Thu 20 Apr 1876
General Half Yearly Meeting. Tonnage since 1 October 1875 £1537 18s 9d. After wages, etc, profit £735 6s. Dividend of £3 10s declared.
The sub-committee appointed to meet the sub-committee of the T&S Canal reported that they had met Mr Dorington Mr Anderton, Dr Payne with Mr Taunton on the 29th March. That committee came unprepared to make any concessions, but wished a reduction be made in the rate of charges by the Stroudwater Navigation on merchandise, and after much discussion no basis of arrangement could be arrived at and the Thames & Severn sub-committee rejected an offer by the Stroudwater to refer all questions to the Railway and Canal Traffic commissioners. A suggestion was at one time proposed to the following effect:
If the Thames & Severn committee will propose to the Stroudwater committee to carry the present point of equal division from Brimscombe to the upper part of Chalford and to set the Stroudwater free to make their own charges at Wallbridge and elsewhere, such charges at Wallbridge not to be less than 6d per ton. The present charges of both canals for coal passing into the upper canal to be the same as now, on the condition that the Stroudwater committee meets the views of the Thames & Severn committee as to rate on merchandise, the Stroudwater committee will consider the matter with every desire to meet the views of the Thames & Severn.
Resolved that the sub-committee endeavours to re-open the negotiations.
At a General Half Yearly Meeting of the Proprietors of the Stroudwater Navigation held at Wallbridge on Thursday the 20^th day of April 1876 @ 4,o,clock pm
C H Stanton Esqr Chairman.
The Minutes of the Committee since the last General assembly were read, approved and confirmed.
[1] It appears that the sum of £1537..18..9 has been received from the 1^st day of October 1875 to the 1^st day of April 1876, and a balance brought forward from the last half year (after payment of Dividend) of £27..16..1 making a total of £1565..14..10 of which sum £830..8..10 has been applied towards the payment of Wages, disbursements, etc, and there remains in the hands of the Treasurer the sum of £735..6..0 available for Dividend.
Ordered that a Dividend of £3..10..0 on each share be declared payable on the 1^st day of May next free from Income tax.
[1] Resolved that the following Gentlemen for the Committee for the year next following or until another Committee shall be appointed:
Mr G H A Beard, Mr T M Croome, Mr W W Kearsey, Mr J T Fisher, Mr S Phipps, Mr J T Stanton, Mr E C Little, Mr C H Hooper, Mr T Marling, Mr W J Stanton, Major Fisher.
[203] The sub committee appointed to meet the sub committee of the Thames and Severn Canal, reported that thy met the latter committee, Mr Dorrington, Mr Anderton, Dr Payne with Mr Taunton on the 29^th March. That committee came unprepared to make any concession, but wished a reduction made in the rate charged by the Stroudwater Navigation on merchandise and after much discussion no basis for arrangement could be arrived at, and the Thames and Severn sub committee rejected an offer by the Stroudwater Navigation sub committee to refer all questions to the Railway and Canal traffic Commissioners, a suggestion was at one time proposed to the following affect:
If the Thames & Severn committee will propose to the Stroudwater committee to carry the present point of equal division from Brimscombe to the upper road of Chalford, and to let the Stroudwater Committee free to make their own charges at Wallbridge and elsewhere, such charges at Wallbridge not to be less than 6^d per ton. The present charges of both Canals for Coal passing into the upper Canal to be the same as now, on the Condition that the Stroudwater Committee meet the views of the Thames and Severn Committee as to the rate on merchandise. The Stroudwater Committee will consider the matter with every desire to meet the views of the Thames and Severn Committee.
Resolved, that the sub committee be authorized to endeavour to re-open the negotiation on the basis of the foregoing suggestion.
