The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-03 00:00:00

LYME REGIS.

The Lyme Regis Election Committee re-assembled at
the usual hour yesterday; Lord Ashley in the chair.
Mr. John Swan Hook, the Mayor of Lyme Regis, the
party to whom Mrs. Lavers alluded when she stated that
a gentleman offered her 751. to induce her husband
to vote for Sir Fitzroy Kelly, was called
this morning, and declared most positively that
the evidence of Mrs. Lavers was not correct.
He was not the Mayor at the time of the election. He
remembered calling upon Mr. Lavers to solicit his vote,
but no conversation relating to bribery in any way took
place. Two other witnesses on the other side spoke to
the present witness having bribed and treated them, but
the witness denied all knowledge of the circumstances.
Mr. Goddard, wine-merchant, of Lyme, confirmed the
statement of the Mayor, so far as it related to Sellers
and Alban Layers, and denied most positively that he
attempted to corrupt voters during the last election.
Mr. Cartwright, of Lyme, was next called, but being
one of the recognisances for promoting the petition, his
evidence was not admissible.

Mr. James Templer, solicitor, of Eridport, who was
haid to have bribed a voter named George, denied that
he had done so, adding that he never saw George but
once in his life, and then it was under strange circum-
stances. He was driving in a carriage with Sir Fitzroy
Kelly, a day or two before the election, when a person
who he afterwards ascertained was George, jumped
upon the step of the carriage and tapped at the window.
He rode in this position a long distance, vociferating,
"Kelly for ever."
James Bridles, an elector at Lyme, who had been
proved to have received a sum of money from Mr,
Hook, the mayor, just before the election to purchase a
horse, explained the transactien by stating that he had
long had dealings with that gentleman, who generally
purchased the produce of the witness's farm, and
whenever he wanted money he drew it from Mr. Hooke
on account. The money he received before the election
was partly due to him.

The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow, at
eleven o'clock.

SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY.

The twenty-third half yearly general meeting of this
company was held yesterday afternoon, at the Bridge
House Hotel, London-bridge.
James Macgregor, Esq., chairman, presided.
The report stated that the account.: of the company
for the half-year ending on the 31st January, 1848,
showed that the receipts amounted to 251,615/. 143. 6d.;
that the working expenses had been 70,7351. 2s. 1 Id.;
the lent of the Greenwich Railway and of the Whit-
stable Railway, 20,7121. 10s.; the rates, Government
duty. and toll of the Croydon Railway, 32,3721. 1 ls. 2d.;
making the expenditure on revenue account, 123,820/.
4s. Id. The balance carried to the account of profit
and loss was 127,7951. 103. 5d., and that account showed
an amount at the disposal of the proprietors of 106,862/.
10s. sd. The comparative statement of passengers traffic
on the South• Eastern Railway for the half years ending
on the 91st of January, 1847, and 31st of January,
1848, showed an increase of 104.761 passengers,
amounting in money to 7,1331. 4s. Bd. The Greenwich
branch showed also an increase of 49,387 passengers.
amounting to 1,0371.125. 7d. The merchandise department
had yielded 45,200/.45. Id. during the last half year a gaiust
39,3471 16s. Bd. in the corresponding half-year of 1847,
showing an increase of 5,8521. 7s. sd. The directors,
after great consideration, had determined not to proceed
with the Bills promoted by the company in the last ses-
sion of Parliament, a decision which in the present ex-
traordinary times would no doubt have the approbration
of the proprietors. The accounts showed that
533,963/. 3s. 3d. had been paid during the last half-
sear on construction account, and, in addition, mort-
gages and loan notes to the amount of 144,8001.
had been paid off, reducing to that extent the
mortgage debt of the company. The directors had
not felt justified in urging on the works at a great
speed, being only too sensible of the severity of the calls.
The negotiations with the. Brighton Company had ter-
minated in an agreement which would be advantageous
to both companies, would relieve both companies of
toll, would terminate a claim of the South-Eastern
Company on the Brighton Company for 25,0001. towards
the construction of the third line on the Greenwich
Railway, and would arrange for providing ample accom-
modation for the Brighton Company's goods traffic at
the Bricklayers' Arms terminus. The increase in the
number of passengers and the steam-ships of the South-
Eastern and Continental Steam Navigation Company
between Folkestone and Boulogne was 1,988 over the
preceding half year. The directors had been assured
that the railway throughout Irons Paris to Boulogne
could be opened on the 15th instant, and everything had
been prepared accordingly. The directors whose term
in office expired were Mr. James Macgregor, Mr. Robert
Browne, and Mr. William Gordon Thomson, who were
eligible for re-election.
The engineer's report stated with reference to the
North Kent line that the widening of the Greenwich
Railway between the Croydon Junction and the London
station was nearly completed, and the permanent way
had been laid. The widening of the substructure of the
London station might be completed in two months if the
remaining land was obtained. In the Blackheath
Tunnel, which measured the time of opening to Wool-
wich, very tatisatetory progress has been made.
On the Tunbridge Wells and Hastings line
the Grove tunnel, with the entrance, was completed
and ready for the permanent way; the cost being 351.
per yard forward. In the Wadhurst tunnel the shafts
were down, and about two thirds of the large waggon
road heading complete. On the Ashford and Hastings line
tke first contract, extending from Ashford to Rye, the
portion to Appledore, a distance of eight miles, where
the only excavations occurred, was complete, and the
ballasting in progress; the remainder of the line (7k
miles) to the town of Rye, might be completed in three
months. The shafts and heading of the St. Leonards
and Hastings tunnel had advanced slowly since the last
report.
The CHAIRMAN then rose and said it was scarcely
necessary for him to remark that the last half year was one
of great embarrassment and difficulty to the commercial
community, but more especially to the railway interest.
The present Government, he regretted, had taken office
with an unaccountable prejudice against railway
companies, instead of fostering the industry
which it was apparent they were the means
of creating—(Hear, hear)—and an endeavour was
made to fix disgrace upon those who had the manage-
ment of railway undertakings. He thought, however,
the Government might have been much better
employed than in devising unjust and stringent
measures with regard to the bye laws and other petty
arrangements of companies in which scores of millions
of money had been invested. There seemed to be very
little regard for the protection of railway property, and
that being the case, they must now protect themselves.
After alluding to the charges which had been made
against railway companies, that their statements of ac-
counts were falsified, and did not present a true picture
of their financial affairs, and which he denied.
he stated that the expenses for the last half
year had been considerably increased by the
Gravesend and Rochester branch, and also, in conse-
quence of a considerable increase in the amount of rates
and taxes as compared with the last half-year. They
were, however, determined to resist to their utmost the
extra demand for rates and taxes, which they considered
unwarranted.—(ffear, hear.) The agreement which had
been entered into with the Brighton Company would be
equally beneficial to both companies, and he trusted
would receive the sanction of the proprietors. The dis-
posable balance in the hands of the company would ena-
ble them to deClare a dividend of 21s per share upon the
paid up shares, 13s. sd. on No. 1 shares, and
10s. Bd. on No. 2 shares.—(Loud cheers.) A
balance would be also left to the credit side of the
profit and loss account of 6,8291. 3s. 9d.—(Cheers.)
'rho Chairman then concluded by moving that the report
be received, adopted, and circulated among the pro-
prietors.
In answer to a question, the CHAIRMAN said that the
salaries of the company's officers were extremely mo-
derate, and that no company in Great Britain could be
managed more economically. The secretary, who was
the principal officer, only received a salary of 400/. a
year, and the others were paid at an equally moderate
rate.

The motion having been seconded, was carried unani-
mously.
A resolution was then passed directing the payment
of the dividend mentioned by the chairman, on the 22d
inst.; also another, requesting the directors to carry out
the arrangements entered into with the Brighton Com-
pany.
The gentlemen who had been appointed by the
directors to fill the vacancies in the board were ap-
proved of, and the following gentlemen, who retired by
rotation, were re-elected :—James Macgregor, Esq.,
Robert Browne, Esq., and Win. Gordon Thomson, Esq.
It was resolved that a sum of 8,2691. 6s. Id. due to
the company, which had been remitted to a proprietor
in 1841, but had been since paid by him, should be
placed to the profit and lose account.
A vote of thanks was then passed to the Chairman
and directors, and the meeting separated.

Yesterday an inquest was held by Mr. Bedford, at
St. George's Hospital, concerning the death of Richard
Wallis, aged 34, an engine•cleaner on the Great Western
Railway. It appeared that on Saturday morning, the
12th ult., the deceased was at work under an engine at
the terminus at Paddington, when the engine of the
half-past eight o'clock train was going out of the place,
and the whistle was sounded. The deceased, in getting
from under, fell down, and his leg went across the rails.
The engine had got into motion, and the training-wheel
ran up the calf of his leg. This was a minute and a
half after the whistle, so that be had ample time to get
out. The engine was instantly stopped, and he was re-
leased and conveyed in a cab to the hospital, where it
was found he had a compound fracture of the right leg,
and great laceration up it. The limb was amputated,
but he sunk, and died on Wednesday. Verdict, "Acci-
dental death."