Wed 19 Jun 1912
Inspection of winding hole at Ryeford. Little difference between old plan of 1781 and present width of canal to an old pile of original bank. About six feet beyond trodden by cattle and into canal on a hard bottom. Difficulty in barges being turned. Canal towing path damaged. Angle of winding hole about 90' 0'from towing path wall as on plan of 1781. 4-5 feet of mud. To be dislodged and piled. Cost about £10.
Mr Whittingham and Mr Snape should offer to meet Dr Perkins’ solicitor, Mr Playne, on spot to arrange matter pacifically.
Question of total weekly payments under National Health Insurance Act payable by Navigation in case of James Harris, tidesman at Framilode, who receives 1s 10d per day, lives rent and rate free in Company’s house. He had over 15s a week. Would have to pay 4d and Company 3d a week.
Letter from General Post office re wayleaves payable for telephone poles and wires crossing canal. Mr Whittingham to draft a reply for Mr Snape.
Messrs Dickinson & Cox promised to do some trade by canal from Polesworth as soon as Mr Snape could get a boat loaded.
Messrs Smith & Sons, Brimscombe Brewery, asked to sublet coach house and stable at Ship Inn, Wallbridge as a Bottle Exchange. Agreed but Messrs Smith had selected another premise.
Report on Annual Inspection of lower canal by Messrs W Davies and Mr F A Little. Thanks for services.
Mr Truscott reported that nuisance at Newtown had been stopped.
Mr Brunsdon had moved his wagon from Company’s land at Ryeford.
Traffic 1 April to 17 June £236, 1911 £206, 1910 £244, 1909 £196.
Sir W H Marling congratulated Mr Snape on completion of 40 years with Navigation. Ten guineas from Committee to mark their sympathy with him in his recent severe illness and recognition of his long and assiduous work. Minutes of meeting 4 April 1872 read when appointment made. Everyone of Committee had passed away.
[1912 June] Committee Meeting held at Wallbridge on Wednesday the 19^th day of June 1912 @ 3.30 o'clock pm
Present: Philip Jas Evans, F S Whittingham, W H Marling, Edward P Little, W^m Davies, A J Morton Ball, S S Marling.
[Winding Hole at Ryeford] The Clerk reported he had made an inspection of the Winding Hole at Ryeford & find by measurement there is very little difference between the old plan of 1781 and the present width of Canal to an old pile of the original bank. beyond this for about six feet has been trodden by the Cattle and into the Canal - into a hard bottom - & it is with great difficulty, owing to this, that the barges can be turned, in doing so the Canal towing path bank is damaged; the angle of the Winding Hole, about 90' 0" from the towing path wall is as it was as shown on the plan of 1781.
[Diagram showing layout]
There is about 4' to 5' of mud this should be dredged & piled. Cost of piling would be about £10..-.
After discussion the Committee agreed that the Chairman with Mr Whittingham & Mr Snape should offer to meet D^r Perkin's Solicitor M^r Playne on the spot & if possible to arrange the matter pacifically.
[National Insurance] The question arose as to what proportion of the total weekly payments under the National Health Insurance Act would be payable by the Navigation in the case of James Harris, Tidesman at Framilode who receives 1/10 per day and lives rent & rate free in the Company's house and it agreed that as he had in all equal to over 15^s/- a week he would have to pay 4^d and the Company 3^d per week.
[Telephone Wayleaves G P O] A letter from the General Post Office re wayleaves payable for the telephone poles and for wires crossing the Canal was put in and Mr Whittingham undertook to draft a reply for M^r Snape.
[Income Tax] The Assessment to Income Tax Sched 77 to by the Surveyor in which he made the amount on which Tax was payable to be £213 for 1912/13 - was considered and agreed to.
[Messrs Dickinson and Cox re Canal Trade] Messrs Dickinson Cox & C^o had promised to do some Trade by Canal from Polesworth (for which M^r Snape had obtained details of freight and tonnage) as soon as he could get a boat loaded.
[Messrs Smith & Son 'Bottle Exchange'] Correspondence with Mess^rs Smith & Sons Brimscombe Brewery was produced. This firm had asked if they would be at liberty to sublet the Coach-house & Stable at the Ship Inn Wallbridge as a "Bottle Exchange" and a reply had been sent agreeing to the proposal but a letter had since been received from Messrs Smith stating that another premises had been selected for the purpose.
[Canal Inspection] The Annual Inspection of the section of Canal Framilode to Eastington had taken place on May 20^th. The report made by Messrs W Davies & F A Little was read and considered & those Gentlemen were thanked for their services.
[Inspection Report] M^r Snape reported that the various matters referred to in the report were being dealt with by him. That M^r Truscott had reported that the nuisance at Newtown had been stopped and that M^r Brunsdon had at last moved his wagon. etc, from the Company's land at Ryeford.
[Credit Balance] The Credit balance at the Bank was shewn to be £268 as compared with £243 at the same date last year.
[Traffic] The traffic for the period Ap 1^st to June 17^th was £236 against £206 to same date in 1911, £244 in 1920 and £196 in 1909.
[The Committee Gift to M^r W J Snape (40 years service)] At the conclusion of the Meeting Sir W H Marling Bart, on behalf of the members of the Committee congratulated Mr Snape on his completion of 40 years with the Navigation expressing their appreciation of the efficient and zealous way he had carried out his duties and asked his acceptance of a sum of Ten Guineas from the Members of the Committee to mark their sympathy with him in his recent severe illness and as some slight recognition of his long and assiduous work.
The Chairman said he endowed Sir William Marlings words most thoroughly and read the Minutes of the Meeting on 4^th April 1872 when the appointment was made remarking that everyone of the Members of Committee then present had passed away.
Mr Snape thanked the Committee for their kindness.
