§ MR. NEWDEGATE, seeing the head of the Railway Commissioners in his place, wished to put a question to him respecting what was commonly called Lord Dalhousie's Act, concerning joint-stock companies, and consequently railway companies. He was aware that a similar question to that he proposed to put had been already asked by the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, and that the answer had been that some legal provisions would be introduced to amend Lord Dalhousie's Act. The consequence of the answer had been, that numerous petitions from persons concerned in railway companies which had failed in carrying out their objects had been delayed. In those petitions they set forth, that owing 9 to the decision of the Bankruptcy Commissioners that the assent of the shareholders must be procured before a company can be declared bankrupt, and to the expense contingent upon proceedings at law and in equity, as shown in the case of Small and Attwood, they were in a most unhappy position. They hoped therefore that Government would declare itself one way or the other, and bring forward some Bill to amend Lord Dalhousie's Act during the present Session.
§ MR. STRUTTcould not answer for any department but his own: he had no intention during the present Session of bringing in any such Bill. True it was that one or two applications had been made to the board; but the Commissioners saw no immediate necessity for the introduction of any such Bill.