The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-02 00:00:00

EAST GLOUCESTERSHIRE.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held
at Cheltenham on Thursday ; Mr. R. Barker in the
chair.

The report, an abstract of whieh has appeared in
The Sun, was taken as read.

The CHAIRMAN referred to the rejection of the
bill for enabling the Midland Railway Company to
subscribe £lOO,OOO to the East Gloucestershire.
This had placed the company in a position of con-
siderable difficulty, inasmuch as it materially limited
the resources of the company, and prevented the
signing of the contract for the works. But the re-
sult of subsequent communications with the Midland
Company was a resolution of the Midland board,
authorising an agreement by which they were to
work the East Gloucestershire Railway at 5 per

The half-yearly meeting was held at Perth on
Saturday ; Mr. Macduff in the chair.

The report, an abstract of which has appeared in
The Sun, was held as read.

The CHAIRMAN stated that for all purposes of ad-
ministration and management the career of the
Scottish Central Board closed on the 31st of July
last, and they only now existed for the purpose of
winding up affairs and declaring a dividend for the
past half-year. The Amalgamation Bill of the Ca-
ledonian and Scottish Central received the royal as-
sent on sth July, and by that bill the shareholders
of the latter company were insured a minimum gua-
ranteed dividend of 7 per cent., and a share in any
excess of dividend beyond that point which the Ca-
ledonian might earn. The balance of revenue at pre-
sent in hand was £34,153, and would suffice to pay
a dividend of 61 per cent. per annum, were it all
divided ; but as there were a number of outstanding
claims to be met, it had been 'thought prudent to
retain a balance of £8,028, and to pay at the rate of
5 per cent. to the shareholders on this occasion,
which he thought in the circumstances would be
satisfactory to them. He vindicated the policy of the
directors in going into this amalgamation, for,
though he believed they would have been able to
maintain their ground as a separate and independent
company, yet their position against aggressive
neighbours would be strengthened, and a good divi-
dend in perpetuity would be secured by the alliance
which they had entered into. He had, however, to
express his regret at parting with his colleagues and
shareholders, and with Mr. Latham, the manager,
Mr. Jamieson, the secretary, who had so efficiently
served the company. Henoved the approval of the
report.

Sir A. C. MAITLAND seconded the motion, which
was unanimously carried.
Mr. GRAY, one of the directors, urged the share-
holders to make application to the Caledonian direc-
tors for participation in the allotment of the Cleland
and Midcalder stock, in the issue of which he held
they were entitled to participate.
The meeting was adjourned till the 23d February
next, to receive a final statement of the company's
affairs, and dispose of the remaining balance among
the shareholders.

- -NORTH BRITISH.

The half-yearly meeting of this company took
place at Edinburgh on Thursday—Mr. Hodgson in
the chair.

The report, an abstract of which has appeared in
The Sun, was held as read.

The CHAIRMAN said this was the last meeting of
the North British shareholders by themselves, as,
o ,ving to the amalgamation with the Edinburgh and
Glasgow, which came into operation on the Ist of
August, they -would in future form part of a more
extensive proprietary. The report informed them
that last session of Parliament the directors had pro-
secuted with success the bill for amalgamation with
the Edinburgh and Glasgow and Monklands Rail-
ways, the Bridge of Forth Bill, the Lasswade
Branches Bill, the Burntisland Harbour Bill, and
the Carlisle Extension Bill. The advantages of the
Amalgamation Bill were well understood. Glasgow
was the goal to which for many years they had
turned their eyes, and by nothing short of this com-
plete amalgamation could they have obtained the
advantages they sought. He thought the amalgama-
tion had been effected upon fair terms, and that all
the three companies would benefit to an extent not
hitherto sufficiently appreciated. With regard to
the improvement of Edinburgh station, they had
made an offer to the corporation of a piece of ground
below Prince's-street, in lieu of the present vege-
table market, which they desired to take for the sake
of additional accommodation to that for which they
had statutory powers. He thought the repent% was
on the whole satisfactory, and so was the dividend.
The distribution of the surplus, to be made as before
amalgamation, was proposed on equitable prin-
ciples. He concluded by expressing the hope that
the enlarged proprietary would act as well together
as the old North Birtish shareholders had now for a
good many years past, and would repose the same
confidence in the directors to whom they had in-
trusted the management of their affairs.
The report was unanimously adopted.
Several ineffectual attempts were made to raise
the Sunday question, but the Chairman ruled that
the advocates of that question were out of order, no
notice of any motion having been given.
The meeting then separated.