The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-03 00:00:00

TIIE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 3, 1845.

he proposed, in certain cases, to make distinctions as to the
provisions to be made for the accommodation of lunatics.
Regarding a question Is hieh had been put to birn about
lunatics conveyed to the island of Arran, he had to say
that in July 1843 he learned there was an extraordinary
number of lunatics in Arran. A communication to that
effect was made to the Sheriff, who, upon inquiry, found
that lunatic; from various parts of Scotland had been sent
there in a clandestine manner because the expense of
maintaining them there was less. Means were forthwith
taken for the removal of the whole of them, 68 in number,
to the respective parishes to which they belonged, and
the parties rending them were obliged to pay the entire
cost of their removal, and threatened with prosecutions.
He had made other inquiries lately, in cons( quence of
the statement of the Hen. Member for Lambeth, and it
was ascertained that no person who could come under the
designation of a pauper lunatic was then in Arran. The
Learned Lord then recapitulated the provisions of the
Bill, and concluded by moving for leave to bring in a
Bill for the amendment and better administration of the
laws relating to the relief of the poor in Scotland.
Lord DALMENY commended the Government for
bringing in the Bill, but thought it was susceptible of
much improvement.
Mr. E. ELLICE said the subject was not one of
greater difficulty than importance to the people of Scot-
land ; but he doubted whether the measure proposed
was sufficiently comprehensive in details. He doubted,whe-
ther anything like a voluntary assessment would answer
in Scotland. No system could be effective unless it was
compulsory. He would reserve his opinions on the
present measure, but would simply observe that the
present mode of treating pauper lunatics in Scotland
was a disgrace to a civilised country.
Mr. HUME differed from the Hon. Gentleman who
had just sat down, and thought the voluntary system
would be successful. He did not think any compulsory
power was necessary. He would reserve his opinions on
the details of the measure until its second reading.
Mr. HAWES said that he had listened with great
pleasure to the able speech of the Lord Advocate, and
being one who was unaffected by local encumbrances or
local prejudices, he was perhaps in a better position than
one immediately connected with the country to express
an opinion upon the nature of the plan. But there was
one point of it which he thought required some atten-
tion—he alluded to that part of the Bill which referred
to the management of pauper lunatics, and the compul-
sory assessment for the relief of the poor and for their re-
Imo% al. Now it appeared by the Bill that it was not neces-
sary to remove a pauper before he was relieved, but that
where he had not a legal title to settlement, the guarfrans
were to be empoweredto grant him relief. With regard
to settlement, he might observe in passing, that he thought
a seven years' residence a very long time, but as the Bill
gave a power of relief, and if the relief was not deemed
were sufficient by the pauper, there was a right of appeal
the other authorities, who could alter the allowance if
they thought it insufficient, this did, in fact, institute a rate
of relief, and establish the compulsory assessment by im-
,p?sing punishment where the requisite relief was not
given. With respect to the case of the lunatics
in the isle of Arran, cited by the Honourable
and Learned Lord Advocate, he would merely
observe that he conceived the establishment of a lunatic
asylum would prove anything rather than an unnecessary
expense. In Surrey, where they had gone to an enor-
mous expense in the erection of an asylum, believed to
be more than 100,000/., and where they were subject to
a heavy rate for its support, which was likely to continue
for four years longer, the chief of the expenditure had
been occasioned by the delay in providing a place for
the reception of the persons subject to the unhappy
malady. It was decidedly the opinion of medical men,
that the sooner the complaint was taken, the more easily
was it cured ; and he thought, therefore, that the more
amply the provision for the necessity of this nature was
laid down, consistently with the necessities of the case,
the better, but he could not sit down without thanking
the Government for having taken up this very important
subject, and for the able and lucid manner in which it
had been treated by the Lord-Advocate, than whose
address he had never listened to a more lucid and com-
prehensive one in that House.
Mr. F. FRENCH inquired if there was any provision
in the Bill for the relief of distressed Irishmen in Scot-
land, who were not entitled to residence, and whether
there was any intention of extending any of the provi-
sions of this Bill to the Irish poor-law.
Sir J. GRAHAM said that her Majesty's present ad-
visers were not responsible for the introduc-
tion of the present poor-law into Ireland, though
they were desirous of progressively introduc
ing, as many improvements as possible into the
Irish poor-law. But this was a Bill for Scotland only,
and its provisions were adapted only for that country.
The lion. Gentleman must recollect, with respect to the
other part of his inquiry, that when a number of Scotch-
men were located in Belfast, and requiring relief, that
no provision bad been made for them ; and he could not
expect that any greater burden should be imposed on
Scotland, than Ireland had been ready to bear. He
would not sit down without thanking the Hon. Member
for Lambeth (Mr. Hawes), for the very handsome testi•
mony which he had borne to the able manner in which
this Bill had been introduced into the House. He
(Sir J. Graham) must himself say, that a more
able, lucid, and complete statement, had seldom
been made to that House by a Minister of the
Crown. Her Majesty's Government had thought them-
selves exceedingly fortunate in securing the able assist-
ance of the Hon. and Learned Lord-Advocate in Fre-
paring the Bill, which he believed would be likely to be
of great utility and importance to the people of Scotland.
Leave was then given to bring in the Bill. The Bill
was brought up and read a first time, and the House
adjourned.

SHREWSBURY, IVOLVERHAMP
TON, AND BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY-
A meetinr, of the Shareholders of this Company was
held ye.teday in the London Coffee-house, Ludgate
hill, tor the purpose of taking into consideration the re-
port of " the Committee of Inquiry," and to come to
a decision thereon. The proceedings were fixed to take
place at eleven A.M , but for some time before that
hour a considerable number of persons bad assembled in
the room. For a short time before the chair was taken, and
for a long time afterwards, a great deal of confusion pre-
vailed at the entrance-door of the room, owing to the
fact of the party entrusted with the power of testing the
eligibility of those who presented themselves for
admission as Shareholders, having been directed
not upon any pretence whatever, to admit
any one (reporters excepted), who had not a scrip
about him and produced it. The consequence was that
several individuals applied for admission who had no
such document to produce, not having been aware that
such would be necessary, and were refused admission,
and retired at once—others, apprehending some
mistake, remonstrated ; but one or two more
resolute than the rest, resolved that in they
would go, and thence followed a trial of
phi sical strength between the applicant and the door-
heper, the one pushing, pummelling, and vociferating,
the other holding in his iron grasp, round the waist, the
what he conceived to be the would-be:intruder. Amid
the din and confusion that such a scene created,
Mr. ANDREWS was called to the chair, upon taking
which he said—Gentlemen, this meeting of the scrip-
holders of the Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton—
(Laughter, and cries of " Scrip-holders, indeed," and
great confusion.) I presume that the gentlemen who
have called it are here, and will say why it has been
called ; but I cannot be expected to go into the—(Con-
fusion at the door.)
A GENTLEMAN here stated that he should have been
refused admittance if he had not happened by mere
chance to have had a scrip about him ;
but his brother-
in-law, who was also a large shareholder, was now at the
door, but could not be admitted without the scrip, not
having brought it ; if he had had any intimition that
such was necessary, he would have done so, but he had

noHt.
ere the confusion became worse confounded. Several 11
persons, taking advantage of the manner in which the
door-keeper was engaged with one or two in a trial of
personal strength, slipped in very quietly; and no sooner
had they done so than they broadly stated that such
was the means by which they had gained admittance,
declaring at the same time that they were large
shareholders, but had not brought a scrip. This
was followed by loud appeals to the chair
for order, silence, and business, which, of course,
had only the effect of producing anything rather than
either order or silence. One individual cried out that
an attempt was being made to swamp the meet-
ing by trying to enforce the admittance of those
who could not show their right to be present, while
others called " the whole thing a mere farce." After the
lapse of nearly an hour, which was consumed in this ir-
regular and noisy procedure,
The CHAIRMAN read the report, which was of
considerable length, and which stated, amongst many
other changes, that 67, out of the 91 members who
composed the board of management, held no shares
whatever in the Company.
Having concluded reading the report, an indi-
vidual, who said his name was ENGLAND, and that
he was a large shareholder, after denouncing the
practice of excluding others because they had not
their scrip about them, said he had attended here
as an utter stranger, who looked not to the right
or left, and had no concern whatever in stock-jobbing,
but had come here for the purpose of ascertaining the
actual position of the affairs of the Company. He
would call upon the meeting to pause and consider well
before they adopted such a report as that just read by
the chairman. He had heard of names having been
forged to certain documents ; and if such were the fact,
he would tell the meeting they should not throw stones
from a house of glass.—(Cries of " Hear," and " No,
no.") He had beard something said about the Grand
Junction line ; but he would ask, was this Company
to succumb to the wishes of that ?—(Cries of " Hear,
hear.") He could pledge his honour that he never
had had any communication with the Committee upon
this subject; but be would now put a question to the
chairman, and upon the answer he should receive would
depend the manner in which he should vote. lie would
wish to know from the chairman whether he, or any of
the other four whose names he had seen appended to
certain resolutions, were shareholders in the Grand
Junction Railway ?
The CHAIRMAN said be could, without hesitation, de-
clare that he was not, either directly or indirectly, con.

netted with the Company.
Several other persons made the same declaration on
behalf of the other parties.
Mr. MILLER conceived that Mr. England was not
speaking to the question.—(Clamour.)
The CHAIRMAN said his opinion was that this was a
bondfide meeting.—(llear, hear, and confusion.)
Mr. ENGLAND, amid great confusion, said—Well, I'll
bring the matter to a conclusion at once ; I propose
that this meeting do adjourn till this day six months.—
(Loud shouts of " Hear, hear," " No, no," and clamour.)
Mr. CHADWICK said he would speak to the resolution.
Ho was a practical man, and knew all the particulars
connected with this transaction. He felt satisfied that
if there was a feeling in a certain quarter in favour of
the Shrewsbury line, the Shropshire men would be in
favour of it also. However, he was perfectly prepared
to say that it was impossible that the Bill for this line
could be passed this session, for the standing
orders had not been complied with, and there-
fore it would be a complete delusion to bring the Bill
now before the House. In fact, it appeared to him that
the intention of the Committee of Management was to
have the line re-surveyed.
Mr. W. B. COLLETT, M.P., said he had not attended
there as the deputy either of the Committee or Direc-
tors, or at the suggestion of any person whatever ; he
merely attended of his own accord, in order to hear
what was to be said, and to explain any circumstance
that might require explanation,
if in his power to do so,
in connexion with the Committee. He knew the sin-
cerity of his own views and objects, and therefore had
no reason to fear the fullest discussion. He had
been a very active member of the Committee, and had
been, until a very late period, under the impression that
this Company were to have been joined by the Grand
Junction Company, and it was much to his astonish-
ment he had heard that that Company bad withdrawn
from this.—(Cries of " Shame, shame.") He had
heard that complaints were made by parties
calling at the Secretary's office, and not being
able to get satisfactory answers to certain questions
touching the state of the affairs of the Company ; but
he could say that while he felt assured that there was no
disposition to withhold any such information, yet how
was the Secretary to give answers without knowing the
applicants ? With respect to the Committee not
being shareholders, he begged to say he conceived that
to be a recommendation in their favour, because then it
could not be said that they, some of them being Mem-
bers of Parliament, had had any interest in the line which
they should recommend for adoption or refusal.—
(Hear, hear.) With regard to the affairs of the
Company having been mismanaged, as had been
said, all he could say was that he now held 300 shares ;
and surely, if the Secratary said that a large per
centage could now be had upon these shares, it would
hardly admit that it was a fact that the affairs of the Com-
pany had been mismanaged. With respect to the allegation
that the funds had been squandered, in reply to that he
begged to say it was well known that two-thirds of the
money had been paid into the Exchequer, which had
not since been touched, and only about one-seventh of
the remainder had been expended in the
d nefectiecessary out-
an
lay. The Bill itself was not more ve th
the generality of such Bills, for it was im-
possible to have the standing orders complied
with ; but if errors had been committed, it was
owing to the hurried manner in which the Bill had been
got up ; but it was thought better to take chance with
it; and ho would therefore suggest that the meet-
ing should await the result of Mr. Gore's motion.
He also begged to assure the meeting that he
had not the least doubt but that every landowner
along the line would assent to its being made.—(Hear.
hear.) The Hon. Gentleman having spoke at considerable
length, and denied that it
as was
had the Intention to have
the line " re-surveyed," been stated, -
eluded ; and then ensued a scene of clamour
and confusion still greater than that which preceded
his speech. Seven or eight persons essayed to speak at
the same moment, some asking questions of those oppo-
stoiteb,eomthoeartshceaalrlitnagy outreg
r‘e‘tnMtirithathe Chairman," who appeared
had
given him-
self a claim to that title, while shouts of 6, chair,
" and " hear, hear," arose in
chair," "order, order,
all parts of the room. Amid
deafening rapidity from
the din,
Mr. CHADWICK was heard loudly contending that the
Bill could never pass in its present state, owin—
g to the
number of blunders it contained.
Mr. ABRAHAM made a long statement in proposing
the first resolution, but it was of a nature so personal to
the parties he bad named that we must decline publish-
ing It.
Mr. COLLETT followed in the same strain, making
some assertions, in reference to an individual present, of
a very serious nature, but as they also were personal
and not relevant to the question at issue, it is unneces-
sary to publish them. He concluded, by suggesting
that he would recommend the Committee of Manage-
ment to call a full and general meeting of the share-
holders after the House of Commons had decided upon
Mr. Gore's motion.
Mr. CHADWICK contended that such a coarse would
be utterly useless, for the Bill contained so many blun-
ders that it could not, by any possibility, be passed.
Then followed another scene of clamour and confusion,
which was raised to a most vociferous pitch, when
The CHAIRMAN called upon the meeting to decide for
or against the adoption of the report. Those for and those
against it went to either side of the table, and the
Chairman, amidst shouts and cheers, decided the majo-
rity in favour of the adoption of the report, which was
followed by renewed cheering.
Mr. ABRAHAM then moved a resolution, which was
seconded by Mr. CHADWICK, and carried in the
affirmative. It was to the effect, that " from the facts
contained in the report of the Committee of Inquiry.
the Committee of Management had forfeited the con-
fidence of the shareholders."
Several other resolutions were proposed, and each
created a renewed burst of angry and warm discussion,
which ended in the adoption of them ; and a vote of
thanks having been passed to the Chairman, the meet-
' I ing broke up shortly after three o'clock.
(e-

The once famous cattle and sheep market at Morpeth,
which for a long series of years was second only to
nd be said no longer to exist. -It has
ed `o nothing, all its business having
passed over to its formidable neighbour of Newcastle-
upon-Ttne•