Wed 16 Aug 1916
Mr E P Little reported result of his inspection of Canal 20 July.
Mr Whittingham had again written to Messrs Vowles of Stonehouse Brush Works. Unduly heavy loads over swing bridge by their works. House of Lords decision in case of Sharpness New Docks Co v. Attorney General. Notice given of liability for damage to bridge or other property by them. Messrs Vowles contested liability. Meeting with Committee. Bridge when built only intended to carry carriage drive to house where Upper Mill (occupied by Mr Vowles) stands. Mr Vowles’ firm prepared to bear half expense of maintaining bridge in future. Accepted. No loads beyond 5 tons to be taken over. Matter to stand over till next Committee Meeting.
Messrs F Steel & Co’s application to take an electric power cable under canal at Ebley granted, rent £1 1s p.a. Work to satisfy Manager of Navigation as Stroud Gas Co main passes along towpath here.
Correspondence with Acting County Surveyor re placing of ashes on Dudbridge Wharf. County to pay 1½d per ton on 207 tons used by Highways Committee.
Top gates, cills, etc. fitted at Westfield Lock.
New head fixed to inside top gate at Dock Lock.
New bar fitted to inside bottom gate at Pike Lock, Eastington. Replanking of these gates and bottom gates at Dock Lock expensive so postponed.
New pair of middle gates for Double Lock ready.
Tonnage 1 April to 15 August £272 8s, 1915 £348 11s 2d.
[1916 Aug] Committee Meeting held at Wallbridge on Wednesday the 16^th day of August 1916 @ 3.30 o'clock pm
Present: Philip Jas Evans, Edward P Littler, F S Whittingham, F A Little.
Mr E P Little reported the result of his inspection of the Canal from Ebley Swing Bridge to Wallbridge on the 10^th July 1916.
Mr Whittingham reported that he had again written to Messrs Vowles of Stonehouse Brush Works with reference to their having taken unduly heavy loads over the Swing Bridge by their Works and following his to them of May 6 last in which he had called their attention to the House of Lord's Decision in the case of the Sharpness New Docks Company V Attorney General and given them notice that they would be held liable for any damage done to the Bridge or other property by them. Messrs Vowles having contested this liability and expressed a wish to meet the Committee had been invited to attend and came when the matter was discussed. It was pointed out that the Bridge when built was only intended to carry the Carriage Drive to the house which stood where the Upper Mill (now occupied by Messrs Vowles) stands, and in the end M^r Vowles stated that his firm would be prepared to bear half the Expense of maintaining the bridge in future. This the Committee agreed to accept provided no loads beyond 5 Tons should be take over. Mr Vowles requested that the matter might stand over till next Committee Meeting as he would not say if his firm could agree to the stated limitation.
Application had been made by Messrs F Steel & C^o to take an Electric Power Cable under the Canal to Ebley Mills and permission was granted. The fee to be £1..1..0 a year and the work to be done to the satisfaction of the Manager of the Navigation and subject to the approval of the Stroud Gas C^o whose main passed along the tow-path at this place.
Correspondence had taken place with the Acting County Surveyor with reference to the placing of ashes on Dudbridge Wharf and it was agreed to accept the proposal that the County should pay 1½^d per ton on 207 tons used by the Highways Committee.
The Clerk reported that:
1 The Top gates, cills, etc, had been fitted at Westfield Lock.
2 New head fixed to inside top gate at Dock Lock.
3 New bar had been fitted to inside bottom gate at Pike Lock Eastington and stated that these gates and also the bottom gates at Dock Lock should be replanked but as planking was so expensive perhaps it would be as well to let this work stand over for a while and simply patch as required.
4 The New pair of Middle Gates for the Double Lock were completed and ready for fixing.
Tonnage:
April 1^st to Aug 15^th was shown as 273^£..8^s..0^d comparing with 348..11..2 a year ago.
Cash at Bank:
Stood at £289..6..0 against £322..19..8 in Aug 1915.
