The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-02 00:00:00

BRANCH).

After a long discussion as to the power of the Company to raise a
aum of money in addition to that for which they had obtained
powers, it was agreed to obtain the opinion of the Attorney-General'
as to whether, " in the event of the sum of 420,000(. being expended,
the Company could raise any, and if any, what further sum?"
'laving thus at length came to an arrangement satisfactory to all
'Denies, the Committee rose at foar o'clock, and adjourned till
Tuesday,

GROUP XXVII.
This Committee met to-day at the usual hour. Sir C. Lemon in
the chair.
'fire business was opened by the Clistamsw asking if any arrange-
ment had been come to between the opposing landowners and the
Promoters of the Bill agreeably to the suggestions thrown out yester-
day by the Committee.
_ Mr. TOWNSEND and Mr. WORDSWORTH said, that ns arrangement
bad been made, but proposals had been received by them as connsel
Tor the landowners , from the counsel on behalf of the promoters, to
Which propositions they could not accede.
This day was again spent, as yesterday was, in discussions and
laminations and cross-examinations of witnesses with regard to
the alleged injuries which the properties in question would sustain
°9l;latrUctlou of the railway. The details, however interesting

to the parties concerned, possess no feature of the slightest interest
to the public.
. ,

,_____.
The Committee eventually decided that the complaints of the
petitioners were matters to be settled by arbitration, as they were
only injuries for which compensation would afford sufficient redress.
The elauses of the Bill were then postponed, and the usual pre-
lim:nary lormal evidence having been given on behalf of the pro-
moters of the

SOUTH MIDLAND,
The Committee adjourned.

GROUP XXX.
This Committee met to-day, shortly after twelve o'clock; present,
Lord Charles Wellesley (chairman), and the other Members of the
Committee.
OZPORD AND CAMBRIDGE.
Mr. Sergeant CLARKE said, before the Committee proceeded fur-
ther with this Bill, he had to mention that an arrangemant was in
progress between the parties which would, he hoped, effectually
prevent further opposition to this Bill. It would, therefore, be de-
sirable to adjourn till Monday next. He could not positively assert
thMr.
REW
at his Learned Friends were to state what the landlords would do.
ANDS, Wit h the other Counsel against the Bill, agreed to
the proposed adjourrunent.
The Climaxes considered that, as they were all unanimous, it
would be the best way to accede to the proposition of the Learned
Counsel.
Mr. Sergeant CLARKE said he would wish to call one or two wit-
nesses, but would not occupy the time of the Committee to any
length.
The Learned Counsel then called and examined,
Mr. Francis Hamilton (magistrate for the county of Hertford),
who stated that he was a large landed proprietor, and resided at
about two miles and a-half from Dunstable. Was well acquainted
with the country through which the railway would pass, and he con-
sidered that would be greatly benefited by the undertaking. His
own immediate neighbourhood would derive considerable advantage.
Cross-examined by Mr. WELLS, for the Aylesbury and Theme
Railway—Could not say exactly that the traffic originating on the
line would produce as much as 60,0001. a year. Believed it would.
Was aware that there waa a line from Bedford to Bletchley ; that
there was one, which had pa. sed through the House, from Bedford to
Huntingdon ; and that there was another also in progress. .

Mr. John Brett, a farmer, examined—Resided at Luton, which
was greatly increased of late years. This was owing to the manu-
facture of straw-plait, which was made in all the towns, including
Baldock, along the line. A railway was particularly desirable
on this account, and he had no doubt the trade in that
manufacture would be considerably augmented. There were from
20,000 to 100,000 sheep brought annually to the east passing through
Luton. The proposed railway would connect a range of the most
important markets on the line. There was also a traffic in corn on
the line. _

Cross-examined by Mr. Wits—Thought that the proposed rail-
way would still have the preference of the railways to which the
Learned Counsel .had alluded. Had no partiality to the Oxford
and Cambridge Railway, except from its superior advantages over
the other contemplated lines.
Mr. E. L. Franklin, examined by Mr. Sergeant CLARKE—Occupied
a large farm, and lived at Ascot. The noblemen and gentlemen who
employed him were most favourable to this line. He considered a
railway from Aylesbury to Theme, and stopping there, would be of
no advantage, as they required a cemmunication further westward,
which would be afforded by the railway before the Committee. This
was the universal epinion in the country.
Cross-examined by Mr. WELLS—Another direct line had been a
favourite with a few. Not being an engineer be could not say
whether a railway of seventy miles in length could be worked with
safety as a single line.
Mr. 11. itoutledge, shopkeeper at Bald°, k, was called, but,
Mr. Sergeant CLARKE said he would net trouble the Committee
with asking him any questions. He woula, however, allow his
Learned Friend to do so.

The witness was then examined by Mr. Wells, but corroborated
the proceeding testimony.
Mr. Sergeant CLARKE said, he would not trouble the Committee
with further evidence on this point.
The CHAIRMAN said, that before they adjourned, he thought it
would be better if they read the report.

. .
The clerk then read the report, after which the Committee ad-
lourned.

GROUP XXXVI.
MALTON AND DRIFFIELD.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)

Mr. BAnsEs proceeded to explain the nature of the project. He
said the object of the Bill was to make a railway from the Scar-
borough branch of the York and North Midland Railway at Norton,
near Malton, to the Bridlington Branch of the Hull and Selby Rail-
way at Drifileld, and a branch from Driffield to Frodingham-bridge.
The length of the main line would be 18 miles 7 furlongs and 2
chains, and the length of the branch 5 miles and 4% chains.
The effect of the line would be to form a communication
between the railways of the North and East Riding of
Yorkshire, by uniting the towns of Malton and Driflleld, and by the
lines made, or in the course of constructim, communications between
those Ridings and the port of Hull. From Mull the course northward
was effected by means of the Bridlington branch of the Hull and
Selby, which was in the course of formation, and would be opened in
a few months, and by the Malton and Thirsk Railway. The esti-
mated expense of constructing the main line and branches would be
240,0001. Colonel Sykes, one of the largest proprietors of land in the
route, and in fact the whole of the landowners, were in favour of the
project. The line had, however, other advantages than those he had
enumerated, as it would afford Mahon and Pickering, and all places
to the north of Malton, direct intercourse with Hull, from which
they received and sent a great deal of produce. It would also give
cheaper coals to those who lived In its vicinity, as the northern coal
would be brought from Durham and Newcastle to Mallon and Drifileld,
which would then be put on the same footing as York in that commodity.
The present communication between Melton and Hull was by the
Wold of the West Riding, making the distance between the two
points 40 miles, so that those going from Hull to Melton had practi-
cally to go round bp York to get to it. There were no engineering
difficulties, and they had but one tunnel of a mile in length, which
would be easily and cheaply made on account of its passing through a
strata of dry chalk. The steepest gradient would be lin 100. The
line was originally opposed by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, same
of whose property at Wetwang, about nine miles from Mallon, would
be intersected, not because they disapproved of the line, but because
its promoters objected to the introduction In the deeds of conveyance
that no bargain should be made by any of their tenants without the
consent of the Commissioners under their common seal. Nothing
was mere reasonable than a proposition of this kind, but
they objected`to the form in which it was originally
proposed, because they wished to have absolute controul
over their tenants in the matter, which would have put them
in a different position to that of other landowners. They agreed to
put them in the ordinary position of landowners, so that they might,
if they considered themselves injured, go to a jury for redress. They
had, however, come to an arrangement, by consenting to introduce a
clause on the subject into their Bill, so that it now virtually appeared
before the Committee as au unopposed Bill.
Mr. C. Copplewaite, vice-chairman of the board of directors at
Mallon, was then examinect—The distance from Malton to Hull,
by Pickering, was 38 miles. The distance, by water- carriage, was
70 miles, and the conveyance of goods generally occupied a week.
Persons travelling from Melton to Hull generally preferred going by
railway through York and Selby, although it was a circuitous route,
as they had to traverse a distance of between GO and 70 miles.
All persons interested in a railway communication through
the district, were In favour of the line. Petitions from Mel-
ton, Driftleld, Thlrsk, Pickering, and other towns and villages
had been presented to the House in its favour. The line would
give facilities for the conveyance of lime from Holderness,
which was of a superior quality, and much used by the farmers for
manure. There were three competing companies, but they had
respectively abandoned their pfojects. At Mallon the price of coals
was 2s. lid. higher than at York ; but If the railway were made, they
could be obtained at Melton at the same price, end the price at other
towns would be proportionably reduced. The line was estimated to
pay eight per cent. He censidered that the line combined great public
and local advantages.

Mr. Alfred Dickens, the assistant engineer to the line, was next
examined—He said the main line would have double rails, but the
branches only a single one, but land sufficient for a double line
throughout would be taken. There were no particular engineering
difficulties to be encountered. There was a tunnel 1.694 yards in
length, but the strata was of the easiest description, and would have
several shafts in it. The steepest gradients were lin 60, but they
could be altered to one in a hundred, and there was sufficient ground
within the limits of deviation for the parpose. The smallest radius
of a curve was two furlongs and one chain hi length. They crossed
one turnpike-road on a level, and fourteen other roads. The estimate
of expense was 240,0001.

The CHAIRMAN then declared that in the opinion of the Committee
the preamble had been proved.
The clauses were then agreed to with amendments, and the Com-
mittee separated.