The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-19 00:00:00

tirb Zbition

SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Clock,

YORK, NEWCASTLE, AND BER-
WICK RAILWAY.—(THIS DAY.)
A meeting of shareholders in the above line was held
this afternoon at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-
street, for the purpose of considering the propriety of
appointing a committee to inquire into the general ma-
nagement of the undertaking. Mr. H. 3. Thompson,
of Moat Hall, Yorkshire, was called to the chair.
The CHAIRMAN said he was prepared to enter into
a statement to show the necessity for a searching exa-
mination into the affairs of the company; but as he un-
derstood that there was a deputation present from the
directors, he would refrain from entering into it till
those gentlemen'bad put the meeting in possession of
their views.—(Cheers.)
Mr. RICHARDSON, the solicitor of the company, said
he was happy to inform the meeting that, at a recent
board meeting, the directors agreed to the following re-
solution:—" That Mr. William Richardson be requested
to attend the meeting of shareholders in this railway, to
be held in London on Monday next, and be authorised
to state, on behalf of the board, that at the special meet-
ing, which will shortly be held for receiving the
report of the committee now sitting to investigate
the Great North of England purchase account, it is the
intention of the directors to propose the appointment of
a committee to undertake a general investigation of the
affairs of the company."
This resolution was signed by Mr. Hudson, the chair-
man of the company.
The CHAIRMAN asked whether the committee was to
be denominated by the directors or the shareholders?
Mr. RICHARDSON replied that the nomination of the
committee would of course rest with the shareholders.
The CHAIRMAN said, under these circumstances be
did not think it prudent to enter into any statement as
to the mismanagement of the concern, which of course
could be only of a one-sided character, but it would be
a pity if so large and respectable a meeting after being
put to the trouble of assembling should separate without
expressing some opinion as to the object of the meeting.
He would, therefore, read to them a' series of resolutions
which had been prepared for submission to the meeting.
They were as follows:-1st. That the prevalent reports
of mismanagement in the affairs of the York, Neivcastle,
and Berwick Company, coupled with the insufficient
statement of accounts furnished by the directors, make it
desirable that a thorough investigation should be male
both into the past management of this company and into
the present state' of its affairs. 2d. That the property
of this company will never bear its proper value in
the market until such- sn investigation has been
made by parties unconnected with the present directors.
3d. That such inquiry will have the twofold advantage
of siler,cing the injurious reports abovementioned, if
groundless, and puffing an end to the mismanagement,
if proved to exist. 4th. That this meeting has heard
with satisfaction this day, that the directors are disposed
to meet the views of the shareholders in respect to the
investigation, which is thought to be essential to the
welfare of the company.
These resolutions were severally proposed and unadi-
mously agreed to, after which thanks were voted to the
Chairman, and the;Eneeting, which was very numerously
attended, broke up.

TATTERSALL'S—THIS EVENING
Six o'CLocx.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STAKES.
2 to 1 agst The Ttirtar
7 to 1 agst Fernhill
8 to 1 agst Loup-garou
9 to 1 agst Westow
14 to 1 agst Giselle
METROPOLITAN HANDICAP.
7 to 1 agst Lugar
12 to 1 agst Can zou
13 to 1 agst Do•the-Boys
15 to 1 agst Peep o' Day Boy
15 to 1 agst The Tartar
16 to 1 agst Surplice
TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS.
3 to 1 agst Honeycomb---taken
3 to 1 agst Nunnykirk
CHESTER CUP.
12 to 1 agst Joe o' Sot
16 to 1 agst Halo
25 to 1 agst Blucher •
25 to 1 agst Cossack

DERBY.
7 to 2 agst Flying Dutchman
6 to 1 agst Tadmor
10 to 1 agst Nunn, kirk—taken

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
(THIS EVENING.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack
nt Five o'clock.
The Earl of CARLISLE presented a petition in favour
of the repeal of the navigation-laws.
TRANSPORTATION TO THE CAPE.
Lord STANLEY asked if the Noble Lord the Secre-'
tart of State for the Colonies hal received any commu-
nication from the colonists of the Cape of Good Hope on
the subjectlof the transportation of convicts to the colony,
and if he had any objection to lay those communications
before the House.
Earl GREY said that he had received a memorial
from the Cape of Good Hope expressing the great ob-
jections of the colonists to the proposed scheme of trans-
portation of convicts to that colony. He held the memo
nal in his hand, and he had no objection to lay it beforp
their Lordships. The memorial had been received since
the:subject had been last alluded to in the House.
OUT-DOOR PAUPERS BILL.
The Earl of CARLISLE moved the second reading
of the Out-door Paupers' Bill. The object of the pre-
sent measure was to give the Poor-law Commissioners
power of visiting and controlling out-door establish-
ments in which pauper children were farmed, and to give
them the same authority for regulating those establish-
ments which they at present possessed for regulating
union workhouses.
After a few words from Lord BEAUMONT, the Bill
was read a second time.
PETITIONS.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a petition
from Cork praying that all private incomes should be
assessed to the poor-rates.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY presented a peti-
tion from Coleraine against the rate in aid.
The Earl of ST. GERMANS presented petitions from
certain landed proprietors praying for protection, or a
re-adjustment of the local burdens, or for a considerable
reduction in the public expenditure.
PALACE COURT.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a copy of
the patent establishing the Palace Court.
POLISH REFUGEES.
The Earl of EGLINTOUN rose to draw the atten-
tion of the House to the charge which appeared in the
estimates, of 8,700/. for the Polish refugees. He ad-
mitted the Spanish refugees, and American Loyalists,
and others, were recipients of the public money; but
these all were voted as for military services
or for losses. The Poles alone were a favoured nation;
they had rendered no service, and yet they received
annually a large, sum, and an additional sum was voted
for medical attendance on these Poles. If our agricul-
turists were contented, and our exchequer overflowing,
it might be .lau,dable, on the same plan on which we
expended millions to put down the slave-trade, to
give the Poles money wherewith to incur disease
and then to pay for curing them ; but our
agriculturists were starving, and our exchequer was
empty, the yeomanry cavalry were deprived of their
allowances, and the army and navy were reduced, and
every plan was adopted to reduce our expenditure. The
great majority of the Polish refugees were lawless and
turbulent, and at the barricades of Paris, at Berlin,
and Vienna, they were to be found revelling
in scenes of anarchy and violence. He hoped this al-
lowance Would cease. The Noble Earl concluded by
moving for a return of Polish refugees receiving assist-
ance from the public funds, and the particular diseases
for which medical assistance had been granted, from
March 1848 to March 1849.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE Was not prepared to
declare, as the Noble Lord wished him to do, that
this country was prepared to depart, from the
principles of charity towards distress, which had
hitherto distinguished the policy of this country.
He must object to giving the names of the recipients of
this grant, and of the diseases under which they laboured.
The Earl of EGLINTON did not wish for the names
but of the diseases.
The aarquis of LANSDOWNE objected equally to
the motion. This grant arose out of the destruction of
a great tuitional existence, which had been lamented by
all foreign nations. The Noble Earl had
stated that certain Poles had misbehaved themselves at
Vietna and Paris; but were we to punish the Poles here,
because some Poles had misbehaved themselves there.
The effect of this grant had been to withdraw the
Poles from political agitation, and he could affirm that
the recipients of this grant had done nothing to for-
feit the sympathy and assistance of the British people.
From the time that during the first French 'revolution
unfortunate persons bad sought refuge on our shores.
all parties had joined in giving to politiCal refugees.
sympathy and assistance, and should be sorry to see that
precedent departed from in the case of the unfortunate
Poles. The greatest care had been taken that none but
proper objects should receive the benefit :of this fund,
and he should be sorry to see it withdrawn.
Lord STANLEY did not understand that his Noble
Friend desired to interfere with the distribution of this,
as a charitable fund; but that he wished to impress
upon the Government the necessity of seeing that the
assistance given was not given to improper persons or
in an improper manner, and that medical assistance
should not be given in cases arising from vice and pro-
fligacy. After the opinion give n by the Noble Marquis
that care should be taken in the administration of this
part
o, hfehis m woulot iond advise his Noble Friend not to press that
. .
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY thought it would
be hard to deprive the present recipients of their allow-
ances, but he hoped that no further names would be
added to the list.
The Earl of EGLINTOUN only wished for numbers,
and not for names.
The motion as amended was agreed to, as we under-
stood.