The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-23 00:00:00

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held yes-
terday at the railway station, Enston-square, the Hon. P.
S. Pierrepont in the chair.
Mr. LONG read the report, of which the following is an
abstract :

The bill promoted by the London and North-Western Com-
pany, for the junction between the Buckinghamshire Railway
and the narrow gauge of the Oxford, WOrcester, and Wolver-
hampton Railway, near Oxford, received the Royal assent in
August last. The works have been pushed on vigorously,
and will be-ready for traffic in March next, thus affording
an unbroken communication between the metropolis and
the mineral districts of south Wales. The London and
North-Western Company are now laying down addi-
tion rails between Bicester and Claydon, thereby com-
pleting the double line throughout to Oxford. They are
also making a short spur line to connect the London and
North-Western Railway with the Buckinghamshire Railway,
at a point a short distance south of the Bletchley station .
These measures will, the directors believe, tend greatly to fa-
cilitate and develope the traffic, and promote the interest and
prosperity of the Buckinghamshire Company. The revenue
account to the 31st of December last shows that the half-year's
rent received from the London and North-Western Railway
Company to the 30th of June, 1853, being at the rate of 4
per cent., per annum on 1,245,0001., was 24,9001., which,
added to 9671., the balance from the former account, amounted
to 25,8671. The dividend -paid to the proprietors amounted
to '24,5801., and left a balance of 1,2871.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report
said the traffic on the railway was progressively increas-
ing. The junction line between their line and the Oxford,
Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway would come into
operation early next month, which would have the effect
of increasing the traffic on the line, by bringing an en-
tirely new traffic upon it. The spur line at Bletchley,
when completed would enable them to convey through
traffic from Worcester and South Wales to London with-
out the usual delay at the station, which would save ten
minutes in time to every train. (Hear, hear.)
Resolutions were passed adopting the report ; re-elect-
ing Viscount Duncan, Mr. G. C. Glyn, M.P., Mr. H.
Humphreys, Mr. J. F. Ledsam, and Rear-Admiral Moor-
' som, the retiring directors ; and also Mr. R. Carter and
Lieutenant-General M'lnnes, the retiring auditors.
A vote of thanks to the directors concluded the proceed-
ings.

ROYSTON AND HITCHIN.
The half-yearly meeting of thi; company was held yes.
terday, at the office, St. Helen's-place ; Mr. William Reed
in the chair.
The report stated, that with the 1,0151. received as in-
terest on the money lent during the construction of the
railway by the directors of the company 6621. 10s. of the
capital stock has been purchased at 9981. The rent of the
railway for the last half-year has been received from the
Great Northern Company, and warrants for the payment
of the dividend will be issued forthwith, deductions being
made for income tax and lid. per 61. ss. stock for expenses
of management. The capital account of the line between
Royston and Hitchin was closed in April last, and the
balance then in hand, 1,1581., was paid over to the Great
Northern Company. The capital account for the Shepreth
Extension may be said to be closed also • a sum of 7971. re-
mains to satisfy claims for land, not yeesettled.
On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, the report was adopted,
and the usual dividend declared.
The retiring auditor, Mr. G. Pryme, was re-elected, and,
after a formal resolution with reard to the capital stock
being under one title instead of two—viz., the Royston
and Hitchin and Shepreth Extension, the proceedings ter-
minated with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

SHEFFIELD, BARNiLEY, AND GOOLE.
At the half-yearly, meeting of this company, held at Wake-
field on Friday, Mr. Beaumont in the chair, a dividend out of
the half-Year's rent 0,5000 paid by the Lancashire and York-
shire Railway Company, was declared of 9s. per share OK
ed.), being at the.rate of nearly 5 per cent. per annum
which amounted, on the 31st of
December last, to 267,3361., leaving a balance in the bank
Lls. the capital expended,
of 1,433/. •

yeaLrlOyNmDeOetNingAoNfDtiill.Bis
3LcA.oCinKpWanAy LwasL.
The half- held on Tues-
day at the London Tavern ; N. Daniell in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the"
adoption of the report, said,
the London and North-Western goods traffic over the line had
increased considerably, and there was every reason to sup-
pose that it would increase still more. The North London
Railway traffic had also increased, and there remained to
come upon the line the Eastern Counties, and the Tilbury
and Southend passenger traffic. Whatever amount of traffic
they had from the Eastern Counties Railway, it would be clear
profit. The Tilbury traffic would, no doubt, be remunerative,
although it would consist of part of the river traffic which now
passed over the railway. The Blackwall Company were guaran-
teed the same amount of traffic as they had at present existing
on the railway; and as the Tilbury line would participate in
some of the South-Eastern Railway traffic at the other side of
the water toGravesend, it was probable that the Blackwall would
have an increase of traffic rather than a decrease. There were two
sources of traffic which were almost ready to come upon the
railway. There were other sources of traffic which they could
have some time hence, such as the Woodbridge traffic from
the Eastern Counties Railway, and what the new docks
would produce them, so that what with the present actual
increase of traffic, and that which may fairly be expected,
their position was very satisfactory. Great praise was due
to their servants for the careful manner in which the traffic
had been conducted during the construction of the works at
the now station in Fenchureh-street and other parts of the
line. 'Lie working stock was kept in excellent order, and it
was always at work. (Applause.)
Mr. G. SMITH said, he hoped the directors would be par_
titularly cautious not to let any portion of their line go out
of their power into the hands of the groat companies with
whom they had to deal. He considered the report very
satisfactory.
.A PROPRIETOR alluded to the propriety of instructing their
clerks at the stations on the line, to commence issuing
the tickets at an earlier period than was usual with therm
before the starting of "the trains. It was a dangerous pm_
tice adopted ou several railways to commence issuing tickets
only a few minutes before the starting of each train, and ac.
cidents to passengers frequently occurred through the delay
of obtaining their tickets, and the consequent hurry to get
into the iicani• as balwitneeeed several stoiclelats to pap.