The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-29 00:00:00

GROUP XXX,

This Committee met today fOi the first time, in room 23, in the
new Houses of Parliament. Members present, Lord Charles Wel-
lesley (chairman), Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, Mr. H. J. Balllle, Mr.
Carew, and Mr. Floyel.

The following Bills are referred to this group :—Aylesbury and
Thame Junction ; Cambridge and Oxford ; Midland and Eastern
Counties; Northampton and Bedford; Buckinghamshire (Oxford to
Bletchley).

The list of Bills, with the petitions in reference to them, having
been read, and the appearances put in, the Committee proceeded to
consider the merits of the Bills.

The first Bill taken was the Cambridge and Oxford Railway. Mr.
Sergeant Clarke appeared on behalf of the promoters. This scheme
is opposed by the Buckinghamshire (Oxford and Rletchley), for whom
Mr. liildyard and Mr. Lang appeared.
C/lIVIER.IDGE AND OXFORD.

The returns of this scheme required by the resolutions of Mr.
Duncombe having been put in,

Mr. Sergeant CLARKE opened the case on behalf of the promoters.
He said that the present was not one of these airy schemes that
sprang up at a period when all England was filled with
railway projects. It was projected in January last,
and at its head were the most respectable names, which
would be a sufficient guarantee for its importance.
There were one hundred provisional directors, who, with the excep-
tion of six, were all locally interested in the land through which the
line would pass. Indeed the annals of Parliament did not afford record
of a Bill that came before a Committee under more favoura-
ble circumstances. Coming to the local advantages that
the railway would afford, they would perceive they were
of the highest order. It would afford a communication with
the eastern and western parts of the country, and yield increased
facility for the transport, of troops. It would also have the effect of
reducing the high price of coals in the district, and thereby enable
the inhabitants to compete with other places in the malting trade.
The counties through which this railway passed grazed a great num-
ber of cattle, and it was well known that it was most important for
a grazing country to have a railway passing through the district.
Those were the general advantages of the line, which the evidence
would establish.
The witnesses not being in attendance, the further consideration of
the Bill was postponed till to-morrow at twelve o'clock.
The Committee then adjourned.

The Committee to whamGROUP XXXVI.
this group of Bills have been referred, met this morning shortly after one o'clock. The Members are—Mr.
Bernal (Chairman), Mr. Mangles, Hon. W. Bagot, Col. Conolly,
and Viscount Somerton.
The following is the list of Bills submitted for their consideration:-
1. Wakefield, Pontefract, and Goole, and Port, &c., of Goole.
2. Goole and Doncaster.
3. Wakefield, Pontefract, and Goole (Methley, Askerne, and
Oakenshaw Branches).
4. Buil and Barnsley Junction.
5. York and North Midland (East Riding Branches).
6. Mahon and Driffield Junction.
7. Newcastle and Darlington Junction (Thirsk and Melton
Branches).
The first Bill in the list being unopposed was referred to Mr.
Greene, the Chairman of Committees, there being no petition
against it.
The second Bill (which was unopposed) was deferred, it not being
yet passed the Standing Orders' Committee. There was a petition
against it, but no one appeared to support it.
No. 3 was also postponed on account of the opposition of the pro-
prietors of land not being ready.
No. 4 was not taken on account of its having been thrown out by
the Standing Orders' Committee.
Na parties appeared for No. 5. There was a petition against No.
2 branch, but no one appeared to support it.
No. 6 was postponed till Friday.
WAHEFILLD, PONTEFRACT, AND GOOLE
(mBTHLEY, Asxrativ, AND OAHENSHAW
BRANCHES).

The Committee intimated their intention of first proceeding with
this Bill.
The usual formal proofs having been given,
Mr. LEMON, the agent for the Bill, stated that it was not until
within the last hour that the promoters had been informed that
they would have to encounter opposition to their project, which
thecoin.
Com-
mittee, state the nature of the line. In the last session employing
they had heretofore reason to believe would be unopposed.
theyhthadeapbesnntainisesdionfroomf
counsel,
Labouring
therefore,anudnhdeershthoißsldpssireon,
with n
of Parlia-
ment a Bill was passed for making a railway from Wakefield,
through Pontefract, to Goole, on the Ouse. The branch which
they ought to make was proposed to form a janction with the Hull
and Selby Railway, shortly after leaving Doncaster, and would
proceed in nearly a direct Rae to Knottingley, on the Wakefield and
Goole, and would, therefore, by the aid of the Methley branch, form
this line to the Midland Railway, and afford the most direct commu-
nication from Doncaster and the eastern parts of England to Leeds,
and the north-west of England.
Askerne was a favourite watering-place of the middle manufac-
turers of the West Riding of Yorkshire. By the London and York
and their line, Carlisle and the towns of the north would be six
miles nearer than by the present railway conveyance. Persons
coming to Wakefield by the North Midland had to proceed to the
Normanton station, and to retrace a great portion of their journey,
in order to reach that town, but they proposes! a branch of a quarter
of a mile in length to the Midland, to obviate this inconvenience.
Mr. CAnitow opposed the Methley branch on behalf of certain inha-
bitants of Pontefract, who had petitioned against it, on account of
its passing through the park and race-course belonging to the town;
by which the inhabitants would be deprived of a means of enjoyment
which they bad possessed from time immemorial, and because this
might be obviated by a slight deviation of the line.
Mr. LEMON said the park had not been used for a race-course for
tee years, and as it was situated In a low swamp, he was justified in
saying that the people of Pontefract did not wish to retain it for the
purchase ten acres of land in a higher and m
purpose of recreation. Besides the railwaytown,andcontiguouslieu
oorfectoilleptasawna3lii it pphraoriptto oswefdo till doe
be necessary to take for the purpose of the railway, which had been
agreed to by the trustees, and the company had purchased the ten
acres of land, and were ready to lay it out for the purpose of a park,
and further to subject the land which they required Mr the
line to the payment of land-tax, poor-rates, &c., which would bring the
town about 701. a year. It was not, however, until another linefrom
Doncaster to Pontefract was proposed, that the trustees, thirty-six
in number, seemed desirous to get rid f
the arrangements which the
promoters of the railway had made with them. Even so late as the
20th instant the trustees confirmed the proposition, on condition
that certain clauses were inserted in the Bill, and a pathway made
for a short distance along the line, to all of which the promoters
ag3rfered3.
foxon, alderman of Pontefract, and one of the Bank trus-
3'lr. LEMON—He slid
land in the town.
as was t
secondthe
ehen cali called,
largestand examined
.r ,r
he
ree e s,
~ ,
at which plans were
the line with respect
t hmeetingee onsoi
df thee ra trusteestiono fth ei f
pi
rOctober r last,a of
railway, they
sAutb ampublicitted
t 0
, wouldf required
to the purchase of land in lieu of that required l.)
which be
quite
agreed to and confirmed on the 20th instant. AftyertPhee l
for the railway was taken, the ram-course, or park
as long as the race-course at Doncaster. The land,
bog and half arable, was not worth more than 501. an acre.
was half
By the COMMITTEE—The people would be
benefited, instead of
injured. by,tha railway. Dlore than EN acres of the
parkwould re-
Lula wattikattid.