THE RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS AND THE RAILWAY AND CANAL TRAFFIC ACT.

The following is a Copy of a Petition in favour of the re-appointment of the Railway Commissioners, transmitted for presentation to the House of Commons by the Liverpool

Chamber of Commerce :

TO THE HONOURABLE THE COMMONS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, IN PARLIAMENT Assembled. THE PETITION OF THE INCORPORATED CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF LIVERPOOL, Humbly sheweth,—

1. That when the Railway and Canal Traffic Bill was introduced into your Honourable House, on the 10th of February, 1873, a Petition was presented to the House from your Petitioners, in which they showed that the proposal in the Bill to appoint a Tribunal of Three Commissioners, and to transfer to those Commissioners the jurisdiction exercised by the Court of Common Pleas under the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1854, and to confer certain other powers on the said Commissioners, would

prove

highly beneficial to the public, and give great

satisfaction.

2. That the said Bill passed both Houses of Parliament, and came into operation on the Ist of September, 1873.

3. That, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the aforesaid Act, and of the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1854, the special Tribunal, herein before mentioned, and recommended for appointment in the Report from the Joint Select Committee of the House of Lords and the House of Commons on Railway Companies Amalgamations, ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 2nd of August, 1872, was constituted, of which one was to be of experience in the law, and one of experience in Railway busi

ness.

ticular place or company, or any particular description of traffic, to any undue or unreasonable prejudice or disadvantage in any respect whatsoever."

7. That with these facilities, and by these means, points of great commercial interest, which have slept undisturbed for years, from the absence of any proper tribunal before which they could be argued, have been raised, examined, and fairly argued, and the proper legal remedy applied.

8. That the aforesaid Act settled, to a great extent, the large question that your Petitioners have had before them for many years, and from which the trade of the port of Liverpool has severely suffered, namely, are Railway Companies to be left to nurse, at their discretion, the traffic to particular places, developing trade there to the injury of those ports and places to which it would otherwise naturally flow.

9. That your Petitioners have had a long experience of the working of the Railway system in their case, during which it would seem, in great part, to have been overlooked that the railroads are the roads of the public, constructed and kept in order for the public,

in consideration of a right to charge sums which fairly remunerate for the expenditure and liabilities incurred, and that it should, therefore, be rendered impossible, under such conditions, to show respect of persons or of places, or to be generous to one port or place unless there is a willingness, on the part of the Railway Companies, to be generous to all; or for the great Carrying Companies to use the large powers conceded to them in the interest of the public, in such a way that the public shall not be prejudiced by the concession.

10. That your Petitioners have noticed that the functions of the Court constituted under the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1873, and entrusted with the administration of the Act, will expire with the end of the present session of Parliament, and that they have learned, with the utmost satisfaction, that it is the intention, on the part of Her Majesty's Government, to deal with the question of the re-enactment of the Act.

II. That in the opinion of your Petitioners no more important home question can come for consideration before your Honourable House than the rights and duties of the Rail

4, That, under the provisions of the aforesaid Act, traders and freighters are empowered to seek relief from the Tribunal aforesaid if reasonable facilities were not afforded them by the Railway Companies in the forwarding and delivery of their goods, or if undue preference were given to other persons, and that the same right of appeal is given in the case of one Railway Company against another. 5. That, further, the said Tribunal of Rail-way Companies, as common carriers, in their way Commissioners are bound, under the aforesaid Act, to see, on complaint made, that Railway Companies shall not convert a privilege conferred by the State into a monopoly injurious to the public; and also to see that a condition which the Legislature has long imposed upon Railway Companies, of treating all persons and all classes of the public equally, is adhered to.

6. That the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1873, also confers upon municipal bodies, or other "public corporation, local, or harbour board," the right to complain to the Railway Commissioners of any contravention of the provisions of the Act, which declare that no Railway Company shall subject "any par

relations to the trade and inland traffic of the country, and that your Petitioners would view with the deepest concern and alarm any endeavours on the part of Railway Companies or others to deprive the public using the Railways of the advantages they now enjoy of having their complaints against the Companies speedily and inexpensively inquired into and redressed before the Tribunal constituted under the Act herein before mentioned.

12. That, in conclusion, your Petitioners are satisfied that a great and valuable boon has been conferred upon traders and the public, directly and indirectly, in the passing of the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1873,

and especially in the establishment of the Court under that Act: that the judgments delivered by the Railway Commissioners, under the large powers they possess, have been marked by wisdom and discretion, and with a view to the greatest amount of possible benefit being derived from the Railway system of the country: that the exercise of the functions of the Railway Commissioners in the past will undoubtedly tend to make the Railways of the country much more convenient as means of transit, and much more useful as means of transport.

13. That, while it is true that the number of complaints made before the Railway Commissioners have not been great, and that the number of cases adjudicated upon by the Commissioners aforesaid have been small, considering the absence of harmony existing between the public using the lines and the policy pursued by the Railway Companies, so unexpected and favourable a result is due, in great part, to wise and timeous concessions on the part of the Railway Companies themselves, without the intervention of the Railway Commissioners.

14. Your Petitioners, therefore, most

humbly and earnestly pray that your
Honourable House will not listen to
any proposals, direct or indirect, which
have for their object the abolition of
the Court established under the Rail-
way and Canal Traffic Act, 1873, but
that every means and opportunity will
be taken advantage of by your Honour-
able House to continue, to strengthen,
and to extend the powers of the Rail-
way Commissioners aforesaid, which
have been so usefully and beneficially
exercised in the past, in the interest of
the Railway Companies themselves, as
well as of the general public, and the
extinction of which would be regarded
by your Petitioners as equivalent to a
national calamity.

And your Petitioners will ever pray, &c.
Given under the Common seal of The
Incorporated Chamber of Commerce
of Liverpool, this 25th day of April,
1879.
WILLIAM B. FORWOOD,
President.

WILLIAM BLOOD,

Secretary.

THE

POTTERY AND GLASS TRADES' GAZETTE.

LIQUIDATIONS BY ARRANGEMENT OR COMPOSI

TIONS WITH CREDITORS, &C.
First Meetings.

Gazette, 28th March, 1879. Kingston, John (March 22), dealer in china, glass, &c., 338, Commercial-road, E.C.; 9th April, at solicitor's, P. A. Crozier, 84, King William street, E.C.; Bankruptcy Court, London.

Wootton. John Benjamin (March 24), glass dealer, &c., 5, Princess-street, Wolverhampton; 12th April, at solicitor's, U. Stratton, 57, Queenstreet, Wolverhampton; County-Court, Wolver hampton.

Gazette, 1st April, 1879. Shaw, Christiana (March 27), glass and china dealer, Castle-street, Shrewsbury; 16th April,

Gazette, 4th April, 1879. Evans, William (March 29), china and glass dealer, &c., Aberavon; 16th April. at solicitors', Tennant and Jones, Aberavon; County Court, Neath.

Hall, Joseph (April 2), china, glass, and earthenware dealer, 15, Marsh-street, Ashford; 19th April, at offices of Duncan, Warren, and Gardner, 45, Bloomsbury-square, solicitors, Hallett, Creery, and Furley, Ashford; County Court, Canterbury.

Gazette, 8th April, 1879.

Davies, John (April 4), earthenware dealer, Penygroes; 21st April, at the Queen's Commercial Hotel, Chester, solicitors, Breese and Co., Pwllheil; County Court, Bangor.

Gazette, 11th April, 1879. Ashcroft, James (April 8), crockery dealer, &c., 48 and 50, Eastbank-street, Southport; 23rd April, at the Committee Room, Devonshirebuildings, Eastbank-street, Southport; solicitors, Buck and Dickons, 3, Tulketh-street, Southport; County Court, Liverpool

Brindley, Ann, and Mary Ann Atkins (April 7), glass, china, and earthenware dealers, 63, Deansgate, Manchester; 23rd April, at offices of J. Hyde and Co., 12, King-street, Manchester, solicitors, Beaumont and Rickards, 22, Boothstreet, Manchester; County Court, Manchester. Rowley, William (April 7), potter, 27, Lowerstreet, Burslem; 21st April, at solicitors', Tomkinson and Furnival, Queen-street, Burslem; County Court, Hanley, &c.

Williams, William (April 7), china, earthenware, &c., dealer, Newtown, Montgomery; 23rd April, at solicitor's, W. Powell, Broad-street, Newtown; County Court, Newtown.

Gazette, 15th April, 1879.

Brown, Alfred Augustus (April 10), china and glass dealer, &c.. 5, Argyll-terrace, Rye-lane, Peckham, and 23, Palmerston-terrace, Lordshiplane, East Dulwich; 1st May, at 3, at the Windsor Hotel, 8 and 9, Queen-street-place, Queenstreet, Cannon-street, E.C.; solicitor, N. White, 34, Queen-street, Cannon-street, E.C.; Bankruptcy Court, London.

Gazette, 18th April, 1879.

Finch, James Richard (April 10). glass bottle manufacturer, 3, The Avenue, Motley-street, Finsbury, E.C., under firm of J. R. and E. Finch; 28th April, at office of J. S. Wood, 4, Threecrown-square, Southwark, solicitor, W. Arnold, Town Hall-chambers, Southwark, and Croydon; Bankruptcy Court, London.

Gazette, 22nd April, 1879. Allen, John (April 16), china dealer, Commercial-street, Pontypool; 8th May, at 12, at solicitors', Williams and Co., Newport. Second Meetings.

Gazette, 28th March, 1879. Howard, Enoch, jun. (March 22), dealer in china, glass, and earthenware, &c., Clarencestreet and Market-hall, Wolverhampton; 2nd April, at solicitor's, J. W. Stirk, North street, Wolverhampton; County Court, Wolverhampton.

MENT.

Smith, W., glass bottle merchant; trustee, T. D. Homer, jun., accountant, 60, Doddingtonstreet, Salford.

Hyman, J., glass and china dealer; trustee, C. J. Robinson, accountant, 46, Cannon-street, E.C. DIVIDENDS, &C., UNDER LIQUIDATION, &C. Devonport; claims for dividend by April 14, to Collins, Jeremiah, glass and china dealer, &c., trustee, J. É. E. Dawe, 8, Union-terrace, Unionstreet, Plymouth.

PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED.

Gazette, 18th March, 1879. Carder. G., and Sons, of Lay's Pottery, near Brierly-hill, 28th January (Joshua Carder, Caleb Carder, and Henry Carder), debts by C. and H.

Carder.

Gazette, 25th March, 1879.

Chesters and Co., earthenware manufacturers, Wellington Works, Newport-street, Dale-hall, Burslem, 19th March (Joseph Chesters, Jabez Frederick Brookes, Joseph Barber, and Albert Bradbury), debts by Chesters, Barber, and Bradbury.

Gazette, 28th March, 1879. Dewsbury Glass, China, and Earthenware Company, Dewsbury, 24th March (Frederick George Baker, John Crews, and Michael Leach), debts by Baker,

Gazette, 1st April, 1879. Nicholls and Harrison, glass merchants, 72, Renshaw-street, Liverpool, 28th March (J. G. Nicholls and James Harrison.

Gazette. 15th April, 1879. manufacturers, St. Lawrence Glass Works, OuseLiddle, T. and J., and Co., fiint and green glass burn, Newcastle, 31st March (Thomas Liddle, John Liddle, John Stephenson Henzell, Joseph Nicholson, and George Nicholson.)

George-street-parade, Birmingham, 3rd April, Seago and Co., cut glass manufacturers, (Thomas Arthur Seago, and Frederick Charles Klosz), debts by Seago.

Smith, W. L., and Co., glass, &c., inkstand manufacturers, &c., Barr-street, Birmingham, 31st March (William Lester Smith, and Fred. erick Charles Klosz), debts by Smith.

SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.

Gazette, 21st March, 1879. Ferguson, James, glass merchant, 130, Georgestreet, and Napier-road, Edinburgh; 31st March, Smith and Dewar's Rooms, 79, George-street, Edinburgh; claims by July 19.

Gazette, 8th April, 1879.

Bridge-street, Glasgow; 15th April, Faculty Hall, Naismith, Thomas, glass and china merchant, St. George's-place, Glasgow; claims by August 5. April, 1879.

Gazette,

-

McAdam, William, earthenware bottle and crucible manufacturer, Glasgow; 1st May, Faculty Hall, Glasgow ; claims by August 18.

TRUSTEES TO SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS. Feeley, J., china merchant; trustee, J. W. Stewart, accountant, Glasgow.

Maddison, J., stoneware and china merchant;
trustee, G. S. Ferrier, accountant, Edinburgh.
Miller, accountant, Edinburgh.
Ferguson, J., glass merchant; trustee, H.

BANKRUPTS TO BE EXAMINED.
Scotland.

Naismith, Thomas, glass, &c., merchant, Bridge-street, Glasgow; April 29, at Sheriff Spen's Chambers, Glasgow.

John Black, china merchant, Kirkcaldy (£6 paid) acceptor; W. and J. A. Bailey, manufacturers, Alloa Pottery, Alloa, holders; dated October 11, 1878, currency 1 month, £16 10s Od. Recorded April 8.

William McAdam, Hyde Park Pottery, Glasgow, acceptor; Charles Mackinnon, Bowshill, Blantyre, holder; dated April 8, 1878, currency 12 months, £2,250 11s. Recorded April 12, 1879. DECREES IN ABSENCE, &C.

manufacturer, Springburn, Glasgow, defender; William McAdam, potter and glass bottle R. H. Pearson and Co., Glasgow, pursuers; dated March 20, £196 9s. 10d.

Tait, John, glass merchant, &c., Howard-street, Glasgow, defender; The South Durham Glass Company, Sunderland, pursuers; dated April 7, £14 5s. 3d.

BILLS OF SALE.

Dale, Sarah, earthenware dealer, 10, Luntsheath, Farnworth, to James Townend, Filed March 19. £15, &c.

Ellison, Thomas, earthenware, &c., dealer, Market-street, Lichfield, to Solomon Auerbach, Filed March 21. £40.

Baldwin, John, china, &c., dealer, High-street, Stourport, to Kidderminster Loan, &c., Company. Filed March 19. £75.

Brindley, Ann, and Atkins, Mary Ann, glass, china, and earthenware dealers, 63, Deansgate, Manchester, to Samuel Brindley. Filed March 29. £680.

Warren, George Edward, shade glass dealer, &c, 106, Cleveland-street, Fitzroy-square, to Edward Catesby. Filed April 4. £70.

Myatt, John, potter and earthenware maker, 33, Wolverhampton-road, and Pottery Works,

April 9. £148, &c., fur charge.
Mount Pleasant, Bilston, to John Lloyd. Filed

South Ville, Wandsworth-road, and Batchelor,
MacLachan, James, glass manufacturer, 68,
John, 9, Three Crown-square, and 39, Railway-
bury. Filed April 12. £120, &c.
arch, Nursery-road, Brixton, to Ambrose Brad-

Smithwick, to Marcus Gordon and others. Filed Boswell, R., glassblower, Oldbury-road, West April 10. £7, &c.

Bown, Henry Albert, bottle merchant, 27, Sheep-lane, Hackney, to Emily Bown. Filed April 16. £286 16s. 8d.

Campbell, James, china dealer, 190, Scotswoodroad, Newcastle, to A. Lewis and Co. Filed April 12. £14, &c.

Dawson, William, glass and china dealer, 67, Walmgate, York, to Yorkshire Discount Company. Filed April 12. £25 4s.

SUPPLEMENTAL LIST.

Taylor, Sidney, china, &c., dealer, 7, VicarageFiled April 7. £300. terrace, Lewisham, in favour of Edgar Taylor.

Hanbury, John, glass cutter, 30, Ladywoodroad, Edgbaston, Birmingham, in favour of George Aston. Filed April 7. £250.

Harding, James (and trustees in liquidation)

china and glass merchant, 180, Tottenham-court

road, N.W., in favour of Imperial Discount Company. Filed April 10. £178 78.

COUNTY COURT JUDGMENTS. Brushfield-street, Bishopsgate. Dated February Cadosch, Paul, china and glass dealer, 68, 18. £39 12s. 2d.

Balch, William, china dealer, Old-court, Wotton-Bassett. Dated February 25. £13 2s. 1d. Hunt, Ralph, china dealer, 5, Clarence Villas, Aston-near-Birmingham. Dated March 4. £21 38. 6d.

ROBERT BROWN & SON

of Bills of Exchange.

Paisley,

MANUFACTURE EVERY DESCRIPTION OF

Sanitary Earthenware,

Suitable for Home and Foreign Markets. ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUES & PRICE LISTS ON APPLICATION.