The adjourned half-yearly meeting of the Eastern Counties Railway Company
to receive the report of the Committee of Investigation was held yesterday ; Mr. David Waddington in the chair. Prom beginning to end all was storm, strife, and confusion. The shareholders fiercely resented lie appearance of Mr. Waddington in the chair. The Secretary was not allowed to read the minutes of the last meeting. Mr. Box suggested that Mr. Waddington should not be permitted to act as chairman. Mr. Wad- dington, grounding himself on his legal right—confirmed by the Com- pany's solicitor—held his place, but vainly demanded a hearing. He was allowed to account for the absence of five members of the direction; Mr. Smythe was suffering from the effects of a serious accident; Mr. Packe was laid up with the gout ; Lord Alfred Paget was in attendance on the Queen ; and Mr. Pane had address- ed to the Secretary a letter explanatory of his absence. Mr. Waddington persisted in speaking ; pledging himself to answer the charges in the re- port; and concluded by moving an adjournment till the 3d of January. Mr. E. Ball ALP, asked whether one who knew in his conscience that he had clean hands would require seven days or seven hours to answer the accusations"? Mr. Pulley moved that the report should be received and adopted. Mr. APLauren moved that the report should be received, and the meeting stand adjourned till the 3d of January. The amendment was negatived by a vast majority, and the original resolution carried. A poll was demanded, and granted; a step on the part of the chairman followed by twenty minutes of uproar, during which nobody heard what anybody said. Mr. Pulley then mo■ed that Mr. Waddington should no longer be chairman of the 'Company; that his pay should cease from that day; and that he should be requested to resign. On this Mr. Wad- dington made a stand. Ile would answer the charges minutely, expli- citly, and deliberately ; but he required time : he would not abandon his position; let their resolution be what it might, he was their legal chair- man until next February. The resolution was carried. Next, the Com- mittee of Investigation was ordered to continue its labours until February next; to confer with the Directors, and make suggestions for the admi- nistration of the Company's affairs. It was resolved "that no order from Mr. Waddington be attended to from the present time." Here again Mr. Waddington made an ineffectual opposition. The Directors who are proved not to have watched over the interests of the shareholders were to be requested to resign ; and votes of thanks were passed to Mr. Bruce, Mr. Broadbent, Mr. Margrave, and Mr. Simpson. At the close of the proceedings the demand for a poll on the first resolution was withdrawn, and the meeting dispersed in noise.
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