The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-01 00:00:00

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that he wished to put a ques-
tion
to the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite as to the notice
which stood in his name for to-morrow, respecting the
condition of the labouring classes in this country.
Seeing that the Maynooth- Bill was to be committed
on Friday, he was unwilling that the debate on his motion,
which would probably be an adjourned one, should interfere
with the progress of that Bill. He wished to consult the con-
venience of the House as well as that of the Right Hon. Gentle-
man, and he was, therefore, willing to postpone his resolutions.
But as it would be uncertain when he could bring forward
his motion upon a motion day, perhaps the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman would give him some order day, which would be con-
venient to the Government, in order to enable him to bring
forward his motion.
Sir ROBERT PEEL said that, supposing the Noble Lord's
motion would lead to an adjourned debate, it would certainly
be inconvenient that three or four days should elapse between
the first night of that debate and its resumption. He was unuil-
ling also that anything should interfere with the Maynooth Bill,
which he intended should be committed on Friday. Perhaps
his Hon. Friend the Member for Oxford would be able to state
how long it was likely the debate on the third reading would
continue. If his Hon. Friend thought it would be
iinpaseible to conclude the debate on the third reading
on Friday, he (Sir Robert Peel) had no alternative
left bat to fix the third reading of the Maynooth
Bill for some early day after the Whitsun holidays. He
thought the House would agree with him, that they should dis-
pose of that Bill before they proceeded with any other business.
That would give an opportunity of a continuous debate imme-
diately after
.Whitsuntide. Then, in that case, as the Noble
Lord had waived his right of precedence on Thursday in order
that the Maynooth Bill might proceed on the following day—
in that case, he ( Sir R. Peel) would give the Noble Lord the
first vacant Monday after the third reading of the Maynooth
Bill, for the introduction of his motion.
Sir R. INGLIS was understood to say that he concurred
with the Right Hon. Baronet in the course he proposed to take.
Si: R. PEEL—Perhaps it will be the best course to fix the
third reading of the Maynooth Bill for Monday, the 19th of
May, and the day for the Noble Lord's motion for Monday,
the t6th of May.
THE TARIFF. _

Mr. EWART wished to know if the Right Hon. Gentle-
taan would fix some day for the supplementary tariff debate.
This was a subject on which, of course, much interest was felt,
and he trusted that the Right Hon. Gentleman would fix some
day for that debate.
Sir ROBERT PEEL was understood to say that the
question had lately been under his consideration. If
the Hon. Gentleman would be content with the assurance
that he (Sir R. Peel) would give a Government day as early
as possible, he would give that assurance. They must have a
vote on supply at an early day ; and as soon as the motion of
the Noble Lord (J. Russell) was disposed of, he would name
a day.
Lord J. RUSSELL was understood to :ay that he would
therefore postpone his motion till after Whitsuntide.
Mr. M. GIBSON hoped that a night would be appointed
for the motion of his Hon. Friend the Member for Wolver-
hampton, on the subject of butter and cheese.—(A laugh.) His
Hon. Friend had had a notice on the paper before the tariff was
brought forward, and he postponed it at the request of the
Right Hon. Gentleman ( Sir R. Peel.) He thought, there-
fore, that he was entitled to have an early day named.
Sir R. PEEL thought that some departure from such an
arrangement as that referred to by the Hon. Gentleman might
be excused, when it was considered that there had since been
ten days' debate upon the Maynooth Bill before going into Com-
mittee. The Right Hon. Gentleman, who was very imper-
fectly heard, was understood to say that he would fulfil the
engagement as early as possible.
Mr. F. MAULE said that the Right Hon. Gentleman had
promised that, before the second reading of the Maynooth
he would state what his ulterior measures respecting the
Roman Catholics of Ireland could be. The third reading, he
(Mr. Fox Maule) understood, was to take place on tilts, 19th of
May. He wished to ask, therefore, whether the Right Hon.
Baronet would make his statement before the holidays ?

Sir R. PEEL would do all he could to make the statement
before the holidays
Mr. BULLER asked when the Right H 'pourable Baronet
would explain his plan as to the provincial colleges?
Slr It. PEEL was understood to say that he would do so
before the holidays.
Several of the motions which were on yesterday's paper
were then further postpor.ed.
The Ca `co Print Works Bill was read a third time and
passed.

ROMAN CATHOLICS RELIEF BILL.
On the motion that this Bill be read a second time,
Sir JAMES GIAHAM said he trusted that the Ho.
nouraLle Member would consent to p stpone the
sect): d reading of this Bill until after the Whitsun
holida;s There were several points in this Bill which were
at present under consideration by a C-Immissiln cn a similar
Bill. 'lke Commission upon that Bill had not yet made their
report to Jeer Majesty's Government, and the Ministry were
anxious to obtain the benefit of this report before
they entered upon the consideration of this Bill.
He, therefore, trusted that tire Hon. Gentleman would not
d 'pi ive bier of the advantage of that report, but that he would
poApone the second reading until after that report bad been
received.
Me WATSON said that he bad not the slightest objection
to comply with.. the request of the Right Honourable
Ba-snet, provided en obstruction was offered by the
Government in consequence of that report to the pro-
gress of the Bill. It should be recollected that this
Bill had passed the Lords in the last session of Parliament.
He was fearful that some obstruction might arise from the report
of the Commission to which the Right lion. Baronet had al-
luded, but as he was anxious for the principle of the Bill,
he would orefer tpaiit. teas read a.see,m4Ltinao to.niu_ht.and.thaL
Committee. He was nut anxious about the time at which the
Bill was passed ; but as it might obviate some inconvenience,
be would rather that the second reading were taken
1:101, than deferred to a future period, and the
more so as the Lord Chancellor, during its progress through
the Lords last session, had termed it an imperfect measure, and
he did not wish to subject it to the same imputation.
SK _JAMES GRAHAM said nothing was further from
the wish of her Majesty's Government than to offer
Sony : obstruction to the progress of this BilL But, as the report
of..the Commie ion materially affected many of the details of
tan measure, he thought it would be better to postpone it
until. that report had been received, and name some day
.after the Whitsun lays for bringing it before the Hens
tihkesmo sonsjreetts
ie it. referred
ferre't
not only to her Alajesty's Roman
country,Catho-
brt also those in Scot land and Ireland.
He was sure the Hen. G.ntreinzt wenzuilsd,tedseefoorn
por,,,tflpi,ucntii ng
thethe
urgent necessity that at present
second reading of this Bill.
Air. WAT: ON consented no. to pre .s the second reading
on the present occasion, but he '
begged it to be distinctly under-
Ito that after the Witsuntid
recess he should take the
earliest opportunity of mooing the
The principle he wished to ;stab, sieicond reading of the Bill.
is
laws affecting persons so far as .by the Bill was, that all
be obliterated from the statute.:egard regarded their religion' should
..ok.
Sir It. R. INGLIS said he should reserve what he had to
say upon the subject till a future occasion.
'1 he secon I reading of the Bill
was
Wedne. day, the 2Eth of May. then postponed till

ARRESTAIENT OF WAGES.
Mr. DUN COM BE said that he had intended to move the
second reading of the Arrestment of Wag es (Scotland) Bill
this night, and he had hoped that it might be
of
allowed to pass
through the remaining stages. The object
the working classes in Scotland, on the same lt was to put
with those in England and Ireland, and thiire-
-
footing
having them and their employers from a most vex
tious and oppressive system. He found that there
would he very great difficulties in the way of remov-
ing tl.e arrestment of .wages altogether, and he ob-
served that there were many conflicting opinions in Scotland
upon the subject He had seen several persons from
that country, and after the representations they had
made to him, and their desire that he should
make some modifications in the measure, he was convinced of
the necessity for se, doing.. They proposed to forward a draft
of a Bill which would meet the views of all parties, and he be-
lieved that they had communicated with the Lord-Advocate
--•- on the matter. He (Mr. Duncombe) must say that,
• - considering-the opinion epteitained by them, they had taken a
- fair aviftiatqaol6l,4lAl,tilty appeared prepared to grant con-
, cessipii)-ih cledeiLlo„get..srue. unanimity on the subject. The
Comb OsitseisTrYotid have Awer to take into. consideration
the iretnapctis of the mad, a'ud of his family, and to decide
3-- ---vt ortiett-eaisivages thoitld'he retained and what given up..
-,*-4iiti • .44.. kruiv,,Avhether. . their, views met those of the,
4
Le -Aartatif;,. but a. Jiae. • Hon, . gpd Learned Member
• was ,aatlatted', Ike wished to Ace 111 pirties on an equit-

S

able footing ; he should, therefore, wish to have this Bill '
discharged, on condition that he should be allowed to introduce
a new Bill having reference to the same subject. •
The LORD-ADVOCATE, who was almost alt ether in-
audible in the gallery, was understood to express h F approval
of the course pursued by the Hon. Gentleman. TI e subject
was full of difficulties, but he should be glad to girt the Hon.
Gentleman any assistance in his power.
Mr. FOX MAULE was understood to say that great in-
convenience would result from disturbing the present system.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM spoke in a low tone of voice,
with his back to the gallery, vaso that it was extremely
difficult to collect even the 'gist of his observations. He
had taken great interest in this matter, and felt great
anxiety to remedy the evils which existed in the arrestment of
wages in Scotland. He had communicated with Sir William
Rae on the matter, who was disposed to favour considerable
alterations in the present system. Any interference with it was
likely to spread the pernicious truck custom, and any
stringent penalties for " trucking" would engender strong
opposition from every principal party in Scotland.
At the same time, he was not prepared to say that some plan
of legi,lation was not necessary and expedient upon this sub-
ject. As the law now stood, he was not prepared to say
with certainty what legislative measure would be introduced,
hut he was quite sure the Government would give all the as-
sistance in their power to the promotion of the object the Hon.
Member bad in view.
Mr. RUTHERFORD called the attention of the Lord-
Advocate to the law of arrestment as it now stood, and said
that one of its defects was, that in many cases arrestments
were made which were illegal, and at the same time in-
effectual.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE asked if the Rtght Hon. Gentleman
opposite would agn e to the suggestion of his Hon. Friend near
him, that there should be no arrestment of wages except upon
execution ? If the Lord Advocate would give the assurance that.
he would take up the subject, he ( Mr. Duncombe) would not
opp se the discharging of the order.
Sir G. CLERK was understood to assent, and the order
was then discharged.
On the order of the day fur the second reading of the Canal
Compan:cs' Tolls Bill and Canal Companies Carriers Bill being
read,
Sir JOSIAH GUEST objected to any delay of the reading.
Sir GEORGE CLERK suggested that the objections
should be postponed till the third reading.
The Bills were then read a second time.

AUCTION DUTIES.
Captain PECHELL wished to know when the auction duties
were to be remitted ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
it was impossible to remit the duties till the Bill had passed and
received the royal assent.
COMMON-LAW PROCESS BILL.

This Bill was read a first time. To be read a second time on
Monday week.
Petitions against the grant to Maynooth were presented by
Mr. Wilson Patten and Mr. Wakley ; and a petition in favour
of the grant by Lord Jocelyn.
The House then Adjourned at a Quarter past Six o'clock.

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.

(YESTERDAY.)

Group G and G 2.
WILTS AND SOMERSET RAILWAY.
The Wilts and Somerset Railway was taken into conside-
ration before this Committee. The Hou. T. H. Liddell,
thairman.
The line before the Committee was called the Wilts,
omerset, and Weymouth Railway, the object of which was
temake a railway from a point of the Great Western Rail-
way to Salisbury, thence to Weymouth, with branches to other
places in Wilts, Somerset, and Dorset, commencing in the
the parish of Corsham, near Chippenham,. thence to Salis-
bury 3€l miles, thence to Weymouth 75 miles, with a branch
to Bridport of 9 miles in length. The line would pass Frome,
Bradford, Trowbridge, and Yeovil, and the agricultural
towns of Devizes, Salisbury, Dorchester, and Warminster;
the seaport towns of Bridport, Weymouth, and the district
of Radstock. This line would form a communication between
the Southampton and Dorchester and the Bristol and Exeter
Railways. The estimated cost was 1,500,0001., or about
12,0001. a mile ; the returns being 157,803/., and allowing
40 per cent. for working expenses, the gross amount
would leave a return of net income of 94,682/. The number
of the population likely to be benefited by it was 1,787,000.
Nine petitions had been presented against it, but three were
withdrawn. The line was opposed by the Somerset Coal
Canal Company, by the trustees of the Melksham Turnpike
Road Trustees. and by persons at Devizes, and by several
owners of property on the line.
Mr. Brunel, examined by Mr. AUSTIN, stated that the line
passed through Corsham, Wilksham, Trowbridge, West-
bury, Warminster, Salisbury, Frome, Yeovil, Burton, Dor-
chester, and Weymouth. There was a branch from Melks-
ham to Devizes, one from Dorchester to Bridport, and one
from near Yeovil to Sherbourne, the total length being 129
miles. No repairing difficulties of any amount. There
were no tunnels, but there were several turnpike-
roads crossed by the line : the Shepton gradient on the line
was one in 44, but no gradient was of any considerable im-
portance. The only line at all likely to interfere with this
line was one now iu course of construction from Salisbury to
Southampton.
The principal opposition to this line to-day was offered by
Mr. Wetherall, on behalf of Captain Williams, of llerringston
House, near Dorchester. It appeared, from inquiries by the
Chairman and Mr. Christopher, that the railway passed
at the distance of about 627 yards front the house. The
gradients varied from 1 in 45 to lin 79. Near the tunnel
which was intended to be made not far from this house, the
gradient was 1 in 54, but there was no gradient in the tun-
nel. Had the line been carried according to the line pro-
posed by the opposers of the railway, the injury to Captain
Williams's property would be greater than that likely to ac-
crue from the line laid down by himself, inasmuch as the line
would, in thatcase, pass over theroads which gave daily access
to the house, and, in his opinion, the railway could be no an-
noyance to Ilerringston 'Muse, as the line could notbe seen at
300 yards from the house. The house itself was the old house,
which, by the inquiries of the counsel, had been in possession
of the family for 700 years ; but, according to the opinion of
Mr. Brunel, it was lace an old knife with a new blade and a
new haft, and which, consequently, had no claims for the con-
sideration of the Committee which should induce them to
change their line. Captain Williams was resident in
Ireland, and before the Committee could communicate with
hint it was necessary to deposit their plans with the clerks
of the peace. The house was an old house, but the chief
feature in the house was an ugly one—it was an old ceiling
in the drawing-room.
To an inquiry by the CHAIRMAN, it appeared that the
branch to Devises was to terminate at a station at the back
of the Bear Inn, behind which there was a field some sixty
feet lower than the market -place. It appeared that the
station at this place had been made at the request of the
authorities at Devizes, but he did not think that this eleva-
tion would be any material objection to the formation of the
station.
By the examination of Mr. GREENWOOD, who appeared for
the Somersetshire Canal Coal Company, it appeared that the
distance of the line from Bingley to Salisbury would be 83
miles, and to Bridport 73 miles. The length of the branch from
Melksham to Devizes would be 7 miles, and that to Radstock,
which was a circuitous branch, would be eight miles, the direct
road to the latter place being about seven miles. He expected to
meet the Seabom coal a little below Yeovil which would be
brought to Weymouth, and his impression was that the
Somersetshire coal would be a great deal cheaper at the
pit's mouth than the Newcastle coal, and this coal
would, if the railway were formed, beat the New-
castle coal out of the market. His reason for
this opinion was that the South Wales coal was
now brought into competition with the Newcastle coal, not
far from Weymouth, at the present time. To an inquiry by
the Chairman, it appeared that the public were likely to be
benefited by the competition of the Radstock and Somerset-
shire coal with the Newcastle coal, and it was Mr. Brunel's
opinion, that if the Radstock coal were a shilling cheaper, it
would supersede the Newcastle coal. Yeovil is the dividing
point, being a large town between the north-east and south-
west district of the county.
The price of the Radstock coal at the pit's meuth was about
Bs. a load, and the price of carriage, according to the inquiries
of Mr. Slyhead, would be about 141. a ton. The Newcastle coal
which would be supplied to that district would be about 255. a
tor., while the price of the Radstock coal would be about 15s.
a ton. When the Melkehani road is crossed, it would be in-
, tercepted by the station, and it was a provision of the Railway
Clauses Cons.didation Bill that all trains should slacken their
speed, on reaching a turnpike-road, to the rate of four miles
an hour.

Mr. SixitEAD, who appeared for the Company, intimated,
that as the 'difference between the Company and Captain
Williams was likely to be arranged, he would ask Mr. Brunel
no questions on that point, but would, in the event of that
matter not being arranged, reserve his inquiries.
Colonel. L. l'hipps, an acting magistrate, living within
about five miles, of Devizes, which place he had been in the
habit of visiting as a magistrate and otherwise daily for
the last twenty-live years. He was one of the provisional
Committee, and was well acquainted with the spot where it
was proposed to make the termination of the railway, and
ha thought it would be very inconvenient to make the ter-
minus of the railway. Since he came to London he had
seen a requisition, signed by a great number of the inhabi-
tants of the town of Devizes of the highest respectability,
who were opposed to the terminus as it was now proposed.
To a question by Mr. CHRISTOPHER' Colonel Phipps stated
that the market at. Devizes was a pitch market, where the
'dnazue br,nristirth-ire-nwuttraltedlre,r-vj Spa,
At this point Mr. GREENWOOD intimated that it was ar-
ranged that there was to be a meeting between Mr. Giles,
in engineer, and Mr. Brunel, through which the opposition
Captain Williams was likely to be arranged.
In resumption of the examination of Colonel Phipps it ap-
ared that a considerable portion of the opponents of the
line were residents out of Devizes, and the terminus at the
Bear-yard was to be mach in consequence of an understand-
standing entered into with the inhabitants of Devizes by Mr.
Brunel. •
Col. 011ivier had been present at the meeting at which
this understanding was entered into, and the •iuggestion
with respect to the termination at the Bear-yard was
received unanimously, and he was not aware of any opposi-
tion to this proposition until lately—within the last week.
Re was well acquainted with the site of the Bear. field, and
believed that the terminus at that place would be very incon-
venient, the road to it being an occupation road, and very
steep. In order to obviate this difficulty, they would have
to go , a considerable distance round, and the base
of the hill was seventy feet at least below
the level of the summit. He conceived that a much
greater distance than 300 yards must be gone round to
obviate the steep ascent.
To the inquiries of Mr. GREENWOOD, Cul. 011ivier stated
that the vale at the back or Dr. Brabant's garden was a
very beautiful one, but the view of it was not commanded
from the house, and therefore could not be affected by the
rail way.

•
Mr.. John Saunders., of Trowbridge, but who formerly re-
sided at Bradford, and carried on a considerable manufacture
of woollen cloth in that place. By the
_queries of Mr.
Slyhead it appeared that the population of Trowbridge was
about 12,000, and of Bradford, 10,0)0. The staple of these
two towns was woollen cloth. The bulk of their wool they
got from London and the charge of the carriage of woolfrom
Chippenham, which was to the South of Trowbridge, was
equal to the charge from London to Trowbridge, but
by the formation of this railway the southern counties
would be opened up for the supply of wool, and a great
advantage would be obtained in speed, certainty, and coat.
The chief market for Trowbridge cloth was London, with
which the communication was at present expensive. The
coals used at Trowbridge were brou,,,ht from Radstock, chiefly
by carts, though there was a canal communication to Ilford,
within a short distance of Trowbridge. The price of the beat
Radstock coal at the pit was 10s. a ton, though he could not
speak precisely as to the price at Trowbridge; the rate at
Yeovil being about 20s. a ton. The price of the Warmin-
ster coal was about 15s. a ton. The price of the New-
castle coal at Salisbury was 345. to 365., and of the Somer-
setshire coal about 24s—the whole being carried by land.
To an inquiry by the CHAIRMAN, Mr Saunders stated that
the coal at the pit's mouth charged at 108. was all round
coal, and if the Radstock coal could delivered
at 18s., .he believedth
coal.th the
putS onieprf h
e e t sthie field,
r e coaleid
Newcastle would beat the
Alvah he. 4041(1 pot, state at ialii:estient tbhriettirwiLleohats..
ha the pieponderance ju the

communication with several gentlemen at Bridport, Wey-
mouth, and other places, he believed that the Newcastle coal
would be preferred. He could not say what was the number
of pieces of woollen cloth made at Trowbridge, but it was
considerable.
Mr. Hemmings, solicitor of Weymouth, stated in reply to
the inquiries of Mr. Slyhead, that the chief import ports of
that coast were Bridport and Weymouth, from which the
only communication with the interior was by land carriage.
Great part of the goods was brought by sea, but the com-
munication by that means was very uncertain and tedious,
and that caused many goods to be brought by waggon during
winter. The town of Weymouth was largely supported by
visitors from the north, and as the retail trade of the town
was enhanced by this circumstance, the formation of the
railway would increase the number of visitors from the north,
and consequently the trade of the town would be largely in-
creased by this means. The town had lately lost the
Channel Islands packets, which had gone to Southampton,
and the expenditure of these packets was about 16,0001. a
year, and the inhabitants believed that those packets would
be restored if this railway were formed.
To an inquiry from the CHAIRMAN, Mr. Hemming stated
that the chief coal used in Weymouth was the Newcastle and

IZadstock coal, with some coal'from Wales.
A conversation then ensued respecting the proof of the pre-
amble, the result of which was that Mr. Greenwood and Mr.
Whateley, Q.C., stated that they did not abandon their op-
position, and it was agreed that the inquiry should be re-
sumed to-morrow.
Mr. Vyvian was then called to certify to the capital and
shares of the Company, by whose evidence it appeared that
the capital proposed was 1,500,000/., with power to borrow
500,0001. more; the Scrip subscribed for was 1,152,3001.; the
amount of deposit 57,615/. ; the number of Shareholders
having no local interest 182, :who subscribed 196,400/. ; and
other subscribers were 150, with a share property of 955,9001.
Of these 117 were subscribers to the amount of 2,0001. and
upwards.
After receiving the evidence of Mr. Vyvian, the Committee
adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow.

SCOTTISH CENTRAL RAILWAY.
Group DD.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. COCKBURN proceeded to examine Mr. Errington
civil engineer, as to the merits and mode of construction of
the proposed line. He had conversed several times
with various noblemen and gentlemen, who owned
land in the neighbourhood, and all of them had ex-
pressed a favourable opinion of the scheme. He had
several times gone over the portion of the line ex-
tending from Stirling to Perth ; and conjointly with Mr.
Locke, the eminent engineer, had surveyed the remaining
portion. The first terminus was proposed to be erected at
Perth, on the eastern extremity of a space called the South
Inch, of which place a portion of 5 acres would be required
for the station, and a further quantity of 20 acres would be
necessary for the line. The locus of the station had been
pointed out by the Committee and members of the Town
Council of Perth, and lie considered they expressed the
general opinion of the inhabitants. The locality of the pro-
posed station was particularly adaptel for the pur-
poses of the railway, on account of its close ap-
proximation to the harbour ; and it was intended
to lay down a line of rails from the station to
the quays to facilitate communication with the shipping.
The site of the terminus would combine very well with the
Scottish Midland station, and would form a good central
point for several lines to merge in. Some little- disparity
would be experienced in bringing the station of the pro-
posed line from Perth to Dundee, but the obstacle could be
ea sil v arranged. The course which the Scottish Central Railway
would pursue in the line as at present laid out was to proceed
from Perth to Moncrief-hill, through which a tunnel would
be made of 990 yards in length, and no difficulty IN ould
be experienced in boring, owing to the extremely favourable
nature of the strata, which consisted for the most part of
sand-stone. The line would then follow the course of the
Allan, near to Anchterarder, thence passing close by Black-
burn, would touch Dumblane, near Allan-bridge, and pro-
ceed in that direction to Stirling, in the Midland district,
where it would combine with the Edinburgh and Glasgow
Railway by two forks, one of which would traverse
the Bannockburn coal-fields. The whole length of the main
line was 45 miles, and the branch to Falkirk measured two
miles. The total length of the railway amounted
to rather more than 47 miles. The gradients were
all as favourable as the hilly nature of the ground
through which the line passed would admit, and no engi-
neering difficulties of a severe nature presented themselves.
The steepest of these gradients was lin 74. He had omitted
to mention one tunnel of 704 yards in length, which
passed through a park in the neighbourhood of Dumblane.
The tunnel would be excavated, solely to prevent any in-
jury arising to the park, which would happen if the works
were carried on on the surface. The estimated average ex-
pense of the construction of the line amounts to a total of
850,0001., for which sum the entire works are contracted to
be done, including every possible contingency, by Messrs.
Brassey, M'Kenzie, and Stephenson, the large contractors.
The earth works, including every sort of excavation, amounted
to 3,807,59 G cubic yards, which would be worked at the ave-
rage price of 111 per yard. The Scottish Central Railway,
considered as a trunk line for opening up a communication
with the north and south of Scotland was highly desirable,
and was also the most direct and eligible line that could be
adopted. From its central position it offered every facility
for the construction of branch lines and ramifications.

Mr. Errington was submitted to a long cross-examination
by various Counsel, but the principal features of his evidence
remained unaltered. .
_

Mr. HOPE then called Mr. Locke, the engineer, who
stated that he had heard nearly all the evidence which bad
been tendered by Mr. Errington, and was prepared to concur
with him in every particular. The station at Perth
had been fixed on as the most eligible, without
reference to the Dundee line ; but it was possible
for a general arrangement to be made, which would meet the
convenience of that line and others. The accommodation of
these lines would be a matter of after consideration, as the
Bills for the companies referred to had not yet come before.
the Committee. In his opinion the best plan would be for
' the station to be erected on the South Inch, as at present pro-
posed, and any future alteration or arrangement would be
a matter of general discussion amongst the companies of the
different lines.
Mr. Locke underwent a long cross-examination, but
nothing further of material importance was elicited.
At the close of this witness's examination, the Committee
adjourned till twelve to-morrow.

Group C.
This Committee re-assembled to-day at three o'clock in
Room No. 11; Mr. Barnebv in the chair.
HUDDERSFIELD AND SHE JUNCTION
RAILWAY. _

This Bill was recommitted for the Committee to fix the
maximum rates of tolls and charges.
➢lr. S.tuNDEtts, Secretary to the Great Western Railway,
in answer to the Chairman, said that it would not work to
the advantage of the. public if the rates of charges were
fixed at too low a maximum, inasmuch as if the prices were
found not to pay, the companies generally would have to
refuse working their lines. This disadvantage would be felt
doubly where goods traffic was concerned.
At this stage of the proceedings the CHAIR3IAN thought it
best not to open the case at all to-day, but to hear evidence
on the whole subject to-morrow.
The Committee adjourned till twelve to-morrow.