The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-28 00:00:00

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the county of Kent, and that measures, for that purpose ar
now maturing in connection with other interests in the coanty.
Mr. Leach - I am only called upon to say one word upon
this new niotion, in cousequen6e of the extraordinary state-
ment which has been made by the lion. men:ibex who has just
sat doWn. The county of Kent have been endeay.o_nring
get this railway aecommOdation fOrlearlt has been a con-
test/with the SOuth-Ea,stern C0m14,1 or Some six or Weft
v
years and upon each occasion therelatii-been a counter pro.
ject brought forward by that company. The landowners in
that neighboUrhood .not__waut to be railway makers. They
would -only have been too glad ifthe South-Eastern Company
wouidhavegiven theiu the accommodation which they wanted,
antrit was utter despair-that theY'svould never be able to get
a line unless they,,AeMselVes. Attu:A .in the bush2ess-t)at in-
duceil 6ein to promote the bill they have.. And stov, for.
tooth; the • directors 'or the ''Sblitli-Eastern Company, Who
pledged themselves, by their counsel—solemnly pledged them-
selves—that the bill before the committee was a bonafick bill,
and that it was their intention to crriy it outer and who came
immediately afterWardS to a deterinination not to fulfil tisat
pledge, come before you and tell.yeu that -all this while they
are considering the interests of the county of Kent. As there
is no opposition to this motion I will hot go further into the
question ; but I do feel that a statement of that sort ought
not -to- weigh witlithe 1101i4d; r hope - that it . will, not at
.alLeveigh with the•committes:whuntlieVlestiOn‘ is referred to
them. (Hear, hear;),' (
Mr. James Macgregor—l- have one iliquest, and one only
to maks,:.'llreeimectiou with thiirrit7fiferC7lt is, that if any
doubt is-entertained as to- whit -flae-cOlidilet of the South-
Eastern Company has been in former years, with regard to its
bona fides, or the humble part which I have acted in it, the
noble lord will do me the'favour to Call nieVefore the commit-
tee, anti to take my testimony with respect to it. (Cheers.)
Mr. Laing—As the representative of a neighbouring rail-
way interest I trust that in the reeemmittal of these` bills
the"publia'interests involved may not be at all prejudiced, and.
that there may -be no feeling on the part of the committee
because the South-Eastern Company may be supposed im.
properly to 'have withdrawn their' bill; that therefore the
other bills 'are to be passed as a matter of. (nurse, du order,
as it were,• to punish the Solith-ZaSterif Company. • It' may
p remembered that one of the bills which was thrown out
by the committee was strongly opposed by the Brighton Rail-
way Company On the ground of public safety., A groat deal
.of evidence, .was given upon •that -point, and I may state, that
the Brighten C
9411)311.Yrefuszd..to . accept a-considerable ac-
cession of revenue which might have been brought in to them
by that line, because they conscientiously believed that the
manner of junction
proposed
have been attended \vita great danger:. to the public. I oaa
only express what I tarokisdtwieittho athseenßsreigohftojusn Itiincee,ww7lthd..
out knowing anything. more of the merits ,of .the question,
when I say that, actor the statements which haVe been made,
it would only be fair to the majority of the South-Eastern
directors, who resolved not to proceed with the bill, that
tliey
before should have the opportunity
mmittee, In order of being heard by counsel
that they
rua, satisfy the
committee how far the imputations of a breach .of faith are or
are not well founded. •
Lord Harry Van-,-It was not my intention to have said
anything upon the present motion but for the observations
-which have beeu just made. I beg to assure the house and
the hon.. member . that the circumstances to which he has
alluded are perfectly within the knowledge of the committee.
It is perfectly true that a good doll of opposition was made
to the junction on account of thegreat trate, and a Consider-
able athoiint of evidence was heard upon the subject. The
committee went through- all those Matte* and they *bear
in mind perfectly all that passed upon the subject. I re-
collect full well, and I have no doubt .other.members do also,
the. reasons Which were stated by the Brighton Company why
the-committee • should refuse. therm Sanction to the proposi-
tion in question. Whether or not the committee may think
it right to hear counsel upon the subject to which the hon.
member has referred will be a matter for the consideration of
the committee 'whets they meet. I Wish to guard myself, in
the observations which I have made, from the supposition
that the committee are going, as a'matter of course, to pass
these bills, which are again to be referred to them, or either
of them. Full attention will be given to those points of. op-
position which were urged by the Brighton Company, and
the committee will decide upon the bills referred to them
upon their respective and individual merits, and will be
guided by no other consideration whatever. (Cheeks.)
The motion was then agreed to.