The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-30 00:00:00

CORNWALL RAILWAY.

The half-yearly general meeting of the shareholders
in this company was held at Truro on Saturday.
Mr. J. 'l'. Treffery, chairman of the board of directors,
presided.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, re-
marked that the directors had deemed it expedient, for
the present, to suspend all works upon the line; this
step was rendered necessary in consequence of the diffi-
culties of obtaining money without paving an exorbitant
rate of interest, a course which the directors conceived
not to be warranted in the present condition of railway
property.
Mr. BoND, the secretary, then read the report, which
stated that " the directors of the Great Western, Bristol
and Exeter, and South Devon Companies had withdrawn
the Bill empowering them to contribute additional capi-
tal to this company, in consequence of the depressed
sate of the money market; the directors had deemed
it right to give directions fur the suspension of all fur-
ther operations by the contractors for the present. The
laud for seven miles and a quarter of the line had
been purchased, and satisfactory progress made in the
works which hael been under construction. Measures
were about to be adopted for the enforcement of calls
now due, and it was anticipated that the amount arising
from this source would, with the balance in hand, be
sufficient to cover outstanding liabilities. The directors,
since March last, have declined to receive the sum voted
to them. They hope shortly to prosecute the works
with renovated vigour." Appended to the report was
the balance-sheet of the company, from which it ap-
p,ared that the total receipts up to the present time were
193,995 L, and the expenditure 173,65 V., leaving a
balance in hand of .20,340/.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
said he was to happy to inform the meeting that all fur-
ther opposition to the Cornwall Central Line had been
rendered unnecessary by the withdrawal of that scheme;
that opposition, however, had cast the company up to the
present time nearly 100,0001
In answer to a question from a SHAREHOLDER,
The CHAIRMAN said, that to continue to carry out
the works on the most moderate scale, it would be neces-
sary to keep an engineering and office staff almost as ex-
pensive as would Co required if the works were prose-
cuted with the greatest ardour and speed ; and that
therefore it had been thought the most prudent and the
most economical course to suspend the contractors' op.
rations altogether with one or two trifling exceptions.
The report was then adopted.
. .

Mr. GOB would be glad to know if there were any
other liabilities beyond what might be met by the
20,0001. in hand?
The CHAIRMAN observed that the accounts were made
up to the oth of June, since which period fresh liabili-
ties had been incurred; but he had no doubt that the
balance in hand and the arrears on calls would be suffi-
cient to meet all liabilities.

Mr. CortzEn wished to know what amount was due
cn call‘?

Mr. BOND said, the arrears amounted to 22,0001.,
namely, on 5,534 shares and 4,314 half-shares.
Mr. COTMER—Up to the 30th of June?
Mr. BOND—No; up to the present time.
Mr. TWEEDY, a director, said, the solicitor had writ-
ten to those who had not paid up on their shares, and
that further step.; would be taken if such a course should
be deemed expedient.
After some business of minor importance had been
transacted, a vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the
business of the meeting.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.
BRISTOL, Aim 29.
, _

STOCK EXCHANGE.—This being settling day, but little
actual business in shares was done. There were a good many
inquiries for different descriptions of stock; holders were,
however, unwilling to sell, anticipating better prices.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Twelve o'clock.
Sir H. WILLOUGHBY presented a petition ogains
the Savings Banks Bill.
POST HORSE LICENSES BILL.
This Bill was read a third time and passed.
LOCK-UP HOUSES BILL.
This Bill was read a third time and passed.
SPIRITS (DEALERS IN) BILL.
This Bill was read a third time and passed.
REVIEW OF THE SESSION.
The Distilling from Sugar Bill was read a third time.
On the question that the Bill do pass,
Mr. DISRAELI rose and said—Sir, I take this oc-
casion, because I think it the best and most convenient
to the House, to make some observations upon the
conduct of public business this session, and to lay before
Hon. Members the reasons which render it ex-
pedient that the House should not separate without
offering some opinion upon that subject.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir, whatever may be the merits or demerits of this
session of Parliament, there attaches to it by general
consent, one characteristic, namely, that it has been a
session of unexampled duration. There is, however, an
impression very prevalent, that its efficiency has not
been commensurate with the:period of its existence.—
(Cheers, and laughter.) Sir, it is said that after having
sat, now nearly ten months, after having laboured with
unusual assiduity—for that has not been questioned—
Parliument is about to be prorogued with a vast
number of projects of legislation of great inte-
rest and value not passed, and many of them
little advanced while the subjects which have been re-
commended to our consideration in the speech from the
Throne have not even been dealt with by the House in
the way it was contemplated when we first met.
Tnere is more than one reason that is usually
offered to account for this unsatisfactory state of
agairs. An unsatisfactory state of affairs lam sure
ull Gentlemen will agree it really is, because it amounts,
in fact, to the encouragemenn—if the reasons be true—to
a very great public evil, namely, that our system of Go-
vernment is inadequate to pass those measures that
are required for the public welfare. One of the most
popular causes which is assigned fur this unsatisfactory
state of things—the existence of this great evil—is that
there is too much discussion in the House of Commons
—that too many speeches are made, and too much talk
indulged in.—(Cheers.) Sir, this is en imputation that
has been heard of before this session of Parliament. It
was not so popular, but it was an accusation prevalent
during the last session—during the last session of the
last Parliament. I think it was first urged as an objection
to our conduct of public business, by the members of
the Manchester School, and it has been brought forward
Ithis session by their distinguished leader, in a most
formal and precise manner. That Hon. Gt nticnian the
Member for the West Riding has even acknowledged
to the House that, as far as he is concerned, so sensible
! is he of the evil of prolonged discussion in the House of
Commons, that he would consent, though opposed to all
tariff's, to a sort-of rhetorical tariff—(Hear, and
laughter)—and that, for his part, but not speak•
ing for his friends, he has no objection that
the time allotted to him for addressing the
house should be settled by standing order.—(Hear,
hear.) That is unfortunately a popular idea, and it
may be a good suggestion, only I would remind the
House that it is only very recently that this inconve-
nience of prolonged discussion has been experienced by
the Hon. Member for the West Riding, and the sup•
porters of his party.—(Hear, hear.) There certainly
was a time not very distant, indeed, being only a few
years ago, when I do not think that the Hon. Member
for the West Riding would haie been satisfied with the
limited period of time he would have allowed him by the
House for addressing us. I have listened to a great
many very lengthened and able addresses from the Hon.
Gentleman and his Friends, most of them extending to a
period that he does not seem to approve of now. So far
from his thinking that there was too much discussion then,
the lion. Gentleman and his friends were not so satisfied
with the time allowed them for discussion as to prevent
them from building hustings and hiring theatres to
continue their talk, feeling no doubt that the House of
Commons did not offer sufficient opportunities for the
discussion of those great questions, and the advance-
ment of those great political views which they wished
to press upon public opinion. (Cheers.) There is
another cause that has been alleged for the unsatisfac.
tory state of public business, and that the forms of this
House, theconstitulion of this House arc now pronounced
to be cumbersome and intricate, and form a great obstacle
and barrier to the efficient and satisfactory and speedy
transaction of public business. This is the view
of the case that is, I believe, principally relied upon by
her Majesty's . Government. Her Majesty's Govern-
ment have on several cccasiona objected, or rather de-
plored that the forms of the House have enabled Hon.
Members to delay the progress of measures, and
at the close of this dying session Government
have obtained a Committee to inquire into the modes
of conducting public business, of which Committee I am
an humble member, and you, Sir, are a distinguished
member.—(Cheers.) Therefore, I apprehend the ap-
pointment of this Committee renders it clear that her
Majesty's Government consider that the forms of this
House present a cause for the unsatisfactory state of
our affairs, which every one deplores.—(Hear, hear.)
At the same time it is clear her Majesty's Government
by no means withhold their acquiescence from the
other cause which has been alleged by the
lion. Member for the West Riding and his friends.
The Noble Lord the First Minister, and other members
of the Government, have on several occasions depre-
cated this propensity for discussion, which had been
considered to form an obstacle ,to the transaction of
public business. They have often called upon Hon.
Members not to make speeches, hut to inquire into the
merits of questionable measures; but still they attribute
the delays in the progress of public business to the
cumbersome and intricate forms of the House,
while they at the same time do not object to
accept the other cause brought forward by the Hon.
Member for the West Riding, namely, the propensity
for discussion, which led to much waste of time, which
was the cause of public business being so tardily ad-
vanced. The first charge has been openly stated sad
adopted by Government; but it is clear that they con-
sider the propensity for discussion as the real cause of
the present unsatisfactory state of public affairs, because
I have observed in an official paper a paragraph which
seems to encourage that view of the question.—(Hear,
hear.) It is not the London Gazette. —(Laughter.)
But I will show to the House that it is a
paper to which are entrusted the Government secrets,
and in which there appears information far more in-
teresting and important than ever appeared in the
London Cavite. I copied this paragraph—it is an
official paragraph—from a journal I consider, and will
consider, to be the only official journal—a journal which
circulates all the secrets of the Cabinet the moment they
are known —a journal that announces every appointment
from the Ambassador to the French Republic down to
the last gauger of Excise—(Hear, hear, and laughter)—
I read in this journal, on Sunday week, the following
official announcement, which I think proves that Mi-
nisters, although by the appointment of this Committee,
show they are of opinion that the forms of the House are
the cause of the evils, still adopt the opinion taken by
the Hon. Member for the West Riding and his friends.
The paragraph commences—" We have authority to
state"--but if this is forgery it will be open to the
Treasury benches to contradict it—" We have authority
to state that the fish dinner"—(Loud laughter)—" that
was fixed for the 16th is postponed till the 25th. This
postponement is occasioned by the vexatious discussions
in the House of Consmons.—(Laughter.) We have,
however, authority to state that the fish dinner
will positively take place on the 25th instant." Now, I
SaturdayWsupepdonseesday
willb
eNv
the
et
digestion.—(Hear,
ieges tdinnerion._d ?PH oe
af
rt,haen
d session,
laughter.) a nd
dentto
Governmenta
It is quitem-calenar,llowing for the timidity naturally inci-
dent whohms lost his dinner, that the feeling of
.3 that there is too much discussion in
the House of Commons. I value this alight means of
obtaining the truth moth
announcement of the Lo more
Lord
himself,t ha than
evenlt tibeeo official
only t e

(Laughter) and immediately everybody be-
comes as gay, and as cheerful, and as easy
as can possibly be imagined—the panic and depression
both disappear, and everybody returns to his business,
and to his music and macaroni.—(Great laughter.) In