Tue 16 Dec 1884
The agreement was produced which Mr Davies Junior had signed on his father’s behalf re the gateway by the side of the towing path near Bridgend.
Clerk reported that the urinal at the Bell Inn, Ebley, had been altered as required and a mere stone put in on the other side of the Bridge. He also reported that the Landlord of the Inn had agreed to pay 2s 6d. a year for the use of a bit of ground for the purpose of selling coal, etc.
Clerk reported that the cottage at Framilode, where the tenant had been Henry Pegler, had been let to Daniel Nicholls and an agreement entered into accordingly.
Mr Hooper’s proposal, that angling tickets should state 'except Sundays' accepted.
Chairman and Mr Hamilton Mills met with Mr Clegram and Mr Waddy who admitted an error, which they would correct, had been made by the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal Co in charging the same rates from the Junction to Gloucester as from Sharpness to Gloucester. They would refund Mr Ford any excess on receiving from him the name of the boats and the dates when the full rate was charged. Mr Waddy undertook to make the rate clear in the printed tariff of rates. Also his Board was to reduce the rate from Sharpness to Gloucester on grain to 6d per ton and thus after the 1 January next the rate for grain entering at Framilode would be 3d only.
Rates charged on grain from Sharpness to Stroud were discussed, and various proposals made as to alternatives. Committee rejected proposed changes.
Committee Meeting held at Wallbridge on Tuesday the 16^th day of December 1884 @ 3,o,clock pm
Present: Mr E C Little Chairman, Mr H H Mills, Mr Jno Howard, Mr C H Hooper, Mr G H A Beard, Sir W H Marling Bart, Mr J T Stanton, Mr W^m Davies junr.
[2] The agreement wth Mr Davies as to the Gateway by the side of the Towing path near Bridgend was produced bearing the signature of his son (Mr W^m Davies junr) on his behalf.
[7] The Urinal at the Bell Inn Ebley was reported by the Clerk to have been altered as required and a mere stone put in on the other side of the Bridge. He also reported that the Landlord of the Inn had agreed to pay 2/6 a year for the use of the bit of ground for the purpose of selling coal, etc,
[51] He further reported that the Cottage at Framilode late in the occupation of Henry Pegler had been let to Daniel Nicholls and an agreement entered into accordingly.
[19] Mr Hooper having proposed that the tickets for angling in the Canal should not extend to a permission to angle on Sundays, it was resolved that the tickets should _"except Sundays"_ from such permission.
[38] The Chairman stated that he and Mr Hamilton Mills had pursuant to the arrangement made at the last Meeting seen Mr Clegram and Mr Waddy in Gloucester on the subject of the tonnage charges and that they at once admitted an error has been made by the Gloucester & Berkley Canal Co in charging the same rates from the Junction to Gloucester as from Sharpness to Gloucester and that they would see that this mistake was corrected in future, stating at the same time that any excess paid by Mr Ford on his giving the names of the boats and the dates when the _full_ rate was charged should be returned. Mr Waddy undertook to make it clear in the printed tariff of rates charged by his Company that only one half the rate was charged on grain entering at Framilode and going on to Gloucester, He also stated that his Board had decided to reduce the rate from Sharpness to Gloucester on grain coming Coastwise to 6^d a ton, so that after 1^st January next the rate for grain entering at Framilode would be 3^d only.
With respect to the rated charged by the Sharpness Docks Company on grain coming to our Canal from Sharpness which were understood to be 1/3 per ton ex warehouse and 1/- per ton ex ship, Mr Waddy stated but that they were 1/9 ex ship, his Company not following the destination of the grain.
It was contended by the Chairman that they were bound to follow its destination and to charge one-half only on all grain coming to our Canal, but Mr Clegram explained that the charges referred to were in reality _dock dues_. Mr Waddy also stated that his Company could make no alteration to their rates as it would lead to reprisals by the Managers of the Bristol and Avonmouth Docks, but he suggested that if we could reduce our rate on grain to Stroud from 1/- to 6^d he thought his Board would be willing to make us a rebate of 3^d per ton and he promised to consider the matter further and then write to u.
Mr Glegram asked if we could not reduce the rated on Coal in view of the opening of the Midland Railway Co's line to Stroud.
He also suggested that our rate on sawn timber should be reduced.
The correspondence (subsequent to this interview with Mr Clegram and Mr Waddy) having been read and discussed, instructions were given to Mr Hamilton Mills to inform Mr Waddy that the proposed reduction of our rates to Wallbridge from 1/- to 6^d could not be entertained and that this Committee still think that they have reason to complain of the increase in the rates of the Gloucester and Berkley Canal on grain coming to Stroud, to which they attribute to some extent the falling off in the trade during the last 2 years, and that they are strongly of opinion the old rate of 10½^d should be restored.
Cheques drawn: £ s d
Stroud Hospital: 2..2..0
Dec 14: W^m James Snape: 37..10..0
M N Peyton: 10..8..0
Hy Fallows: 19.10..0
[Total} £69..10..0
