The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-25 00:00:00

THE NEW RAILWAY ACT.

The Aet to give further time for making certain
railways (11th of Victoria, cap. 3) has just been
printed. It came into operation on Monday when it
received the Royal Assent. Various alterations have
been made in the measure since it was noticed in The
Sun on its introduction. The preamble states that
divers Acts of Parliament have been passed for making
rail ways, and in such Acts respectively certain periods
of time are limited, within which only the powers
thereby granted, whether for making the railway or
for the compulsory purchase of the lands therein re-
ferred to, could be lawfully exercised, and that it is
expedient in certain cases to grant further time for
the purposes mentioned. It is now enacted, that
if any railway company desire that the period
limited by the Act or Acts passed should
be extended, they may within two months
after the passing of the Act (on the 20th of December
instant) make application in writing to the Commis-
sioners of Railways, setting forth what extension of
time is desired, and to what part of the railway or
the works or lands connected therewith the same is
intended to apply, and the grounds on which such
application is made. The Commissioners may re-
quire a company so applying to give notice of the
application by advertisement in the London Gazette,
in a newspaper, and on the dour of the parish church
in which the railway works or land are
situated, and objectors may make their com-
plaints before the Commissioners. On proof
that notice has been given, and after hear •
ing any objections, the Commissioners may
extend the time for a period not exceeding two years
from the expiration of the period allowed by the Acts
already passed. Existing contracts and notices to take
lands are to be construed as if the Act had not passed.
Within a month after the warrant to extend the time

is granted, the same is to be advertised, and parties
aggrieved by such extension may have awarded to
them compensation for additional damage (if any)
sustained by such extension of time being granted.
The principal alterations in the measure have been
made in the eighth and two following provisions. It
is now declared that no railway company authorised
to construct a railway or any works connected with a
railway who had not before the 27th of November
last executed any part of the works, or entered into
any contract or agreement for the execution of any
part of the works which they were for the first
time authorised by such Act to construct, shall within

2 months after the passing of the Act enter into any
contract or agreement for the execution of any works
so for the first time authorised by such Act, and
also contracts and agreements for the construction of
such other works as the company shall be authorised
to proceed in constructing by the consent of the
holders of three-fifths of the shares or stock held by
such of the shareholders of such company as shall
signify their assent thereto or dissent therefrom
within the time and in the manner mentioned in
the Act, or as they shall be authorised to proceed in
constructing by an order of the Commissioners, Only
advertised, and all contracts and agreements entered
into in contravention of the enactment " shall be ut-
terly void and of no effect." In order to ascertain the
opinion of the shareholders to the making of con-
tracts for new works, it is provided that a general meet-
ing shall be held within six weeks after the passing
of the Act, of which public notice shall be given by
advertisement, and a circular letter sent to the share-
holders, stating that a general meeting will be held
for the purpose of determining whether a contract
for executing such works shall be entered into or not
within the twelvemonths next after the passing of
,
the Act, and requesting such shareholder to signify
his assent or dissent in the form prescribed byli therman
schedule of the Act. At the meeting, the
chairman
shall cast up the number or amount
therefrom,
res or
o
stock held by shareholders dissenting
whe-
ther sent or expressed at the meeting,
and such chair-
man the numlier
,shall thereupon publicly
announce
or amount of shares or stock of the shareholders as-
senting to the making of such contract, and the num-
ber or amount those of the shares or stock of
dis-
senting
therefrom, and shall state whether or not the
holders of three-fifths of the whole of such shares or
stock consent to the making of such contract. In
order to assent or dissent, a shareholder must have
paid
the " calls" on the shares. The chairman is to
sie:n a certificate respecting the meeting, which is to
be deposited, countersigned by the secretary of a e
company, in the office of the Commissioners of Rail-
ways, within one week after holding the meeting;
and such certificate, or a copy certified, shall be
received as evidence in all courts, and before all •
jll3-