. Legislative regulation of railway finance in England . on of these provisions, it would be liable to a penaltynot exceeding fifty pounds for each offence. Another important provision of the Regulation of Rail-way Act, 1868 was that regarding the penalty for falsifyingaccounts. This question did not receive so wide discussion asthat concerning the accounts thenselves but it exicted more ani-mated debate in Parliament than any other part of the bill. Theoriginal bill provided that if any statement of accounts, balancesheet, estimate or report, which is required by this act is falsej in any par
. Legislative regulation of railway finance in England . on of these provisions, it would be liable to a penaltynot exceeding fifty pounds for each offence. Another important provision of the Regulation of Rail-way Act, 1868 was that regarding the penalty for falsifyingaccounts. This question did not receive so wide discussion asthat concerning the accounts thenselves but it exicted more ani-mated debate in Parliament than any other part of the bill. Theoriginal bill provided that if any statement of accounts, balancesheet, estimate or report, which is required by this act is falsej in any particular, the auditor or officer of the company whosigned the same shall, unless he satisfies the court that triesthe case that he was ignorant of such falseness, be liable, onconviction thereof on indictment, to fine or imprisonment, or onsummary conviction thereof to a penalty not exceeding 50 pounds. Tne most striking feature of this provision was that theonus of proof was placed on the defendant. This at once aroused1. Railway Times, March 21, intense opposition. The beneficial effect of punishing the wilfulfalsification of railway accounts was generally admitted; but themanner of inflicting such punishments as provided by the clauseproved extremely distasteful to many. The provision was stronglyopposed because it was entirely contrary to ordinary principles oflaw. According to usage, a man was assumed to be innocent untilhe was proven guilty, while according to the provision in the bill,the railway officers were to be held guilty until they could estab-lish their innocence. According to this principle, it was fearedthat if there was any falsehood in any of the accounts, statements,balance sheets, etc., so voluminously required by the bill, andwhich the chairman and secretary were required to sign they wouldbe held guilty and might be sent to fauil unless they could provetheir ignorance of the falsity. Hot were railv/ay officers everto be allowed the ordinary privileg
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