The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-06 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

YORK, NEWCASTLE, AND BERWICK.
On Thursday the adjourned meetings of this com-
pany were held at York. There was only a small
attendance of shareholders, as a notification had been
given that the business would he merely formal. The
Lord Mayor of York presided.
The first business was to adjourn again the
meeting of the 4th of May last, which had been ad-
journed from time to time.
Mr. CLOSE, the secretary, having read the notice,
The CHAIRMAN said, owing to circumstances over
which the committee had no control, they were un-
able to present their final report to this meeting.
They would, however, in the course of Friday or
Saturday issue an intermediate one, relating to the
election of a board of directors and the future ma-
nagement of the company. In that report the share-
holders would have certain important questions
mooted, which he hoped they would carefully consider
against the next meeting, which was proposed to be
held on the 25th instant. _ _ _

Mr. LovE then moved that this meeting be further
adjourned to the 25th of this month, to take place at
half-past eleven A.M.
Mr. BARSTOW, of Nunthorpe, seconded the motion,
and it was carried.

The LORD MAYOR having signified his inability to
remain longer,
Mr. Love was called upon to preside over the ad-
journed extraordinary meeting.
The formal opening thereof having taken place,
Mr. PLEWS moved that it be further adjourned to
the 25th instant, at a quarter to twelve.
This motion was also seconded, and carried.
The CHAIRMAN next proceeded to the adjournment
of the half-yearly meeting. He said it was proposed
that this meeting be adjourned to the 25th instant for
the purpose of enabling the committee to make their
final report, and also to present the report of the
accounts for the half-year. These accounts, he un-
derstood, would be ready for the committee to-day,
and they would then give them that consideration
which their importance demanded.
Mr. Alderman MATTERSON proposed the resolution
for the adjournment of the meeting, which was se-
conded by Mr. RAMSEY.
Mr. T. GRAY, of Newcastle, said, in the last report
of the committee an alteration in the fares of this com-
pany was suggested, and since then alterations had
been made, and were now acted upon. In the north
part of the line the alterations had given general satis-
faction, and it was the impression there that the com-
pany would suffer considerable loss by the changes
which had been made. Would the chairman explain
the circumstances which had led to the changes ?
Mr. APLAREN, one of the committee, thought it
would be satisfactory for the public to know that
there were important alterations on the main trunk
line from York to Berwick, whilst there were altera-
tions on the minor branches and the market trains.
The circumstances were these :—The fares were not
the same all over the line. At the Berwick end they
were very considerably lower than the York end. At
the Berwick end the second-class fare was at the
rate of lid. per mile ; at the York end at the rate
of 2d. per mile. At the Berwick end third class
ld., but ltd. at York. And whilst the first-class
at the Berwick end was 24d., it was 31. at the
York end. The railway being one, and being placed
throughout in the same circumstances as to dividend,
&c., it seemed to the directors contrary both to prin-
ciple and expediency that there should be so great a
difference in the rate of charging, and therefore they
altered them all over the line. So far as Newcastle
and York were concerned, the reduction was from
20s. to 16s. 6d. for first- class, whilst at the Berwick
end there would be a difference of about ls. Then
as to the second class, at the Berwick end the rates
had been raised from lid. to 2d., and the third class
from ld. to lid. The object in reducing the first-
class fares, whilst they kept the second class at
the Parliamentary maximum, was to secure a
larger number of first-classs passengers. His
observation of the average number of first-
class passengers gave this result :—By the train
leaving Berwick at eight o'clock he had observed, on an
average, three first-class and a dozen second-class ; but
since the alteration on two occasions, he had observed
12 first-class and 10 second-class passengers. Thus,
as far as they could draw a general opinion from one
fact, they found that the alteration had been decidedly
beneficial. The committee thought the change was
on a sound principle ; but, unfortunately, the clear-
ing-house had not given effect to the change, for until
yesterday (Wednesday), at the North British, they
were charging on the old principle. When the
changes have had a fair trial he thought they would
Le found to be very beneficial.—(Bear.) Then as to
the market-trains, the fares for which had been raised
to one fare and a half, so that instead of some parts
of the line being charged double, they were now
equalized throughout at one fare and a half. This
was, however, a subject which would receive further
attention from the board. His opinion was, that the
increased rates, whilst they would increase the revenue
of the company, would not press hardly upon any one.
Increased fares naturally lead to irritation, and the
committee were not at all surprised that in some quar-
ters the public should he irritated. It seemed to them
that if they could not revise the fares the chances of
receiving a large dividend would be small indeed.
They were running trains from Newcastle to South
Shields at a halfpenny per mile, but then they had
the river steam-boats to compete with. Then, as to
the increased fares from Newcastle to Sunderland, he
thought the complaints were made unjustly. The
distance between these two places is eleven miles.
By the rule now laid down first-class passengers
were charged 2s. 9d. for eleven miles, but in this
case they were only charged is. Bd. For second-
class the charge would be ls. 10d., but be-
tween these two places they were only chared
is. 4d. ; by the third class the fare was only 93., whitsnt
on other parts of the line the charge would be erlienvnei.
times lid. He thought that when these P
ciples were considered, they wouldtcsneme thatpia in. the
Ipleeoepxle•
of that locality had no righter to
plained, however, that if aftey a trial these alterations
were found to militate against the
interests of the
company, the hoard would not be against re-altering
them.
Mr. RAMSEY asked if they were to thank the Hon.
Member ,for Sunderland for allowing the people of
that town to travel cheaper than other persons ?
Mr. AFL/mere did not know whom they were to
thank, but such was the fact.
After a short conversation,
Mr. GRAY observed, the question he had asked had
elicited remarks which had given him considerable
satisfaction; but still he had his doubts whether the
changes would be beneficial.
Mr. LEEMAN, secretary to the committee, said the
time had now come when railway companies must
apply to Parliament for power to lay increased rates
of travelling, He believed that next session of Par-
liament a general application would be made to the
Legislature, and it appeared to him that the public