The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-17 00:00:00

IMPERIAL P.

R LIAMENT

HOTTSE OF LORDS.-(YESTERDAY.)

GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY (CAPITAL)

BILL.

On the motion that this bill be read a third time,
Lord ST. LEOPARDS objected to the bill. be
noble lord entered at some length into the various obj-oo-
tions he had to the bill, which was one to empower the
directors to legalise the fraudulent stock created by
Redpath in the Great Northern Railway. The pre-
ference sharehol lers considered themselves moot unjustly
treated by the provisions of the bill. The effect
of cutting off an entire hall year's dividend from
the preference shareholders, many of whom
were female+, whose dependence was upon
the dividends they received from the company, woulcl be
most distres.ing. He did not think that lb*
ordinary shareholder should be benefited at the ex-
pense of the preference shareholder, and the paving
of such a measure as the present would have
the effect of generally damaging railway property. The
noble and learned lord urged upon their lordships to
restore the bill to the state it was when it came from the
Howe of Commons, and concluded by moving an
amendment to that effect.

Lord WENSLEYDALE seconded the motion ; and,
in doing so, stated that he was himself a shareholder in
the company, but considered that he was not thereby
precluded from expressing his opinion on what he con•
ceived to be a flagrant wrong. (Hear.) He was of opi-
nion that the holders of preference shares were entitled
to annual dividends on their shares.
The Marquis of WESTMINSTER said the bill bad
been amended by the promoters, and in its amended
form had received tke unanimous sanction of a commit-
tee of the House of Commons. Out of 6,000 prefersi ce
shareholders, only 1,800 were opposed to the bill. The
preference shareholders would not stiffer as much as the
ordinary shareholders. He believed that the remedy
provided by this bill was the one most consonant with
justice, and therefore he hoped their lordships would
pass the bill as it stood.
The Earl of STRADBROKE supported the bill. It
had been thoroughly investigated by a committee of
which be was a member.

Lord ST. LEONARDS said his object was to provide
for the legal right of the preferential shareholders here•
after.

Lord REDESDALE also supported the bill as it
stood.
Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY said the bill was
founded in justice, and there was no reason why they
should place the preference shareholders, as far as lia-
bility was concerned, on a different footing to the ordi-
nary shareholders...
.. .

The house then divided—
For the amendment 7
Against it 43
Majority
The bill was then read a third time and passed.
PRISONERS REMOVAL BILL.
_

The Marqui 4 of SALISBURY, in moyiniihe second
reading of this bill, said it was intended to give the Fe•
cretary of State the power of employing convict labour
on the public works.

EarCGRANVILLE did not object to the bill being
read a second time, but in the committee the Govern•
ment would state what their objections to it were, and
what mod►fications they would propose in it. _

The Earl of CHICHESTER was understood to sup-
port the bill.
The bill was then read a second time.
REPRESENTATIVE PEERS (IRELAND) BILL.
This bill went through committee.
CROWDED DWELLINGS PREVENTION BILL.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY moved the recommit-
ment of this bill. He said that the Lodging Houses Act
had been of great benefit in the metropolis. The com-
missioner of police in hie report stated that the condition
of these houses was much improved, and 40 medical men
had corroborated that statement. In each of their die-
tries fever and other abominations that used to exist bad
abated. There still remained a number of houses and
rooms called tenements, that required to be brought under
the beneficial operations of that or a similar act, and it
was for that purpose he had introduced this measure.
As an instance of the state of these houses be quoted
an instance, which he said could be multiplied by
thousands. In one room in St. Giles's, which measured
about 14 feet square, 27 men, women, and children were
found lying together on the floor like beasts, with
scarcely anything to cover them but the rags they
had worn during the day. The bill created new du-
ties, but no new powers. If the bill passed he felt cer•
tain it would conduce to the removal of a mighty evil.
The bill was then recommitted.
JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES

The house went into committee on this bill.

The LORD CHANCELLOR explained that it was
based on the Bankruptcy Arrangement Act, and that it
was introdusad to remedy the evils found to exist in pro-
ceeding ag.iust joint-stock companies, as exemplified in
the recent failures of the Tipperary and Royal British
Banks.

The bill then passed through committee.
REGISTRATION OF LONG LEASES (SCOT•

LAND) BILL.

This bill passed through committee.
TURNPIKE TRUSTS ABOLITION (IRELAND)
BILL.

On the motion of Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY,
this bill was read a second time.
ORDNANCE SURVEY.

The Earl of DONCASTER moved an address to her
Majesty to appoint a royal commission to inquire into the
whsle subject of the national survey, and the scale or
scales on which it should be made and published.

Lord PANMURE concurred in the motion, and dis-
sented from the statement that had been made ie the
other house that the 25-inch survey was a job. The 6-
inch survey in Ireland bad been found to be a failure for
the purposes for which it was cammenc,d. The cost in
the difference of the two scales was a trifle in compari-on
with the national advantages to be derived from the 25
inch scale. In consequence of the recent voteol the House
of Common,, the Government would only finish the pre-
sent parishes under survey on the 25-inch scale.
The motion was agreed to, and the house adjourned at
5 minutes to 8 o'clock.