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the 31st day of December. [But the practice, however, is to print the application, and the signature of the solicitor is held to be sufficient compliance with the Orders.] This application must be delivered personally or left at the usual place of abode of the parties,* or in the event of their being absent from the United Kingdom, it must be left with their respective agents. Separate lists must be made of the names of such owners, lessees or occupiers, distinguishing which of them have assented, which dissented; and which are neuter in respect thereto. (H. C. 17, H. L. 220 sec. 4.)

Lists of these owners, lessees and occupiers must (according to Standing Order 127 of the House of Commons) be lodged in the Private Bill Office, and the receipt thereof must be acknowledged on the petition before it is presented.

* It is exceedingly useful that parties making these applications should explain to the owners of property the advantageous results, generally, of railways to property along the line, which have been proved to increase fourfold the value of such property on the average, though, in many instances, it has increased that value fivefold, sixfold, and indeed beyond any calculation. Without such explanation being given, individuals often send in dissents; and the committee on the bill requiring a return of the assents, dissents and neuters, and being obliged to report upon the same, a bill for a railway of great use may be placed in jeopardy from the want of those simple precautions. [See sec. 21 of S. O. 87 H. C. Sec. 17 S. O. 233 H. L.]

Notice in writing of any bill (whereby any part of a work authorised by a previous Act is intended to be relinquished) must be given to the owners and occupiers of lands in which the part of the work intended to be relinquished is situate. (H. C. 36. H. L. 223 sec. 12.)

Though the following does not strictly come within the limits of the present chapter, it will perhaps be the most convenient place for its insertion.

Plans of Subsequent Alterations.

They must be on same particulars A copy of such

Plans and sections of alterations made in any work (the bill for which is included in the second class) subsequently to the introduction of the said bill into Parliament, must be deposited with the clerk of the peace for every county, &c., in England or Ireland, and in the office of the sheriff clerk of every county in Scotland, in which such alteration is proposed to be made. the same scale and contain the as the original plan and section. plan and section (so far as it relates to each parish) must also, together with a book of reference thereto, be deposited with the parish clerks in England, the schoolmaster of each such parish in Scotland, (or town clerk in royal burghs,) and clerk of the union within which such parish in Ireland is included. These deposits must be made one month previously to the introduction of

the bill for making such works, into the House of Lords (this being a Lords' Standing Order alone, as well as the order for placing the notices of application for a bill on the doors of quarter sessions before the petition is presented.) The intention to make such alteration must be published in manner before directed in the gazette, London, Edinburgh or Dublin, as the case may be; and also in some newspaper of the county in which the alteration is proposed; in each case for three successive weeks prior to the introduction of the bill into the House of Lords. Application must also be made personally, with notice in writing (i. e., printing with the autograph of the solicitor) in the form prescribed before, to owners, &c., of lands through which such alterations are intended to pass; and their consent to the alterations must be proved to the satisfaction of the committee before whom the compliance with the Standing Orders shall be proved. (H. L. 223, sec. 9.)

A map, plan, and section of any work (the bill for which shall be included in the second class) showing any variation, extension or enlargement which is intended to be made in consequence of any alteration effected during the progress of the bill through Parliament, must be deposited in the office of the Clerk of the Parliaments, previous to such bill being brought to the House of Lords from the Commons. This map or plan and section must be on the same scale, and contain the

same particulars as the original map or plan and section of the said work. (H. L. 223 sec. 10.)

Estimate.

An estimate of the expense of the proposed work must be made and signed by the person making the same; [but it is exceedingly necessary that the person so making it should be an engineer of great talent, and, if possible, of great practice. The ablest engineers in England have been greatly mistaken in their estimates. Many who may be regarded as very high authorities on questions of engineering, have often been at fault with regard to this important point. Lesser men can scarcely expect to be correct when their superiors have found reason to lament the disproportion of their estimates to the expenses that were actually incurred. Without diminishing one iota of the honour due to those distinguished men, we may allege that their mistakes ought to be a strong reason for doubting, analysing, and testing the estimates of engineers of less celebrity. The committees of both Lords and Commons take evidence as to those estimates; and it is a matter of very serious consideration to be able to prove that they are rightly and practically made. They will vary according to the price of iron and the wages of labour; but such variation being accidental should not be allowed to affect the estimates of

the engineers of the different lines, the directors of which apply to Parliament. Nevertheless, wild and foolish estimates, made for a momentary purpose by ignorant or corrupt engineers, will be visited with great and proper severity in both Houses, and the scientific knowledge of counsel will often enable them to detect and expose engineering estimates which are not founded upon the truth and difficulties of the case.] (H. C. 29. H. L. 224, sec. 1.)

Subscription Contract.

A subscription must be entered into under a contract to three-fourths of the estimate. (H. C. 29; H. L. 224, sec. 1.)

Every subscription contract must contain the christian and surnames of every subscriber, together with his description and place of abode. It must also have his signature to the amount of his subscription, with the amount he has paid up, the name of the person witnessing the signature, and the date of the same. (H. C. 32; H. L. 224, sec. 4.)

NOTE. This subscription contract is intended by Parliament to be a proof of the ability of the suitors applying to it to complete the works for which they ask the sanction of the Legislature. Thus if it can be proved to the House that they are not able to complete those works; that their representations of ability were fraudulent and false; that none or few of them have any real or local interest in the undertaking; that the whole affair is a mere gambling specula

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