The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-20 00:00:00

REGISTER OF 'VOTERS.

Mr. LOCKE KING obtained leave to introduce a bill to
provide for an alphabetical index to the register of voters
in the counties in England and Wales.

THE DUCHY OF CORNWALL.

Lord PALMERSTON brought up the report of the
council of the Duchy of Cornwall, which was laid upon the
table.

The House adjourned at twenty minutes to one o'clock,

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

A Court of Common Council was holden yester-
day in the Council Chamber, Guildhall. The Right
Hon. the Lord Mayor presided.
THE METROPOLITAN RAILWAY.
The Coal, Corn, and Finance Committee brought
up a report by which it appeared the committee had
disposed of 18,000 out of the 20,000 shares held by
the corporation in the above railway, at prices vary-
ing from £l2 12s. 6d. to £l3 10s., and the result
was that this corporation had realised a net profit
of £32,000, after deduc, ing interest for the time the
corporation money had been lying idle. (Hear, hear.)
The report also recommended that the remaining
2,000 shares should be held by the corporation, as
this course would enable them to appoint members
of the board of directors, who would have an oppor-
tunity of watching over their interests. The report
also stated that the corporation would be entitled to
a certain number of new shares, and the committee
asked the court to allow them to du what was ne
cessary in reference to this matter; and at all events
to permit them to retain possession of the remaining
2,000 shares for the present.
Deputy HARRIsoN t pposed the proposition for the
corporation to continue shareholders in the rail a ay.
He said that in the tirst instance great doub s were
entertained whether it was a prudent course to have
con nexion with any railway; but, having done so,
and having realised a considerable profit, he consi-
dered there ought to be an end to the matter.
(Hear, hear.) They had heard already that the Me-
tropolitan Railway intended to raise 1600,000 addi-
tional capital, and he thought the corporation ought
not to be parties to any railway speculations what-
ever, and it appeared to him the time had arrived
when the connexion between the Corporation of
London and the Metropolitan Railway should be
put an end to, and that the corporation should have
nothing to do with the raising of any additional
capital, or any fresh speculation connected with
this railway. (Hear.) The honourable deputy
concluded by proposing a motion to the effect that
the committee should be instructed to dispose of the

remaining shares as soon as they. should conslder
advisable to do so.
SALOMONS, M.P., secnoriA the motion,
Appeiitt.o to owci vititt Joe u_;a, J./loud
app• ob it-ion of the court.
Mr. NORRIS. M..P., however, expres.ged au opinion
that, having regerd to the numerous rail wa'f propo-
sitions at present before Parliament, many of which
proposed to come to the neighbourhood ot the Me-
tropolitan Railway, it would be advisable to retain
the shares for the present, in order
possession of
that some member of the corporation might have a
right to tact upon the board of direcTiors, with a
view to the protectim:
of the interests of the corpo-
ration and those of the I: 11"c'
Aiderman W. LAWRENCL' supported the report,
noements had
and observed that at present 4." Metropolitan Rail-
way was not completed, that no o:rra:
yet been made to connect it with thet.."P roposed new
dead meat market, and he considered it was at all
events desirable to retain possession of the remain-
int; 2,000 shares for the present. (Hear.)
Mr. H. L. TAYLoR said that, if he uuderstoc,d the
me.ining 0i the motion, it did not go to the ext,'nt
of directing the immediate disposal ot the remainiup:
shares, but merely gave them (the committee) a
discretionary power to act in the matter when they'
considered it advisable. (Hear.) He at the same
time considered it was not a proper thing for the
corporation to have anything further to do with
the railway, and that the shares ought to be dis-
posed of es quickly as possible. (Hear.)
Mr. LUSK and Mr. Deputy FRY supported the
motion of Deputy Harrison, and expressed their
opinion that as so larke a number of the shares had
already been disposed of, the sem• course ought to
be adopted with the remainder. (Hear.)
The motion was eventually put to the court and
declared to be carried, and the report, with the ne-
cessary alteration, was then agreed to.