The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-24 00:00:00

OXFOIU) AND RUGBY RAILWAY.

On the order of the day for the third reading of the Oxford
and Rugby Railway

Sir CHARLES DOUGLAS moved that it be postponed,
as great number of lines were at that time before Parliament,
which would be affected by the passing of this Bill. A de-
cision had been come to by the House the other evening,
and he thought that the reconsideration of the question might
be attended with considerable advantage, as he was well aware
that many Hon. Members had voted on the question without
leaving at all considered its merits. He considered that this
inquiry would be attended with advantage to all, and he should
therefore move the postponement of this Bill.
Air. F. BORTHWICK opposed the proposition of the Hon.
Gentleman, and contended that it was inconsistent and in-
expedient of the House not to sustain the decisions of the Com-
mittees, which were governed altogether by a regard for the
public ihterest, to which all money local interests ought to give
way. He could riot consent to follow the example of those
lion. Members who supposed that they promoted the interests
of their constituents by opposing the general interest of the public.
Mr. NEWDEGATE said that no one more deeply re-
spected the decisions which the Members of those Committees
came to than himself; still he did not think the House should
always bend to them. Such decisions should not preclude
those who had local information from stating their
views to the House before the final adoption of
any railway scheme. He had had nu objection to every com-
pany doing its best to forward their particular plans ; still,
before the House agreed to any of them, he considered a full
opportunity should be afforded to Members of local experience
for laying that experience before the House. He should sup-
port the motion of his Hon. Friend for the postponement of
the Bill.

Alr. COLLETT—It appeared that the opinions of the
Committee were by no means unanimous, and it was also
evident from the evidence which had been adduced, that the
traffic of iron and minerals was much better served by the
narrow than by the broad guage. He did not see that the
Louse would at all be interfering with the judgment of the Com-

mittee was reconsidering the 'notion which had been put be-
fore them. The intercourse with Brighton and Norwich was
carried on with the narrow gauge, and he wished that this

principle was carried out on all the railways in the kingdom.
Sir GEORGE GREY wished to say a few words on this
subject, and should not have been induced to utter them, but
that it was evident that the Committee were by no means una-
nimous in their decision. It appeared that the decision
of the Committee was the difference of two and

three ; and he thought, therefore, that it might be reviewed
without any interference or disrespect. All, or most of the
passengers who went by the Birmingham Railway, either pro-
ceeded to Birmingham or went on by the Midland Counties
Railway, and it was therefore manifest that Rugby would be
one of the very worst places at which the alteration from the
narrow to the broad gauge could be made.
111 r. SHAW did not think that the question was between the
relative merits of the narrow and broad gauge. The question was,
whether it was the Lon.lon and Birmingham Company or the
Great Western Company who were to construct this line of rail-
way. He was of opinion it it was not made by the Great Western
Company it, would not be made at all. It would not pay the
other Company, and it would very little more than pav the
Great Westein Companl, but as it would draw the traffic to
their trunk line it would be their interest to make it, The
Committee thought it was their duty to grant this line, He
would not enter again into the broad and narrow gauge,
which had been already fully discu-sed.
Air. GISBORNE thought the Right Hon. Gentleman
was wrong in approving of the narrow gauges. Rugby was
the most inconvenient ',lace in the kingdom to make a break
of gunge ; besides4the inconvenience to the passenger by ;this
break, it would greatly it:crease the expense of the convey-
ance of goods and, in the case of coals, very much
damage their quality ; the question of delay should
be l,kewise taken it.to consideration. He considered
that this plan of transhipping coals would form a
complete bar to any traffic in that article.— (Loud cries of
"Divide, divide," and " Oh, oh,")—avd so also of lime, and
he could speak from experience on the subject, having be_n
one of the largest lime burners in England.—( Oh, oh, divide.)
14 giving this branch to Rugby. they would prev,
being carried beyond that town.—( erica of "Ororder.")
With respect to the broad and nari:ow 'gauge, he was not mach
in the habit of eulogising the reports of the Board of Trade,
but in this case he thought their reasons were
moo: cogent.—(cries of " Divide, " Order, order.")
The Hon. Gentleman at iength gave way to the loud and re-