26.—The long-pending case, Preston v. the Eastern Counties and Norfolk Railway Companies, was before the Court of Exchequer, and Mr. Baron Watson delivered judgment. The first count of the declaration charged the defendants with diverting and obstructing the waters of the rivers, and the second with omitting to repair certain locks, whereby the water escaped. Judgment was given against the Eastern Counties Railway Company for 40s. on all issues, and for the Norfolk Railway Company on their plea of not guilty, but against them on all other issues. Finally the case was before the Rolls Court on June 8th, and was entered as the Attorney-General v. the Norfolk and Eastern Counties Railway Companies. The object of the information was to have it declared that the defendants were not by their Acts of Parliament empowered to divert or obstruct any of the waters of the Rivers Yare and Waveney, or other waters connected with them, except Lake Lothing, for the purpose of supplying the entrance out between Lake Lothing and the sea with water. The Court made the injunction already granted perpetual against the Eastern Counties Railway Company, and ordered the company to pay the costs incurred in equity.
29.—The Norwich Town Council accepted contracts amounting to over £9,000 for draining the northern portion of the city.
FEBRUARY.
5.—A special meeting of the Norwich Court of Guardians, attended by Lord Bury, M.P., and Mr. Schneider, M.P., was held to consider the subject of a national poor-rate. It was stated that Norwich paid £20,000 a year more in poor relief than it would if the principle of a national rate were adapted as the law of the land. Both members of Parliament expressed themselves in favour of national rating.
8.—Mr. Thomas Barnes, R.G.S., was presented by the Corporation of King’s Lynn with an “honorary address,” in lieu of the freedom of the borough, “disallowed by the Municipal Reform Act.” Mr. Baines, the son of a ship captain of the town, was a self-taught artist, who achieved for himself a very honourable position by his own enterprise and industry. He was serving as a volunteer at the Cape when he was selected as artist to accompany the North Australian Exploring Expedition, under Mr. Gregory. At the time of the presentation he was about to join Livingstone, on his expedition into the heart of Africa. Mr. Baines had already received considerable honours from the Royal Geographical Society, of which he was a member, and from other learned bodies.
12.—A public meeting was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, to consider a Bill then before Parliament introduced for the purpose of amalgamating the Norwich Gas Company with the British Gas Company. A resolution was adopted affirming that the operation of the proposed Bill would be very prejudicial to the interests of the ratepayers and inhabitants, by placing the future management of the gas supply in the hands of a company which had no local connection or sympathy with the interests of Norwich, and over whom the rate-payers and inhabitants would have no control. The meeting having heard the report of the Special Committee appointed by the Corporation, cordially approved the course adopted by the Committee, and pledged itself to use every effort to oppose the passing of the Bill. A petition was addressed to the House of Commons against the Bill, and on the 16th the Town Council adopted the same petition. The House of Commons Committee on Private Bills sat on April 20th, for the purpose of hearing objections to the measure. The proceedings closed on the 23rd, when the Bill was ordered to be reported to the House.
27.*—“Sir Henry Stracey, of Rackheath Hall, has obtained provisional protection for a cartridge which, by a very simple contrivance, gets rid of the necessity of biting off the end, a proceeding which is always objectionable.”
MARCH.
4.—Lord Stanley was re-elected member of Parliament for the borough of King’s Lynn, on his appointment as Secretary to the Colonial Department. On June 5th his lordship was again re-elected, on accepting the presidency of the Board of Control, vacated by Lord Ellenborough.
—Died at his residence, South Quay, Yarmouth, Sir Eaton Stanley Travers. A son of Mr. John Travers, of Hethyfield Grange, co. Cork, he was born in 1782, and entered the Navy September 15th, 1798, as midshipman, on board the Juno. He saw much active service, and was nine times mentioned in despatches. He was nominated K.H. on February 4th, 1834, and on March 5th in the same year had conferred upon him the honour of knighthood. Sir Eaton Travers was a Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk. He married in April, 1815, Anne, eldest daughter of William Steward, of Yarmouth, by whom he had issue five sons and two daughters.