The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY
',l4'_',VENittiti: AUGUST 28, 1. 56.

LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS.

SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.—(This Day.)

Leastita
Company.

C
yester lay.

Basinms
this day.

HALF-YEARLY MEETING.—(rII IS DAY.)
The fortieth half•yearly meeting of the shareholders
in this railway was held this afternoon, at the Bridge
House Hotel, London-bridge—the Hon. J. Byng,
chairman of the Board of Directors, in the chair.
The report and statements of accounts, which have
already appeared in The Sun, were taken as read.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
said that it would not require much explanation from
him, the directors having endeavoured in the principal
statements contained in it, to place before the share-
holders the working expenses of the railway and steam-
boats in such clear terms, as to furnish their own ex-
planation. The hon. gentleman then referred to the
passenger and goods traffic, which had consider.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
Mr. Commissioner Fane was the Commissioner of the
day, but there was no case in the list.

CITY SHERIFFS' COURT.
(Before Mr. Prendergast, Q.C.)
NEWSPAPER READERS-BARKER r. VAN SANDEN,

The plaintiff in this action is a news agent in Throg-
morton-otreet, and claimed 3/. 53. for newspapers sold
and lent to road.

The plaintiff's clerk proved an admission by the de-
fendant to the extent of 21. 14s. 6d., but there was no
evidence that any additional papers had been sold or
left for reading.

His Honour said that he cauld only give judgment
for the amount admitted, but the plaintiff could take
oat another summons for the difference, and bring the
boy who delivered the papers to make out the case.
This decision is important, as it was considered that
such a claim could not be divided. There were other
cases of a similar nature, and his Honour expressed
his opinion that a plaintiff could elect to abandon any
portion of his claim.

ably increased in comparison with other half-
years, except that of 1855, which included three

months of the Paris Exhibition. The hon. gentleman
at some length referred to the financial state of the rail-

way, which was an echo of the report.
Mr. HEREPATH, jun., wished to know if the charge
for renewal of way was an actual expense or an esti-
mated charge. He saw 18,000/. charged for that
purpose, and a similar sum with which they had bene-
fitted revenue. The fish jointing acccunt should have
been charged to revenue, and not to capital ; and he asked
on what principle it had been done ? The Strood and
Maidstone Branch had already cost 320,0001., and after
a further outlay of capital to complete it, and an outlay
for stations, rolling-stock, &c., together at least
75,0001. He doubted if this branch of 11 miles long would
be rsmnuerative because 621. per mile must be taken to
make it to pay 5 per cent. He deprecated a line of rail-
way being made from Lewisham and Dartford, as in-
ferred in one of the paragraphs of the report.
The CHAIRMAN said the items with reference to the
permanent way were to a certain extent estimated, re-
venue having the benefit of the old materials. The
Strood and Maidstone line he believed would pay fur
already, with the line unfinished it was returning 401.
per mile. The fish ointing expense wtts al ways charged
to capital when there was no suspense account, and even
then it ultimately found its way to capital.
Mr. APLABEN called a tention to the items in the
account, especially that of 11,812/. for compensation for
accidents. The expenses averaged 494 per cent., and with
the compensation 51i per cent. He objected to the change
made in presenting the accounts. Instead of giving
details of the different branches as formerly, they were
now lumped together. He complained of the increase
of capital that continually took place on this line, and
cautioned the directors against having such constant re-
course to their borrowing powers. (Hear.) The stores
account was a very important one, and should receive
the constant attention of the board, and he con-
sidered it should be given in detail with the other ac-
counts. On going over the line, he was much struck
with the name of Prior, coal merchant—a name well
known on the Eastern Counties (hear, hear), and he
asked if Messrs. Prior had any privileges over other
dealers—if they paid the same rate per ton as any other
dealer? (Hear, hear.)
The CHAlRMAN.—Precisely.
Mr. EBORALL said Messrs. Prior paid the same rates
as the public. (Hear, bear.)
Mr. 11PLAREN, in continuation, said he thought it a
foolish thing for the company to have a custom-house at
London-bridge where land was worth five guineas per
inch, but it would be very desirable to have one a
Folkestone.

After some remarks from Mr. Fenton and Mr. Wil-
son against the expense of fish•jointing the rails, the
expense of which they considered would be greater than
the advantage,
The CHAIRMAN, in reply, said that the Board was
ready to furnish every particular, if required, of the
stock account, about which they were very particular.
He defended the conduct of the board in their expendi-
ture, and the manner in which the nccounts were
presented must be an improvement on the old system,
or Mr. M'Laren could not have picked out so many
particulars connected with the expenditure of the
line. The directors excluded many details of a valuable
character to the public, but the shareholders on calling
at the offices might 141ve any informat;on they required.
Mr. HEIIEPATH, sen., called attention to the large in-
crease of capital :in the construction of building, &c.
The sums so spent should be charged to revenue.
The CHAIRMAN said it was necessary to provide for
the increasing traffic of the line, that these sums should
he expended, and it was fairly chargeable to capital.
Mr. Ilerepath then suggested some alterations in the

furnishing the accounts which would be useful to the
shareholders.

After some further discussion against laying out
3,5001. for a joint station at Lewisham, at the junction
of the North and Mid Kent line,
The CHAIRMAN said it was not intended to propose
a specific resolution for that expenditure. The adop-
tion of the report would be a sufficient authority.
The report was ultimately received and adopted, and
the dividend of 31.3 4d per annum was declared.

After some further unimportant business the meeting

erminated.

Selfe, charged with stealing a sack of beans, value 125.,
the property of Peter Lawson, No. 2, Langley-place,
Commercial-road-east.

William R nephew to the prosecutor, received in-
formation tha!-, a ssck of beans had been stolen from his
uncld's back premises. Thu course taken by the thief
havinz } een pointel out to him, he went after the pri-
soner and horn' him in a yard in Holloway-street, with
the sack of beans by his side. He secured the prisoner,
who said he was starving.
Mr. Sslfe—How did the prisoner get into the place
where the beaus were deposited I
Mr. Rose.—The gate of the back premises had been
left open by the neglect of our porter.

The prisoner said he bad committed the robbery, and
was very sorry for it indeed.

The officer here stated that the prisoner's brother was
discharged, after a remand, a few days since, in conse-
quence of the good character given of him by his mother,
from Lisson-grove. He had bee❑ informed that Robert
Nudd and his brother were notorious thieves, so well-
known about Paddington that they bad selected the
east to carry on their depredations.

Mr. Selfe asked the prisoner if he pleaded guilty.
The prisoner.—Yes, I am guilty, sir.

Mr. Selfe.—Then, I sentence you to be imprisoned
for three months and kept to hard labour.

SOUTHWARK.

EMBEZZLEMENT BY A NEWS AGENT'S 130y.—John
Lockwood, a diminutive boy, aged 12 years, was placed
at the bar, bsfore Mr. Combe, for embezzling various
sums of money he had received on account of Mr.
Thomas Puddicombe, the news agent, No. 153, Water-
loo•road, Lambeth.

The prosecutor stated the prisoner bad bee❑ in his
service for a considerable time as general news-boy.
Yesterday morning he ascertained that the prisoner had
received various sums of money from the cu-tomers.
It was the prisoner's duty to receive cash for newspapers.
The prisoner bad taken 51. sd. from Mr. Taylor, the
landlord of the Duke of Wellington public-house,
and had not accounted for it. The prisoner had
also received two other accounts, and had altered the
bills to deceive witness. He thought that if the prisoner
was remanded for a few days, he would be able to trace
a number of other accounts which the prisoner had felo.
niously applied to his own use.

The prisoner, in answer to the magistrate, said, "I
am guilty of spending the money."
Mr. Pkddicorube said he fully believed that he could
make out a case of forgery against the prisoner.

Mr. Combe—Well, get all the evidence you can by
Tuesday next, when the prisoner will be brought up
again.

The prisoner was accordingly remanded.