The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-04 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL HALL (LIMITED).

The ordinary general meeting of this company
was held yesterday at the Hall, Islington ; Mr.
Clayden in the chair.
The report stated that the net amount to the
credit of revenue with £B3l balance from the pre-
ceding year, after making an ample allowance for
outstanding liabitities,was £6,615, out or which the
directors recommended the payment of a dividend
at the rate of 10 per cent. per annum, leaving a
balance of £2,745 to be carriel forward. The re-
sults of the past year had been in every respect satis-
factory. The directors had invested temporarily in
the New Three per Cent. Stock £1,038, being de-
barred by the articles of association from selecting
any more advantageous security. The whole of the
Debenture Loan of £14,000 had been renewed for a
further term of seven years ; the company having
the option of paying off any part: at any time, on
giving six months' notice. The 600 new shares had
all been subscribed by shareholders.
The CHAIRMAN congratulated the shareholders
upon the success of the company during the past
year. While so many companies had been in diffi-
culties, this company was able to pay a dividend of
10 per cent. honestly earned, and to carry a large
sum to their bankers. The cattle shows had been
successful. In 1865 the number of visitors to the
show was 76,400 ; in 1866, 92,500 ; and in 1367,
102,700, showing a considerable increase. The
horse show last year was also a success. It brought
together a number of gentlemen and breeders of
the best kind of horses, and those gatherings did a
great deal of good. He regretted the increase in
the estimate for the new buildings in connection
with the ball, but sooner or later they would have
been obliged to enlarge the galleries and refresh-
ment department, so that it was essential to the
success of the whole undertaking. The works
would be completed with all additions and im-
provements at a cost of £lO,OOO, the original esti-
mate being £7,000. It was proposed to borrow the
additional amount.

The report was adopted.
Messrs. R. Leeds, J. Shattleworth, and J. Ban-
nister were re-elected directors.

The meeting was then made special, and a reso-
lution passed authorising the directors to borrow
£3,000.

A vote of thanks to the chairman and to Mr.
Sydney (the secretary) concluded the proceedings.

MASSACHUSETTS RAILWAY STATISTICS. —The
steam railroads of Massachusetts have a capital
stock of $98,663,900, of which $74,900,953
have been paid in. The total debt amounts to
$29,496,706 ; total cost of roads and equipments,
$96,046,319; amount of dividends paid last year,
$4,665,517 ; surplus, $5,830,208. Total length
of rail (as single track) in miles, 1840. Number of
miles run last year, 10,035,309 ; tons of freight
carried, 6,113,442 ; passengers, 23,660,401 pre-
vious year, 22,126,881 ; men employed, exclusive
of those engaged in construction, 9,838; engines
owned, 562 ; passenger cars, 651 ; merchandise
cars, 10,334. Number of engines added last year,
44 ; passenger cam, 31; merchandise cars, 848.
The amount paid by the different steam railroad
corporations in 1867, for taxes and insurance, was
$1,184,238. The engines used 150,502 cords of
wood and 102,581 tons of coal, costing $1,839,436.
The expense of removing snow and ice from the
track in 1867 was $121,381, in 1866 $7,448.
The incredible number of 27,718,777 passengers
were carried on the home railroads of Massachu-
setts in 1867, more by 1,500,000 than in 1866, and
all over 143 miles of track, and in 388 cars. The
net earnings of the railroads amounted to $224,638.
Horses were lost to the value of $32,212, and one
road, the Quincy, lost $6,632 by its operations.
Seven of the companies declared dividends within
the year, of between 4 and 10 per cent. Four pas-
sengers were fatally injured in leaving or getting
upon cars in motion.— Springfield Republican.

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7A,er7.717.170.4N
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RUPPRESSION OpRUIVEENN
. _
A meeting of the Catholic I..sabratitrh4or tb • pres-
sion of Drunkenness has been he Eaker rtil. The
meeting, which was the first Roman Catholic one ever
held in that building, was very numerously attended.
Archbishop Manning presided, and Mr. John A. Smith,
M.P., and Mr. J. A. Blake, M.P., were present. Arch-
Oishop Manning criticised with much severity the present
legislation affecting the sale of liquor, and expressed his
strong belief that if the working men of England were
polled a great majority would vote against the mainte-
nance of these laws..—Mr. J. A. Smith said that he
would never have brought forward his bill did he not
believe, with the archbishop, that the great majority
of English working men were opposed to Sunday drinking.
He had attended a public meeting at Manchester, at
which working man after working man stood up and con-
demned his bill, not because they did not approve of
closing the public.houses on Sunday, but. because they did
not think his bill went far enough.— The following reso-
lutions were unanimously adopted :—" That this meeting,
viewing with deep anxiety the wide spreading evil of
intemperance amongst our own people, leading to squalid
poverty and crime, and erowding our gaols and work-
houses, would call upon all Catholics to support and
carry out the Catholic Association for the Suppression
of Drunkenness, which already numbers 50,00 G mem-
bers, ninety priests, five bishops, and two archbishops.
This association embraces willingly all Catholic societies,
whether total or partial, which are engaged in making an
organised attack upon the enemy." " That this meeting
would urge upon all the importance of providing houses
for honest relaxation and amusement, where the members
can meet in social intercourse, and spend a pleasant even-
ing at a trifling cost, instead of being driven to the public-
house, where they have to pay for permission to enter by
drinking." " That the spirit of Mr. Smith's bill, which
proposes to close beershops on Sunday against drinking
on the premises, and open them only for the supply of
what is needful to the public, is quite in accordance with
the rules. of this association, and therefore merits the
united support of all the members."

CANA AL AND 1101.441/4.k
_ _ -

A special general meeting of the members of the Work-
ing Men's Association has been held at the Bell, Old
Bailey, for the purpose of receiving a report from the sub-
committee on the propriety of convening a Labour Parlia-
ment, and holding a conference on the labour question
between employers and workmen. Mr. George Potter
occuped the chair. It was proposed to hold a conference
between twelve representative working men connected
with trades unions, and twelve large employers of
labour, representing the staple manufactures of the
country, to see if they could not devise some remedy
by which the lamentable disputes continually arising
between labour and capital might be greatly lessened, if
not altogether avoided. It was also proposed to con-
vene on an early day a Labour Parliament in London, on
which all the trade organisations throughout the United
Kingdom should be represented. The object of this Par.
liament of Labour would be detailed in the resolutions to
be submitted. There was also, said the chairman, the
important subject of improved dwellings for the working
classes to be considered. He had also received a letter
from Professor Leone Levi, requesting the co-operation of
the association in circulating a cheap edition of his work
relating to the wages and conditions of the working
classes. After some discussion the following resolutions
were adopted :—" That this association is of opinion that
the present is an opportune time for holding a conference
of large employers of labour and representative work.
ing men connected with trades unions, for the pur-
pose of considering whether the relations between
capital and labour cannot be brought into more har-
monious action, whereby the disputes which are now con.
stantly arising between those interests may be averted ;
and that the executive committee be instructed to make
immediate arrangements for the holding of such confe-
rence." " That a National Labour Parliament be convened
in London for the first week in May next, for the follow-
ing purposes :-1. To consider the present position of
trades unions and their future prospects. 2. To consider
what, if any, legislation is necessary to place trades
unions on a legal and secure basis. 3. To consider means
for the adoption of an organised system of emigration,
whereby the surplus unemployed labour of the country
may be utilised. 4. To consider the necessary measures
for securing a proper representation of the labour interest
in the Reformed Parliament." " That a special committee
(all members of trades unions) be elected to convene such
Parliament, and make all necessary arrangements/
" That the plans submitted to Mr. Torrens, M.P., and Dr.
Englander, for the erection of dwellings for the working
classes on an improved system, be referred to a sub-com-
mittee for consideration, with instructions to place itself
in communication with the above-named gentkmen as to
the best means to be adopted to carry the plan into prac-
tical operation."