HC Deb 09 May 1850 vol 110 cc1280-1

Order for Committee read.

House in Committee.

Clauses 1 to 9 agreed to.

On Clause 10,

MAJOR BERESFORD

said, that this clause gave the Railway Commissioners power to annul the resolutions which any meeting of shareholders might adopt. This was a most extraordinary power to vest in the Commissioners, and he would divide the Committee on it.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL

said, the clause was not in the Bill originally, but was introduced when the Bill was in Committee in the other House. In his opinion the clause was not of much importance; but he hoped the hon. and gallant Member would not divide upon it.

MR. LABOUCHERE

admitted that the power conferred by the clause was an unusual one, but the Bill proceeded entirely on the principle of vesting a large discretionary authority in the Railway Commissioners.

MR. DISRAELI

thought the power given to the Commissioners by this clause was of a most arbitrary character.

MR. LABOUCHERE

suggesed that the clause might be amended by merely giving the Commissioners power to direct, when they deemed it necessary, that a fresh meeting of shareholders should take place.

MAJOR BERESFORD

assented to this suggestion; and

The clause, as amended, agreed to.

The succeeding clauses up to 27 were agreed to.

On Clause 28,

MR. COWAN

stated that, although the clause required certain advertisments to be published in in the Edinburgh Gazette, yet the Bill itself did not apply to Scotland any more than the Winding-up Act. It was desirable that it should.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL

was apprehensive that the machinery of the Scotch courts would not tally exactly with the arrangements of the Bill, But he would consult the Lord Advocate with the view of ascertaining whether the Bill could be applied to Scotland.

Remaining clauses agreed to.

House resumed.

Bill reported; as amended, to be considered on Monday next.