The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-31 00:00:00

RAILWAY REFORM.

The meeting of railway proprietors, held on the 22d
inst., to promote reform in railway management, and
adjourned to the 30th, was continued yesterday aocord-
ingly, at the London Tavern, Mr. W. MALINS presiding
as before.

There was a very limited attendance, and the chair-
man in consequence delayed the proceedings for some
time beyond the hour advertised, but without any effect
in adding to the numbers.

The lion. SECRETARY read the following report from
the committee appointed at the previous meeting :
" Since the last meeting your committee have been in
communication with many influential proprietors, and
have obtained much valuable information, many impor-
tant offers of co-operation, and every indication of liberal
pecuniary suppsrt. Your committee purpose, with a
view to a rapid and efficient organisation of the associa-
tion, to obtain with all convenient speed lists of the
shareholders in the various lines, when a direct applica-
tion will be made to every individual to enrol himself a
member of your association ; and they are encouraged
to believe that the result will be such a concentration of
the proprietary influence as must speedily make itself
felt in the conduct of railway affairs. Your committee
have not thought it expedient to define with too rigid
precision the objects or modes of action of the associa-
tion, deeming it more desirable that these vital subjects
should receive the deliberate consideration of the council
when fully formed. Your committee have had under their
consideration as various suggestions brought before the
meeting held on the 22d inst., amongst others the pro-
posal that railway proprietors should be invited to en-
rol themselves en masse in the ranks of the association,
and that the council might rely for funds on spon-
taneous contributions, to be made from time to time ;
but your committee being of opinion that the scale
of the operations of the association can only be safely
based on a reliable fund, have not deemed it ad-
visable to adopt this suggestion ; but, desirous of exclud-
ing none by a high subscription, they recommend that
an annual payment of half-a-guinea shall constitute
membership. It will be obvious that even these arrange-
ments will, at all events for the present, necessitate the
exercise of a judicious liberality on the part of the more
wealthy supporters of our objects. Your committee
have also considered the question of local associations,
and are of opinion that their establishment will be emi-
nently useful. In accordance with this conclusion, the
chairman attended an influential meeting at Liverpool
on Monday last, and a powerful association is in process
of organisation in that town. Time did not admit of
his visiting Manchester, but the committee hope that a
similar association will be forthwith formed there, which
will be well supported, and they are glad to announce
that they have good grounds for believing that power-
ful local associations will be formed without delay in
most of the principal towns in the United Kingdom.
Your committee are fully sensible that they will have
much to overcome in the inertness of many pro-
prietors, and in that official hostility which ever mani-
fests itself towards vigilant control ; but having no party
battle to fight, no personal antipathies to serve, actu-
ated solely by the single purpose of restoring prosperity
to a depreciated property, they are encouraged to be•
lieve that at no distant day the association will be po-
tent for good, and conduce to make railway manage-
ment as conspicuous for adherence to sound commer-
cial principles as railway enterprise is for its pre-emi-
nent magnitude."