The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-29 00:00:00

GROUP LIII.

This:Committe?, consisting of the Hon. E. Lascelles (in
The chair), the Earl of Arundel and Surrey, Mr. R. Clay-
ton, and Captain Dalrymple, met this morning.

SHROPSHIRE UNION RAILWAY AND

CANAL.

Mr. LANG said, that before the regular business of the day,
v.ornmencei he wished to make an application to the Com-
mittee, which he hoped would have the effect of relieving
them from their labours as regarded one of the Bills on
Which they had to decide—a Bill about which theyhad heard
a great deal, viz., the Shropshire Union line from Shrewsbury
to 'Btaffordslaire, which Bill was entirely unopposed as far as
'regarded the district of Wellington, with the exception of a
competition on the part of the promoters of the other
Shrewsbury line. Looking at the period of the session,
had
the great evil which resulted from any delay, they
'lad made up their minds, rather than urge their
claims relative to that portion of the line be-
tween Shrewabury and Birmingham, to enter into an ar-
rangement to the effect that this company's powers with
respect to the line between Wellington and Shrewsbury
should never come into operation, so as to reduce
the line, simply to a line between Wellington and Stafford-
shire. This 'arrangement would remove all opposition.
TVis company had been on amicable terms with the rival
tompany, and had come to this arrangement under theadvice
of their engineer. Then, as regarded the South Stafford-
shire Company, who were the only parties who might be sup-
Posed to be prejudiced, and that portion of this Bill which re-
garded the line in question, an arrangement had been come
to, and he hoped that the Committee would allow the Bill
to b-a referred to Mr. Greene, the Chairman of the Committee
Ways and Means.
The Hon. CHAIRMAN intimated that the Committee would
have no objection to that course, provided a clause setting
forth the arrangement were inserted in the Bill.
Mr. LANG said that such a clause should be inserted as a
Matter of course.
Mr. RicKARDs said, that before such an application was
acceded to, he wished to say, on the part of the Shrewsbury
and Birmingham line, he should like to see the clause pro-
Posed to be inserted in the Bill.
The Hon. CaatrotAN—You ought decidedly to see it.
Mr. RGIHNSON—As far as regards the Shrewsbury, Bir-
mingham, and Dudley line, this is quite new to me, and I
slut fit of course wish to see it also.
The Hon. CITAIRMAN—Of course.

aRREVISZUTLY AND EXRMINGHAM, AND
DIRP/ZINGIIAM, WOLVERHAMPTON, AND
DUDLEY.

Mr. HOPE said, that whilst the parties were considering
the clause as to the Shrewsbury and Wellington Bill, he
per-
haps might be allowed to call the attention of the Committee
to another matter, which was this :—The Company whom he
represented had discovered (and it really was an important
discovery) that to-morrow, or the next day, would be nearly
the last day on which, a report having been laid before the
Rouse of Commons of any Bill, there would be any possibi-
lity of carrying that Bill, through the House of Lords
this session. The matter had, therefore, become
very urgent indeed to the parties interested in this Stafford-
shire district, who were of course proportionately anxious to
effect a settlement as soon as possible as to the
line of railway 'to be sanctioned for that district.
With that view, the Shrewsbury and Birmingham
Darty were fully disposed to enter into negotiations
with the promoters of the other measure, in order to
ascertain whether, with due regard to the wants of the
public and the interests of the district, and also with due re-
gard to what might be fair towards existing railways in that
quarter, any arrangement could be made between the com-
peting schemes. He had been informed that
the other party were not indisposed to look
at the point with a view of negotiating.
.But, all the members of the committee of that Company not
being in town (although he believed the majority were, and
the others were hourly expected), no such negotiation could
be entered into at that moment. Under those circum
stances, what he should propose to the Committee was, that
in order to save their time—and perhaps also to expedite the
other business which was before them, arising out of conflicts
such as this—money, and feeling, they should have an ad-
journment of the Committee that day, in order that the
parties might in the course of the day meet together, and see
whether they could effect any settlement of the line. He be-
lieved that the proposal would not meet with a direct opposi-
tion on the part of his Learned Friend, for no doubt the
other party were desirous of communicating with that which
he Oft Hope) represented.
Mr. WHATELv, Q.C., said he had had no information of
this course, and he way therefore quite in the dark as
to the proposition made by his Learned Friend. Of
course it would not be becoming in him (Mr.
Whateley) to say that his clients refused to entertain any
Proposition of the rival company. But if any proposition
were to be entertained, it must be on the understanding
that the line between Birmingham and Wolverhampton
should be quite independent of the London and Birm-
ingham, so as to leave to the pe.ople of that
district all the benefits of competition. Subject
to such an arrangement as that, he should he most anxious,
with those whom he represented, that there should be a dis
tribution of the lines proposed for this district. To any pro-
position which the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Company
might make he and his clients were prepared to give the
most candid, full, and fair interpretation and consideration.
Mr. HorE said that, of course, the arrangement to which
his Learned Friend spoke should be discussed when they de-
termined to enter into the proposed negotiation. At the
present time all that be (Mr. Hope) had to do was to say
that the party whom he represented were prepared to
nego-
tiate with the rival company, and with that view he had t
renew his proposition.
Mr. WHATELEY explained that he merely meant in what
be had said to remind the Shrewsbury and Birmingham
Company that his clients were determined to enter into no
agreement which would deprive the people of the district
through which the line weuld pass of any of the benefits of
competition. Further than that, they would throw no
impediment in the wav of a negotiation with their rivals.
The Hon. CHAIRMAN said that he hoped that such an
arrangement might be coma to as would satisfy all parties,
and with the view of affording time to enter into that ne-
gotiation, the Committee would stand adjourned until twelve
o'clock to-morrow, because it was evident that it would be
11,eless to adjourn for an hour or so to discuss the important
propo-ition Chet had been 'wide
sultzvzsitußY AND smarronnsHirtz.
Mr. LANG—The , as regards this other matter, I have
the satisfaction to state that we have made an arrangement
with the other parties respecting the Wellington and Shrews-
bury line, which will leave the matter open for discussion
during the next session. We give them the chance
Of coming next session for that portion of the line. The
other parties are satisfied with the clause that we propose to
insert in our Bill; and therefore, as this is arranged, and
there is no opposition to the Shrewsbury and Staffordshire,
I hope that instead of that Bill going before Mr. Greene, the
Committee wouil.l favo,tr 113 IVith taking the eviclehce:L 01;et
as in less titan an himr the Bill may 1-,e settled.
The lion. CHAIRMAN—I would rather Mr. Greene set-
tled it.
The Bill was accordingly referred to Mr. Greene.