Thu 14 Feb 1867
Company willing to adopt mode of trying the case given in the opinion of Mr Huddlestone to save unnecessary expenses on litigation with Highway Board.
Repair of weighing machine at Dudbridge.
Mr Ford requested that company reduce rate of tonnage for coal to Stonehouse & Nailsworth Railway at Stonehouse and Ryeford, reduce ordinary rate on coal to Ryeford Mills, and allow his firm drawback on all grain brought by canal to Ryeford and sent off by railway.
Freight and tonnage on coal from Lydney and Bullo Pill to Stonehouse and Ryeford now less than railway carriage and truck hire. No reason for reduction.
Company to allow Messrs. Ford a drawback of half tonnage on grain bona fide brought by canal to Ryeford and sent off by railway providing that the new trade gained thereby is proved to exceed 1000 tons per annum.
Subcommittee to be appointed to consider question of coal trade by railway through Stonehouse and Ryeford to Nailsworth, with authority to make arrangements with Midland, Stonehouse & Nailsworth Railway Companies and with traders.
Stable at Stonehouse Wharf to be built to plans produced by surveyor and signed by Chairman.
At a Meeting of the Committee of the Stroudwater Navigation held at the Committee Room at Wallbridge on Thursday the 14^th day of February 1867
Present: M^r S Phipps, T M Croome Chairman, J C Hallewell, C Hooper, F S Thornton, C H Fisher, G H A Beard, J T Fisher, W W Kearsey.
The further Opinion of M^r Huddleston given to the Highway Board relative to the Road at Ryeford was produced and read and the Committee were not disposed to alter their previous views -- but resolved that if the Highway Board will insist on litigating, the question this Company would be willing to adopt the mode of trying it suggested in this Opinion of M^r Huddleston to save all unnecessary expenses.
Ordered that M^r E Peyton the Surveyor see that a proper person do attend to an repair the Weighing Machine at Dudbridge.
M^r G Ford attended and made three requests. First That this Company would reduce the rate of Tonnage for Coal to the Stonehouse & Nailsworth Railway at Stonehouse and at Ryeford. Secondly That this Company should reduce the ordinary rate of Tonnage on Coal to Ryeford Mills, Thirdly That this Company should allow his Firm a drawback on all grain brought up the Canal to Ryeford and sent off from thence by Railway.
Resolved that as it appears from inquiry that the Freight and Tonnage of Coal by Canal from Lydney and Bullo to Stonehouse and Ryeford is now less than the Railway Carriage and Truck hire between these places this Committee as present see no reason for the reduction of Tonnage of Coal but are open to receive any information that may tend to alter their views. And it was further Resolved that this Company shall allow Mess^rs Ford a drawback of half the Tonnage on Grain bona fide brought by Canal to Ryeford and actually sent off from thence by Railway, Mess^rs Ford affording evidence satisfactory to this Company from their books or otherwise that such drawback is only claimed on such actual new traffic and that the same amounts to 1000 Tons per annum.
And it was Resolved that a Sub Committee be appointed to consider the question of the Coal Trade by Railway through Stonehouse and Ryeford to Nailsworth to consist of the following gentlemen Mess^rs Beard Kearsey and Croome and that they have authority to make such arrangements with the Midland and Stonehouse and Nailsworth Railway Companies and with the Traders as they or any two of them shall see fit.
Ordered that the Stable at Stonehouse Wharf be built according to the plans produced by the Surveyor and signed by the Chairman.
The final Report of M^r Harrison upon the Railway Bridge at Stonehouse was produced and placed in the hands of the Solicitor with instructions to him to act upon it.
Ordered 3 dozen of Sherry of Mess^rs H & J Bateman.
Bills ordered to be paid: £ s d
J Elliott Stationery: 9..13..9
R Berry Smith's Work: 2..10..7
J Butt Plumber: 1..15..7
H & J Bateman Wine: 1..16..0
J Hewlett Papering, etc: 2..9..7
Ford & Smith Smith's Work: 2..11..2
J T Harrison Engineer: 25..0..0
