of distress
n the cotton districts, and, since the passing of the Public
Works (Manufacturing l)ietricts) Act, has, by its regula-
tions for the distribution of the Central Relief Fund, en-
deavoured to promote the success of this measure, as a
means of providing work with wages for bodies of men
who had become indigent by no fault of their own, and
Litew6e of relieving the difficulties of the small shop-
keepers, by giving greater activity to the several forms of
skilled industry necessarily employed upon municipal im -
provements. The embarrassment now experienced in fac•
tory work may be comparatively transient—but it so it will
probably recur at intervals with more or less severity. And,
as the funds confided to the Central Executive Committee,
though husbanded with great care to meet such crises, are
much reduced, it now becomes more than ever important
that the several district relief committees should put them-
selves in communication with the municipal and other
bodies having locally charge of public works, in order to
secure work with wages for as many otherwise unemployed
factory operatives as possible. I am, therefore, to suggest
that, whenever a loan has been granted under the Public
Works Act, the district relief commitee should—where this
has not already been done•—put itself in immediate personal
communication with the municipal or other body having
charge of such loan, in order to organise administrative
arrangements by which the district relief committee may
be enabled more effectually to carry out the intentions of
the Legislature as to the employment of factory operatives
on suoh works. The Central Executive Committee, in order
to encourage factory workmen in such efforts for indepen-
, dent subsistence, have provided a suit of warm clothing tor
those who are likely to be long engaged on such work, and
arranged also to lend waterproof boots to those working in
water. They are disposed, under suitable regulations, to
continue to provide such clothing."
Mr HUGH MASON said that before leaving the subject of
public works he should like to mention a circumstance
which occurred a few days ago between the Poor Law Board
and the Mossley Board of Health. The Moseley Board had
projected public works, and obtained a grant of money
under the Public Works Act. The day the grant was
made men were put upon the works, but in a few days after
the grant was withdrawn.
The CHAIRMAN—How withdrawn ?

Mr MASON said the Mossley Board had received a no'ice
from the Poor Law Board intimating that the money granted
could not be used in the manner in which it was being ap-
plied. There appeared to be a technical difficulty. The
Mossley Board had jurisdiction in two counties, and a small
portion of the money would have been expended upon
works in Yorkshire, to which county the Public Works Act
did not refer. This difficulty was foreseen at the outset, and
a deputation from the Mossley Board waited on Sir George
Grey and Mr Villiers on the subject, and those two Minis-
ters sanctioned the appropriation of the money :in the way
proposed by the local Board. Under such circumstances
the Board thought it was rather hard the money should be
withdrawn, and great dissatisfaction existed in the Mossley
district generally. He had recommended an interview with
Mr Rawlinson on the subject.
Mr FARNALL said that the Public Works Act did not
extend to Yorkshire, but legal advice was being taken by
the Poor Law Board to see if the difficulty in the case of
Moseley could be overcome, and it was not impossible that
even yet the grant to that district might be. finally sane •
tioned.

Mr Farnall presented his weekly report, stating that the
increase of.persons receiving relief in the 27 Unions in the
week ending Oct. 22 was 2,247.
In reply to Lord E. HOWARD,
Mr FARNALL added that he had sent circulars to 181
Poor Law medical officers in the cotton districts, inquiring
as to the state of the people's health in their several locali-
ties, and from 120 of these circulars thus far returned he
was justified in stating that the health of the district was on
the average rather bettor than usual at this period of the
year. In reply to Lord EGERTON, he promised that Mr
Corbett's reports on the state of health at Stalybridge and
Preston should be furnished if possible next Monday.
In the course of conversation which followed,
Mr HUGII MASON stated that upwards if 1,300 people
were employed on public works at Ashton, and that a greater
number could be employed if materials could bo obtained,
Mr ItawuNsoN stated that many districts to which loans
of public money had been granted had done their duty in
the employment of factory operatives.
Col. PATTEN said he had received a letter from Lord
Devon inquiring whether the Devonshire Collection Com-
mittee might appropriate any portion of its funds to a diffe-
rent purpose than that for which they were subscribed. He
had taken upon himself to reply that in the present un-
favourable condi'ion of things in Lancashire the Executive
Committee would not assume the responsibility of sanction-
ing such an appropriation.
In this reply the committee universally concurred.
The ORA TRUAX inquired what answers had been received
to the circulars addressed to the various collecting commit-
tees in the country, as to the balances still at their disposal.
The HON. SECRETARY said that there had been 338 com-
mittees which had collected funds in the United Kingdom,
to the officers of which circulars had been sent, making the
necessary inquiries; 171 replies had been received, which

Mr NOAD, the secretary, having read the notice
convening the meeting, the report was taken as
read.

The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the
report, said he trusted they would consider it very
satisfactory. The line was now opened from Cal-
cutta to Delhi, with4ke4xceOon of the bridge
over the Jumna at AlTahabad and the. bridge-. over
the same river near Delhi, which latter bridge had
not yet been sanctioned. Any passenger could now
be conveyed from Calcutta to Delhi or vice versa,
and goods could be sent over the railway. The line
was 1,016 miles in length, and he believed it was
the longest line possessed and worked by one coma
pany. As for traffic, he thought they had no reason
to be dissatisfied with it. They had had a very
steady increase in the passenger and goods traffic,
an increase in the receipts, and a diminution of ex.
penses. Whatever might be the amount of the re-
ceipts, it would not do what was requisite unless
the line was worked with economy. The directors
had given their attention to this matter with a view
that economy should be exercised in working the
line from one end to the other. The expenditure
was under the constant review of members of the
Board. Their system of audit in India enabled them
to see bow the business was conducted, to check
any portion of the expenditure, and keep it within
reasonable bounds. The progress of the works was
now chiefly confined to finishing up the works in
hand. With regard to theJubbulpore line,the works
on it were progressing to the satisfaction of the
engineer. The works were proceeding rapidly,
and he hoped they would be able to perfect that
part of their system without the risk of disappoint-
ment, There only remained the short line, which
would have to be brought under the consideration
of the shareholders. It was proposed to start from
the main line at a point beyond Raneegunge to the
main line again near Luckserai. This was consi-
dered a preferable line to construct, as it would be
shorter than the main lino between these points
and save the expense of doubling it for that die.
tance. But, in addition to that, the power of obtain-
ing an ample supply of excellent coal at a cheap
rate, which the chord line would give them, was a
consideration of great importance to the company.
The country through which the line intended to pass
had been examined in various directions, and one
line in particular had been selected, but the direc-
tors had received no official information about it.
When they received the necessary plans the direc-
tors:would come to the shareholders for their assent.
he bill authorising the company to raise additional
capital received the Royal assent last session, but
the directors would not exercise any of these powers
without the assent of the proprietors. He would
ask them to sanction.the raising of £1,200,000,
which would be necesrai7-fo'r the completion of the
Jubbulpore line. As to perfecting the main lire
and stations, the directors were not satisfied with
the estimates they had received as to the cost of
these works. Some three or four years ago an esti-
mate of the cost of those works had been made out,
but it differed so much in amount from the recent
estimate that the directors had sent for Mr. Power,
the engineer, to explain those matters to the Board
in London. They hoped that something useful and
satisfactory would be ascertained with regard to
those proposed works. A statement had appeared
in some of the newspapers respecting the proposed
construction of a bridge across the Hooghly from
the present terminus of the line at Howrah, with a
view to carry the railway into Calcutta. All he
could say was that they had not entered into any
arrangement of the kind, and they knew nothing
about it. There was no intention on the part of
the Board of calling for any more money
until they ascertained from their officers what would
be absolutely required for the completion of the
works. Something had been said about closing the
capital account, and it had been said by the govern-
ing body that the capital account should be closed
at a certain sum, but, however desirable, they did
not see at present bow that was to be done.
There had been a consultation with the represen-
tatives of the railway companies on the subject
of revenue and capital accounts ; and it was
understood that a principle would be adopted for
deoiding those matters hereafter between each com-
pany and the Secretary of State. A circular from
the Archdeacon of Calcutta had been forwarded, at
his request, to the shareholders of the company, on
the subject of education and religious instruction,
and the result has been a subscription of between
£7,000 and £B,OOO. The directors had taken no
further part in it than to forward the circulars with
the dividend warrants to individual shareholders,
but they had no power as a company to subscribe
money for that purpose. He would be happy to
answer any questions.

Mr BAXEI•iDALE seconded the motion for the
adoption of the report.
l‘r
theG company wished to know the amount of capi-
tal whichi
any had expended up to the pre•
sent time, the amount advanced by the Government
as interest on the £23,000,000 the company had
already paid up, and how much more would be
required for additional works before the capi.
tal account could be closed. He believed, if
they were to go on expending capital, that before
the debt due to the Government on interest account
could be repaid every one present would be in the
grave. He thought it very necessary for them to
go to the Government as a body of shareholders
and represent their case. They had a former claim
on the Government for losses during the mutiny.
They had no doubt worked the railway economi-
cally, and if the fares were too low, as he thought
they were, they ought to have power to raise them
to a certain nzaximum amount. He did not want
to disturb things, but, as he and others held a stake
in the undertaking, he thought they should not rest
satisfied with 5 per cent. They should be allowed
to develops the traffic, exercise economy, and carry
on that great undertaking as a commercial enter-
prise. (Cheers.) They should not run express
trains at 30 miles an hour over the 1,000 miles, nor
carry less than full trainloads of merchandise.
The CHAIRMAN said the amount of capital ex-
pended to the present time was about £22,000,000,
and the amount of capital not having yet passed the
final audit by the Government authorities was about
£4,000,000. The audit was completed up to March
last year. It was because they did not like the
delay of the Government audit that the directors
bad initiated and adopted, with the sanction of the
Government, their present very efioient system of
audit, which gave them the power of controlling
the expenditure. The receipts were paid into the
Government Treasury, and no money was paid out

without the sanction of the Government. Up to
the 30th of June last the Government had paid to
the company in the shape of interest on capital
£6,136,854, and they had received back from the
company £1,890,000 as profits on working the rail-
way, leaving a balance of £4,246,586 against the
company, which was to be repaid out of half the
surplus profits above 5 per cent, lie did not en',;