Wed 14 Jun 1854
Mr Stevenson to deliver new crane within a month.
Change in system of accounts. Present tonnage book to be kept in numerical order with additional column for amount charged: let pass to be discontinued: no vessel to be allowed to pass out of the canal without production of original ticket: all sums on which credit is given to be immediately carried to separate ledger account: tickets to be delivered to auditor by parties who collect them and not sent back to Head Office.
At a Meeting of the Committee of the Stroudwater Navigation held at the Committee Room at Wallbridge on Wednesday the 14th day of June 1854
Present: M^r Fred^k Eycott, M^r Tho C Croome Chairman, J H Warman, G Hen^y A Beard, Rich^d Martin, Will^m Fryer, Cha^s Hooper, Hen^y Harris, C H Fisher.
M^r Beard and M^r Croome reported that in pursuance of the resolution of the Meeting on the 31st May they had ordered a Crane from M^r Stevenson of Preston according to his Tender to be delivered in a month.
The Committee occupied this as well as a great portion of the last Meeting in investigating the Mode of Keeping the Accounts which appears to require revision and it was resolved by way of additional precaution that the following changes be made on M^r Hawker retiring from his Office:
First That the numerical book lapse into the Tonnage Book and be regularly cast up by the Auditor and the vacant numbers be carried onto a new account each Half year and that the present Tonnage Book be kept in numerical order with an additional column to be called "Amount charged".
Secondly That the system of giving an order called a "Let pass" be discontinued and that no Vessel be allowed to pass out of the Canal without production of the original Ticket.
Thirdly That all sums on which credit is given shall be immediately carried into a separate Ledger Account.
Fourthly That the Tickets be delivered to the Auditor by the Parties who collect them and not in future sent back to the Head Office to await the Audit and the said Tickets shall be collected periodically by the Auditor.
Fifthly That the practice of the Auditor signing the Tickets by Deputy be discontinued.
Ordered that the following Bills and Accounts be paid:
Will^m Marmont for Timber: 78^£..2^s..9^d
N Driver 1 Quarter due June 24th: 18..15..-
