The Sun.
London, England, 1851-05-08 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 7.

AUDIT OF RAILWAY ACCOUNTS BILL
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Colonel SIBTHORP would give his consent to any
measure which would oblige railway companies to make
compensation for the accidents which occurred on their
lines. In his opinion the whole system of railways was
founded on injustice and spoliation.
Mr. 0. RICARDO had no objection to the principle of
the Bill, because he was favourable to the establishment
of an ample railway audit, but he reserved to himself
the right of canvassing the details in Committee.
After a few words from Mr. Pacx.E and Mr. W.
Evaxs, the House divided, when there appeared—
For going into Committee 72
Against it... 49
Majority —23
The House then went into Committee on the Bill.
Mr. BERNAL in the chair.
On clause 1 being proposed,
Mr. B. DENISON proposed the substitution of the
following clause in place of that contained in the Bill:
" That notwithstanding anything contained to the con-
trary in any Act relating to a particular railway com-
pany, er to railway companies in general, it shall be
lawful for any railway company in extraordinary general
meeting assembled to determine from time to time the
method of selecting auditors of the accounts of that com-
pany, and the qualification of such auditors, their re-
muneration, and their duration in office; and also from
time to time to determine the method of auditing the ac-
counts of that company; and whether any and what per-
sons shall be employed for the purpose of investi-
gating the said accounts in aid of the auditors of that
company; and whether the audit thereof shall be con-
tinuous or occasional; and what publicity shall be given
to the said accounts; and what access shall be allowed
to all or any of the books in which the same are con-
tained or to the registers of proprietors
and o trans-
fers; and whether copies of all or any. of such docu-
ments, or abstracts thereof, shall be periodically or oc-
casionally circulated amongst the shareholders.'
The CHAIRMAN wished to remind the Committee
that by proposing the substitution.oef
of n
theCeloamusme,ittethee,
which required that newi
Hon. Member was evading tne ru
matter should only be intro-
duced at the end of the Bill.
After a short discussion the amendment was negatived
witbout a division on the understanding that it should
be brought up afterwards.
After considerable discussion, in which Mr. Spooner,
Mr. Ricardo, Mr. E. Ellice, and Mr. Waddington,
L Hayworth,
addington,op
mserd.
the clause, and Mr. Mowatt, Mr.
Hume, and Mr. Locke supported it,
The House divided, when there appeared—
For the clause
••• SI
Against it
Majority ..• ... —2l
The clause was then agreed to.
Clauses 2,3, 4,5, were then agreed to.
Clause 6 gave rise to some discussion. It provided
that directors should only vote in their own right, and
it was contended that this would prevent a director from
voting with a proxy.
Mr. RICARDO explained that it very frequently hap-
pened that shareholders at a distance sent the directors
their proxies to vote on particular questions connected
with the railway, but if this clause were passed as it
stood it would altogether prevent that.
Mr. LOCKE said the object of the clause was simply
to preclude a director from voting in respect of shares
which he held as trustee for the company.
Mr. RICARDO proposed that an addition should be
made to this clause to render it clear upon that point,
'and after some conversation the proposal was adopted.
The clause, as amended, was agreed to, as was also
Clause 7.
• On clause 8 being proposed,
Mr. H. BROWN moved, in page 4, line 28, after the
word " investigation," to add " and shall make a special
report as to any increase of capital whioh may have
been made since the then last previous audit, and how
such increase has arisen, and particularly whether
such increase has arisen in works or plant, and whether
the same was contracted for under competition, or how
otherwise such increase may have been created."
There was no objection to this amendment, and it was,
therefore, agreed to.
Mr. H. BROWN then moved, in line 40, after the
word " line," to add the following words: " and also
that such auditors shall require to be produced to them,
once at least in every year, all bills of costs for charges
in law equity, conveyancing, and Parliament, and that
the said auditors shall have full power and authority, if
they shall think fit, to employ some competent person
cr persons to examine and report to them upon the
charges in such bills of costs, and also to tax the same
before the proper authorities."
Mr. SPOONER objected to all the words after the
word " and also."
Mr. LOCKE also resisted that part of the amend-
ment, and appealed to the Hon. Mover to withdraw these
objectionable words.
Mr. LABOUCHERE was disposed to support the
amendment as it stood, believing that it was of the ut-
most importance to check the legal expenditure of rail-
way companies as much as possible.
Mr. HUME also supported the clause as it stood.
Mr. H. BROWN, iu order to show the necessity for
this clause, mentioned a fact that had recently come to
his knowledge. A solicitor sent in a bill to a railway
company with which he was connected, claiming a ba-
lance on his account of 20,6791., but on taxation the
amount, wes reduced 8,3371., while upon investigation he
found that of the latter sum only fifteen seven-eighths
was fog money out of pocket.—(clear, and laughter.)
After some further discussion the gallery was cleared
for a division, hut none took place, and on our return
we found the discussion still going on.
An amendment was then moved by Mr. SPOONER,
the the clause of which he bad given notice should be
The Committee divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment ... 57
Against it
The numbers being equal, the Chairman gave the
casting vote in favour of the amendment, and it was ac-
cordingly agreed to.
On the motion that the clause, as amended, stand part
of the Bill,
Mr. RICARDO protested against the power given by
the clause to the auditors to interfere with the policy of
railway companies, and proposed the omission of the
words " any other matter or thing they or either of them
may think fit."

Sir. LOCKE denied that the clause as it stood would
have that effect.

Mt. HUMS proposed an amendment with a view to
have the supervision of the House.
Mr. WILSON said that the eleventh clause was
power to th
evi-
dently tyrannical, and gave a e directors
which was plainly unconstitutional, and he should there-
fore oppose the motion. •
Mr. LABOCCHERE'wouId not venture to say whe-
ther any arrangemtnt of auditors should take place or
not, but this he would say, that transactions had con-
tinually been taking place of which public officers ought
only to be c,:gn;zauf; public officers ought to be ep-
pointeri, for unle4s that was done there could be no se-
curity for the public.
Mr. BECKET DENISON said that if this clause
was passed there would be an end to the power of the
directors. The fact would be, 'that the reports sub-
mitted to, the shareholders would be the report of the
Government auditors and not of the directors.
Mr. J. LOCKE thought that, as the Honourable
Member for the West Riding had suggested, this
?.Istite had better be left out than in; he was, there-
1, desirous that the Chairman should report progress,
andthat the House should sit again.
B. r• said that this was not a public
d
s there was much public business before the
House,
Bill, thatthe iron.
the batter plan would be to postpone the
Aftr non. Member for Honiton had proposed.
DENISCTirtee conversation, in which Mr. BECKETT
further conside°k part, that course was pursued, and the
28th hut. ration of the Bill was adjourned until the

IThisßlill7 lipated AYS L (SOUTH WALES),BIL
through Committee.
On the motiLon oOD
bGING
ROUSES BILL.
f
h,trl,3 ASHLEY, the Model Lodg-
A PPOINMENI
ing-house Bill WAS rou and read a first time.
OFFICESc BILL.
Vie House then went into
tehrittee on this Bill.
Mr. bIULLINGS asked if
have tile cifect of getting rid of thestamp duties payable
on sppointments?
Air. C. LEWIS admitted that suchwwold be its effect.
,trman shouldearned Mem-
Mr. Sl9OO NEB suggested that the Chairman
report progrsss, inasmuch as an Hon. and Li
her (Mr. Szuart) had given notice of a raotio .
passing of the Bill. u In direct
opposition to the
The CHAIRMAN then reported progress,
and ob-
tained leave to sit again.
The other orders of the day were dispose Maf
Sale of Arsenic Bill being postponed till to-mow the
(this
day).
MILITARY MEDALS.
sir, G. PECHELL said that be wished to draw the
a",l'lltion of the House and of the Government to
the case of the military and naval officers
who had. been engaged in great naval operations. It
was evident that in the cases of Captain Graham Moore
and thethey regetter officers nothing had been done. What did
duty, hut ?Simply that the men should do their
country thoughtwould obtain
little of the advantage which the
In the action ....Obtain from the conduct of the men.
not, a, was'lnAsudariciiral Rodney, the senior officer had
Hu should , in such cases, been promoted.
and of the medals therefore
which had for the return of the letter
Moore. had been granted Sir Graham
- Mr. FORDYCE having seconded the motion, the
retail WAS ordered.
ADVERTISING v
Prizbelic
Colonel SIBTHORP comphli •A, NS.
kconvenience suffered by theneu of the grevious
conveyances, and thought that
ought to be pro-
tectedreturno.not from this evil. If the law was
of thn
ought to be made so. He wi-Jicd for
nimber of those valuable facti which so fecenee
there inconVeniCtlCC2. to
Sir G. GREY said that the return for which
Mo.. rind Gallant Member hod moved had ,lreade the
place•ben the table of the Ho,' :. Ft,r his own Prirteai,"
was not at all to blame, and wouk Q i be happy to far 146
the Hen' and Gallant Nestle: information
with any 3
that he might require.—(Hear, bear.)
Colonel SIBTHORP said that the Act was vague-, and
he believed that the information was vague, and be
should therefore move for new information on a future
!lay:

ST. ALBAN'S ELECTION.
Sir G. GREY announced that the address f the House
to hei Majesty, praying that a reward might be offered
fur La apprehension of the witnesses who had absconded',
had been presented to her Majesty, end that orders

had been issued by her Majesty, in accordance with
the address.
The other business having been disposed of, the House
adjourned at Six o'clock.