The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-09-17 00:00:00

THE LEAGUERS AND THE REGISTRATION COURTS.

At ten o'clock this morning the revising barristers for
this division of the county commenced their labours at
Ashton-under- Lyne and Newton-le-Willows. M r. Brand-
reth presided at Newton. At an early hour Mr. Hickin,
secretary to the League, accompanied by Acland, their
lecturer, John Gadsby, and several others, reached New-
ton. Mr. Henry Coppock, of the firm of Coppock and
N'troollarn, solicitors, Stockport, and Mr. Worthington,
solicitor, of Manchester, appeared for the Leaguers; Mr.
Ackersley, solicitor, olt Wigan, and Mr. Wagstaff, solici-
tor, of Warrington, appeared to defend the Conservative
voters objected to. On the opening of the court, consi-
derable time was occupied in testing the validity of the
objections served by the Leaguers. It appeared that a
very great number had been signed by Mr. Gadsby, with-
out his having any knowledge of the parties; and it was
argued that such a system of wholesale objecting to voters
was vitiating the spirit of the law and intentions of the
legislature. The barrister decided that Mr. Gadsby,
being on the list of voters, was qualified to object to any
other on the list. It was next objected to that the Mr.
Gadsby described in the register was not the Mr. Gadsby
who signed the objections, but Mr. Hickin proved that the
signature attached to the objections was that of John
Gadsby, as described on the register of voters. Mr.
Gadsbv's objections were, therefore, held to be good.
Mr. Gadsby was present, but it was deemed inadvisable
to call him, and in each case Acland proved his hand-
writing. The court sat until five o'clock, at which time
something like 40 claims and objections had been disposed
of. If, therefore, the courts get on at the same pace, it
is probable that the barristers may finish their labours is
this county by the month of May or June next. The
objections taken by the Leaguers are in most cases owing
to some little informality in the description on the regis-
ter, and the barrister has decided that wherever he feels
himself called upon to alter the description, he cannot
award costs. From the nature of the objections brought
before the court to-day, there is every reason to believe
that if the conservatives attend the courts, but few votes
will be struck off the list. Notwithstanding the immense
number of objections issued by the leaguers, they have
lost more votes to-day than the conservatives. This
ought to be a stimulant for the friends of conservatism to
attend the courts and substantiate their votes. At A sbton-
under• Lyne the court was also occupied, before anything
like a rule was laid down, and have not during the day pro-
ceeded much more rapidly than the court at Newton.

SHEFFIELD AND LINCOLNSHIRE JUNCTION

RAILWAYS.

At two o'clock yesterday a meeting of Liverpool share-
holders in the Manchester, Ashton-under-Lime, and Shef.
field Railway was held at the Clarendon Rooms, for the
purpose of hearing the advantages derivable from an ex-
tension of the line to Lincoln and Gainsburgb, explined
by Messrs. Haywood, Bramley, and Gainsford, solicitors,
of Sheffield. Mr. Gainsford delivered a long address, in
its
120,000 course of which he showed that Sheffield, with
120,000 inhabitants, lay in a direct line between Lincoln
and Manchester, and that a railway through that town
would open the shortest, quickest, and cheapest route
from Lincolnshire to Manchester, intersecting, at the
same time, the largest amount of population and of trade
that can possibly be accommodated by any line of railway
in the intermediate country. Amongst other places to
he intersected by this line will be the market towns of
Worksop andßetford, which carry on an extensive
malting business almost exclusively with Manchester.
A careful survey has been completed, the result of
which appears to be that the line presents no en-
gineering difficulties, that the works are light, the gradi-
ents favorable, and that it will be of the most economical
character, both as to construction and working. An ar-
rangement has been made with the Sheffield and Manches-
ter Railway Company, by which a net minimum revenue
of four per cent. per annum on the capital expended is
guaranteed to the subscribers in this company, with an
equal division of the further profits between the two com-
panies ; and a clause wi'l be inserted in the act for
payment of interest at the rate of four per cent on ail
calls until the opening of the line, which may be expected
in 18 months after the passing of the act. A number of
questions were asked by Mr. Holland, of Preston, were
very satisfactorily answered; and at the close of Mr.
Gainsford's address, the meeting adjourned, evidently
very favourably impressed with the important advantages
to be derived from the extension, and fully satisfied with
his explanations on the various points in dispute.