Thu 26 Nov 1868
John Loxley and Edmund Hyde claimed share no.128, will Eliza Beale.
The written assent of the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal Co to the Resolution of the Company dated 18 August 1868 was forwarded in the shape of an extract from the minutes of a meeting of the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal Co of 4 November, enclosed in a letter from Mr Clegram to Mr Partridge.
William Adams of Paganhill, trader on the canal, has lately been detected in defrauding the Company to the extent of 5 ton 6 cwt 28 lbs of tonnage in one cargo of paving stone and the carriage of which should have been 3s 11d by false entry and returns at Framilode and Wallbridge. The fines incurred by Adams for this offence amount to upward of £10 at £2 per ton. A mitigated penalty of £1 5s to be inflicted on his signing an expression of his sorrow for having do so, which is to be fixed up in the Canal office at Wallbridge and Framilode. Adams attended, paid the fine and signed the two apologies.
The sub-committee considered the whole subject of tonnages generally, and also those between this canal and the Thames & Severn Canal, issued a report. The tonnages on all coals at Whitminster should be reduced from 7d to 4d per ton and on all coals at Ryeford and Stanley Mills from 11d to 9d per ton. They defer the further consideration of the tonnages of the canal on steam coals to a future period, when they will be better enabled to see if any alteration is required.
Received Mr Taunton’s application, on behalf of the Thames & Severn Canal Co, for a reduction of 4d per ton on steam coal delivered to certain places between Stroud and Brimscombe and that such reduction should be borne equally by the two companies. The Company feel that such arrangements are inequitable and ought to be rectified and that the tonnages should be based upon the relative distances which each canal carries the traffic. They also consider that in any future arrangements that principle should be recognised. They will accept the reduction of 4d per ton on all steam coals carried to Ham Mills and to Brimscombe Mills and to all intermediate places. The company’s tonnages to all traders and consumers in respect of these coals carried to such places and also to all places lying above them in the direction of and up to and including Chalford and its neighbourhood, should be given a deduction by way of drawback or otherwise not less than 6d per ton.
It was deemed advisable that the sub-committee, or some of them, should visit Lydney and the Forest Coal District. Mr Beard and Mr Fisher agreed to go accompanied by Mr Peyton the Surveyor and travel at the expense of the Company. Mr Kearsey to reply to Mr Taunton.
Mr Partridge to write to John Gray of Whitminster to say that the Company have put out 800 tons of mud for him near Whitminster Lock and have decided on charging him 1½d per ton for this at a total cost of £5.
At a Meeting of the Committee of the Stroudwater Navigation held at the Committee Room at Wallbridge on Thursday Nov 26^th 1868
Present: M^r J C Hallewell, Capt^n C H Fisher, G H A Beard, J T Fisher, S Phipps, F S Thornton.
M^r N A Partridge of Wallbridge, Stroud, in the County of Gloucester, Clerk to the Stroudwater Navigation, attended on behalf of John Loxley of Cheapside, in the City of London, Gentleman, and Edmund Hyde of Surbiton, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, Executors under the Will of the late Eliza Beale of Malta Villa, Grove Road, of Surbiton in the above named County, Widow, and made out their Claim to one Share numbered 158 in the Undertaking of the Stroudwater Navigation, lately belonging to, and now standing in the name of the said E Beale deceased, by producing the Probate of the Will of the said E Beale deceased, bearing date the 31^st day of July 1867, and proved in the Principal Registry of her Majestys Court of Probate on the 1^st day of August 1868 by the said Executors, and also be producing a written authority from the said Executors, and also the Ticked or Title of the said Share, and the Claim was admitted accordingly, and a new Ticket ordered to be made out.
The written assent of the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal Company to the Resolution of this Company dated the 18^th day of August was forwarded in the Shape of an extract from their minutes of a Meeting of the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal Company of the 4^th November Instant, enclosed in a letter from M^r Clegram to M^r Partridge. This assent was asked for by a resolution of the Committee of this Canal held on the 17^th October last, and a Copy thereof is appended.
"Resolved That this Committee accept the terms upon which the Stroudwater Canal Committee consent to their communication and alterations being made as set forth in that Resolution, it being understood that when the Walk Bridge has been alter in a manner that shall be satisfactory to the Surveyor of the Stroudwater Canal, this Company will not be liable to any future repairs of it."
Canal Office, Extracted from the Minutes
Gloucester 2^th Nov^r 1868 Henry Waddy Clerk to the C^o.
W^m Adams, a trader on this canal has lately been detected in defrauding this Company to the extent of 5^Ton..6^C..28^Ch of Tonnage in one cargo of paving stone and the carriage of which should have been 3^s..11½^d by false entry and returns at Framilode and Wallbridge. The fines incurred by Adams for the offence amount to upwards of £10 at £2 per ton. Resolved that a mitigated penalty in the shape of £1..15 be inflicted, and the money obtained from W^m Adams in lieu of the greater sum on his signing an expression of his sorrow for having done so, which is to be fixed up in the Canal Office at Wallbridge & Framilode.
Adams attended, paid the fine and signed two apologies.
The apology runs as follows:
"I William Adams of Paganhill near Stroud having incurred penalties amounting to £10 and upwards for excess of tonnage on paving stone carried on the Stroudwater Canal, and having been fined in the mitigated penalty of £1..5 only do hereby express my sorrow at having done so."
(Signed) W^m Adams
The SubCommittee appointed by a Resolution of the Committee Meeting of this Canal of October 27 last, having in the past interval carefully considered the whole subject of Tonnages generally and also as between this Canal and the Thames & Severn Canal and investigated the matter fully have issued a Report and handed it in to this Committee Meeting. Resolved that this Report be confirmed.
Copy of Report
Stroud Nov^r 24^th 1868
"Report of the Committee appointed by Resolution of the 27^th October last to deal with tonnages.
Your Committee have met several times and obtained the best information they could from the Officers of the Company and others on the subject committed to them. They find that question involves many difficulties and in their opinion any general reduction in rates on Coal is not likely to be sufficiently compensated by an increase of traffic.
They have under the circumstance to report as follows:
That the tonnages on all coals at Whitminster should be reduced from 7^d to 4^d per ton, and on all coals at Ryeford and Stanley Mills from 11^d to 9^d per ton.
They defer the further consideration of Tonnages on your Canal on Steam Coals to a future period, as they consider they shall hereafter be better enabled to see if any alteration is required, and if so, to decide upon the nature and extent of such alteration.
With reference to the application of M^r Taunton on the part of the Thames & Severn Navigation by his letter of the 19^th of October last for a reduction of 4^d per ton on Steam Coal delivered to certain places between Stroud and Brimscombe, and that such reduction should be borne equally by the two companies, your Committee would before dealing with that application, observe that they are opposed to the principle adopted in former arrangements with the Thames & Severn Canal Company, by which for Coals conveyed between Wallbridge & Brimscombe ther has been an equal division of a tonnage of 1^s/ between the Companies, and by which for coals carried to places beyond Brimscombe Basin (at which places there is now a large consumption of coal) a sum of only 3^d per ton has been received by your Company, whilst the other company has received 1^s/ per ton; all such coals having been carried on your canal upwards of 8 miles, and on the other Canal for distances varying from a few yards up to about 3 miles only. They consider that such arrangements are very inequitable and ought to be rectified and that the tonnages should be based on the relative distances which each Canal carries the traffic. They also consider that in any future arrangements that principle should be recognized.
As to the application referred to, your Committee consider any statement short of 6^d per ton would not now have the effect of bringing back from the Railway to the Thames & Severn Canal Company the traffic in Steam Coal which has left the Canal, and they recommend M^r Taunton to be informed that if his Company desire an alteration with the view of brining back such traffic, this Company will in order to effect that object (and pending the revision of the former arrangements as recommended by your Committee) be satisfied to accept 4^d per ton all all Steam Coals carried to Ham Mills and to Brimscombe Mill and to all intermediate places, on his Company making from their present tonnages to all traders and consumers in respect to these coals carried to such places and also to all places lying above them in the direction of and up to and including Chalford and its neighbourhood, a deduction by way of drawback or otherwise of not less than 6^d per ton. This arrangement which is asked for to meet what is hoped may be a temporary state of the Steam Coal trade, and may require alteration, is to exist until notice to the contrary from either Company."
(Signed by) G H A Beard, J T Fisher J^r W W Kearsey.
It was deemed advisable that the Sub Committee or some of them should pay a visit to Lydney and the Forest Coal District. M^r Beard and M^r J T Fisher Jun^r agreed to do so and it was Resolved that they should be accompanied by the Surveyor M^r Peyton and travel at the expense of the Canal.
M^r Kearsey was requested to reply to M^r Taunton.
M^r Partridge to write to John Gray Esq^r Whitminster and to say that this Committee have put out 800 Tons of Mud for him near Whitminster Lock and have decided on charging him 1½^d per ton for the same -- total £5..0..0.
Bills ordered to be paid: £ s d
Income Tax: 26..12,,9
C Hooper Gallipoli Oil: 3..8..9
T Liddiatt Plasterer: 1..2..6
Price & C^o Timber: 19..16..8
May & Hassell Timber: 18..18..10
H^y Holmes Ironmonger: 17..16..0
C Critchley Railway Waggons, hire of: 2..2..0
H Lewes Timber: 2..8..5
