The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-22 00:00:00

RHYMNEY.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held yes-
terday at the Gray's-inn Coffee-house ; Mr. Boyle in the
chair.

Mr. Shand, the secretary, read the report, which stated
that the amount expended on capital account during the
half-year was £10,890. The increase in the traffic of the
line over the corresponding period of last year amounted to
£1,607. The first portion of the Aber branch had been let
to a respectable contractor, and the works would be pressed
forward, so that it was probable they would be completed
within six months. The capital account showed that
£518,466 had been expended. The revenue account showed
that £28,897 had been received and £14,714 expended,
leaving a balance, with £270 from last account, of £14,185.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
said that the increase in the amount of traffic, though small,
was very satisfactory, when it was remembered that the Bar-
geed Valley line had not been opened, and that the company
had been disappointed in the increase of traffic which was
expected from that source. The directors intended to go on
with the two lines sanctioned during last session—namely,
with the northern lines, which would give the company
communication with the Merthyr, Tredegar, and Aborga-
venny section of the London and North-Western Railway
Company and the Cardiff and Caerphilly, which would give
the company independent access to Cardiff without passing
over the Taff Vale Railway.
The report was adopted, and a divident at the rate of 3
per cent. per annum was declared on the ordinary stock of
the company for the past half-year.
The retiring directors, Mr. C. T. Simpson and Mr. T.
Dakin, were re-elected, and also the retiring auditor, Mr.
T. Watkins.

The meeting was then made special, and a provisional
agreement was sanctioned between the company and the
trustees of the Marqois of Bute, dated the 21st of December,
1864, providing forrunning powers over portions of the line,
and for other matters, in the event of the Bute Docks,
Cardiff, Bill becoming law.

A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the pro•
ceedings.

BLYTH AND•TYNE.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held a
Newcastle on Monday ; Mr. J. Laycock in the chair.

The report was taken as read.

The CHAIRMAN, in moving its adoption, congratulated
the meetingjipon the highly satisfactory state of the revenue
from all sources. The Newcastle and Tynemouth branch
had been appreciated by the public, though the third-class
traffic had not quite come up to their expectation, but would
probably, when the new station was opened at Tynemouth
next summer.

The report was seconded and adopted.
Dividends on the 10 per cent. preference stock, on the 5
per cent. preference stock and shares, and also at the rate
of 9f per cent. per annum on the ordinary stock and shares
were declared. The retiring directors, Messrs. Laycock and
J. Grey, were re-elected, and also Mr. D. Dillon, the retir-
ing auditor.

The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the
chairman and directors.

FURNESS.
Yesterday the half-yearly meeting of the proprietors was
held at the offices, 9, Old Burlington-street, the Duke of
Devonshire in the chair.

Mr. Ramsden, the secretary, read the report, which stated
that the directors had the pleasure of submitting a very
favourable report of the traffic for the past half-year, and
they recommended that a dividend at the rate of 10 per
cent. per annum be declared. The report of the engineers
Messrs. M'Lean and Stileman, showed the progress made
with the Barrow Docks and with the works on the Furness
and Midland Railway. Considerable additions had been
made to the rolling stock during the half-year, and charged
to revenue account. The general manager reported that
the permanent way and works were in a high state of effi-
ciency. The balance-sheet showed a total receipt of
£1,514,192, and a balance of £19,231. The revenue for
the half-year showed a receipt of £89,053, and a balance
applicable to dividend of £24,474.
On the motion g the CHAIRMAN, the report was unani-
mously adopted.

The chairman and Mr. Howard were re-elected directors,
and Mr. Currey auditor.

CENTRAL NORTHUMBERLAND.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held at
Alnwick, on Saturday ; Sir H. St. Paul was in the chair.
The report stated that immediately after the August meet-
ing the requisite amount of share capital was subscribed,
enabling the directors to proceed with two sections of the
line—viz., from Cornhill to Woolar, and from Rothbury to
Scots Gap; but some misunderstanding having arisen be-
tween them and the contractors some further delay must
still be endured. The adoption of the report was moved
by the chairman and seconded by Mr. Hodgson, M.P., and
agreed to, after a long discussion on the matter in dispute
with the contractors. Earl Grey, Sir H. St. Paul, and Sir
W. Trevelyan were re-elected directors, and the proceedings
terminated.

SALISBURY AND DORSET JUNCTION.
In reply to the statement of the former contractor for this
line, which appeared in The Sun of yesterday, Mr. Horn, the
secretary of the company, states that the former contractor
for the line failed to carry on the works in September last,
and that notwithstanding the forbearance of the directors
during more than two months was unable to start them
again ; that the engineer's certificates were given with a
liberal spirit, and included payment not only for all work
done, but for materials on the ground, which materials wore
several times taken in execution by creditors, and released
by them on proof that they were the company's property
that the present state of the line (after two months' vig?rous
work by the new contractor) was sufficient contradiction of
the assertion that nearly half the line was made ; that, in-
stead of a balance being due to the former contractor, he
was largely indebted to the company for payments in ad-