The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-06 00:00:00

GROUP XXIX.

This Committee re-assembled this morning, in room No. 19.
Present, the Right Hon. H. Labonchere (chairman), Sir J. Duck-
worth, Sir W. Molesworth, Mr. J. A. Smith, aad Colonel Rawdon.
RUGBY AND HUNTINGDON.

The evidence as to the traffic expected by this line from Kettering
in the event of its being constructed, was resumed by Mr. Warren,
counsel for the promoters, calling on
Mr. George Gill, an ironmonger and seedsman, living in Ketter-
ing, who confirmed the evidence as to traffic (which we reported at-
length on Friday last). Witness confined himself chiefly to the great
accommodation it would afford to the inhabitants of Kettering.
Mr. Bryan Smith, a timber merchant, brlckznaksr, &c., confirmed
the Pstimony of the last witness.

Mr. Douglas, the solicitor to the promoters, in the course of his ex-
amination, proved the existence of an agreement entered into between
theepromoters and the Duke of Buccleuch to make certaia deviations
of the proposed line, for the purpose of making a nearer approach to
the town of Kettering, provided the landowners through which the pro-
posed deviati•n would pass would consent, or, if not, that the next
Parliament would consent.
_ _

Mr. AusTIN here made an application to the committee for the
purpose of moving that the Bill do not proceed further, and pro-
ceeded to call their attention to a case where an agreement
had been entered into two sessions ago, between the promwers of
the Coventry and Nuneaton line, and Mr. Newdegate, Member 'or
South Warwickshire covenanting that a portion of that line should
not be constructed, and which agreement was held by the Committee,
by whom the merits of that line were considered to be fatal to the
further progress of that Bill. The present case was an analogous one,
and the same objection would apply
Mr. MACAULAY and Mr. Rawfaxsos followed on the same side,
and the former gentleman read a decision given by Lord Denman in
the ease of Howden v. Simpson, in confirmation of the views of the
case as laid down by Mr. Austin.
Sergeant WRANGHAM, with Mr. WARREN, on the part of the pro-
moters, contended that there was no identity whatever between the
two cases ; and the former gentleman adduced the ease of the com-
petition between the South Western and Great Western Railways
the session before last, when an agreement for a similar deviation,
dependent on the assent of the Duke of Wellington, was not con-
sidered to be fatal to the project of the former Company by the Com-
mittee of the Lords, to whom the rival lines were submitted.

Mr. Atraxix replied, and contended that no answer had been given
to his objection, and that the Committee could not grant powers
which might never be exercised, and which required the subsequent
assent of landowners on the line, and failing that a subsequent appli-
cation to Parliament.

The room was then cleared for the deliberation of the Commit tee.
On our re admission,
The CRAIEMAN announced the decision on the point :—" The
Committe have determined that the promoters of the Bill do pro-
ceed with the case." _

Other witnesses were then examined to show the amount of traffic
which the line would give along the towns on the western extremity.
Formal evidence vas then given as to the stoppages of trains, po-
pulation, returns, &c., when the further consideration of the case was
postponed till to-morrow.
The postponed clauses as to to'is, &c., of. the
RAMEY AND STAMFORD

were then agreed to, and the Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock
to •morrow, when the engineering evidenee of the Rugy vne Hunting-
don line will be proceeded with.

Sub-Committee No. 1.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
WEST LANCASHIRE.

The object of the Bill is to connect Liverpool with the watering
town of Southport. The length of the proposed line_is 17 miles ; the
cost is estimated at 200,0001. The engineers are Mr. Bidder and Mr.
J. Lowe; Messrs. Parkes, Coates, and Co., are the Parliamentary
averts ; and Messrs. Earle and Barry, of Manchester, are the solicitors
to the Bill. _ _ _

Mr. Parrr appeared in support of a petition from five persons, con-
taining the usual allegations as to defects in the plans, sections, and
book of reference.

Dir. COATES, for the promoters, opposed the reception of the peti-
tion, on the ground that four of the petitioners had presented to the
House a counter-petition for leave to withdraw their names from
that which Mr. Pritt now proposed to press upon the Committee,
the fifth petitioner, Mr. Johnson, the solicitor to an adverse railway
company, not being an owner or occupier of land within the limits of
deviation, nor otherwise having any interest which could entitle him
to be heard against the Bill.

After some lengthened discussion the room was cleared, and the
Committee deliberated.

On the re-admission of the parties,
The CHAIRMAN announced that the Committee decided to hear the
petitioner, and

Mr. Pairr proceeded with the allegations.

After hearing evidence in support of the petition, the allegatiols
were sustained in several instances, and the standing orders were
declared not complied with.
The Committee then proceeded with the case of the
SOUTH DEVON (No. XL)

The object of this Bill is to authorise certain alterations in, and
extensions of, the South Devon Ra Tway, and the formation of
branches therefrom to Tavistock, Brixharn, Kingswear, and several
other places. . . _

There are in all seven branches of lengths varying from fifteen to
twenty miles. The engineer is Mr. Brunel ; the agents are Messrs.
Burke, Pritt, Venables, and Co. ; the solicitors are Messrs. Howe
and Hunt, of Whitehall, London; Messrs. Whiteford, Ilervito, and
Tucker, of Plymouth; and Messrs. Button and Kennaway, of
Exeter.

The formal evidence having been gone through,
Mr. I'ARKES appeared to support the petitions of the Rev.'Mr.
Searle and Mr. Watts.

The allegations were not sustained.
In consequence of the absence of witnesses on the part of the pro-
moters, the further consideration of the case was postponed till to-
morrow morning.
The Committee then proceeded with the consideration of the