Wed 18 Apr 1923
Messrs King & Co accepted £21 10s 6d as final payment re contract for swing bridge at Stonehouse.
Re Bristol Road Lock, Chairman and Mr Bloxam had met Mr Ward at Wallbridge office 28 March. Letter from E J Ward & Son Ltd. Claim against Navigation re sinking of the “Alfreda”, alleging cause being lock gates in unsound condition. In reply Chairman to repudiate claim. No further interview could take place, unless claim withdrawn. Company had so far made no definite claim. Figures before him represented total loss to Company due to negligence of his firm’s employees.
Committee to make claim for £403 19s, made up of £169 3s 9d traffic loss (25%), £185 12s 1d Sharpness New Docks Co costs in full, £3 7s Mr Bradley’s fee and expenses, £45 16s 2d one eighth cost of removing gates.
Swing bridge at Stonehouse: Messrs Vowles & Son Ltd wished to carry out inspection of bridge at own expense. Allowed, providing no inconvenience to Navigation and others.
No reply from County Council re Thames & Severn Canal. Decision to adjourn matter of payment of £150 contribution due towards deficit in accounts year ending September 1922 till next meeting.
John Richings, tenant of 80 sq yards of land on wharf at Stonehouse, had not paid rent, £12. If rent not paid forthwith, matter to pass to Company’s solicitors.
Re contribution toward accounts of Gloucester Harbour Board re lighting of River Severn, decision to pay contribution for last year. Clerk to ascertain whether canal traders used the River. Note: No present trader uses the River but as canal was open to all, it was decided to pay contribution as usual.
New balance pole ordered in place of broken one on inside bottom gate at Dudbridge. Not safe to work gate.
[1923 April] Committee Meeting held at Wallbridge on Wednesday the 18^th day of April 1923 @ 3.20 o'clock pm
Present: Jack Margetson, W R Bloxam, F A Little, Henry R Hooper, W^m Davies, Edward P Little, Gd Evans, S S Marling.
It was reported that Messrs King & C^o had accepted Cheque for £21..10..6 as final payment in respect of contract for Swing Bridge at Stonehouse and had given a full receipt which had been filed.
Re the Bristol Road Lock the Chairman reported that he and Mr Bloxam had met Mr Ward at Wallbridge Office on the 28^th March, and had a long discussion with him. The Chairman then read a letter he had received from E T Ward & Sons Ltd in which that Company made a claim against the Navigation in respect of the sinking of the "Alfreda" alleging that this was caused by the Lock gated being in an unsound condition. The Chairman was asked in his reply to repudiate the claim and to inform Mr Ward that no further interview could possibly take place, unless it was withdrawn, and to point out that the Company had so far made no definite claim as the figures placed before him represent the total amount of the loss to the Company due to the negligence of his firms employees.
In view of the position Messrs Ward had taken the Committee decided to make a claim of £403..19..0 made up as follows: £ s d
169..3..9 loss traffic less 25%
185..12..11 Sharpness New Docks C^o in full
3..7..0 M^r Bradley's fee & expenses
45..16..2 ⅛ of cost of renewing gates
[Total] £403..19..0
Swing Bridge at Stonehouse:-
A letter had been received from Messrs Vowles & Son Ltd, in which they desired the permission of the Committee to carry out an inspection of the Bridge at their own expense. It was decided to allow this provided that the Navigation and other concerned suffered no inconvenience. Mr Bloxam to settle the reply to be sent to Messrs Vowles.
As no reply had been received from the County Council respecting the Thames and Severn Canal it was decided to adjourn the matter of the payment of the £150..- contribution due towards the deficit in that Canal for the year ending September 1922 till next Meeting, in the hope that by then a reply might be received.
The Clerk reported that John Ritchings tenant of 80 sq yards of land on the Wharf at Stonehouse had not paid his rent amounting to £12..-.
The Clerk was requested to inform Mr Richings that if the rent due was not paid forthwith the matter would be put in the hands of the Company's Solicitors for them to take such action as they should think necessary for the recovery of the amount claimed.
With regard to the contribution towards the accounts of the Gloucester Harbour Boa, re the lighting of the River Severn, the Committee decided to pay the contribution for the financial year last past but the Clerk was instructed to ascertain from the Canal traders whether they used the River.
[no present trader uses the River but as the Canal was open to it, it was decided ....]
The Clerk reported that he had found it necessary to order a new balance pole in place of a broken one on the inside bottom gate at Dudbridge. The pole had broken at the heel part of the gate and it was not safe to work the gate.
It was Resolved that future Meetings be called by the Clerk for 3 o'clock and not 3.20 as heretofore.
The Tonnage for the period 1^st January to 17^th April was £144..13..10 comparing with £410..10..1 last year and £333..8..8 in 1914.
The balance at Bank was £171..1..6 against £244..13..1 last year and £2634..14..2 in 1914.
Cheques drawn:
Committee fees: 1..12..6
E C Govier: 18..11
A M Boucher: 1..9..4
F Miles: 3..4..9
O L Willey: 1..10..0
G G Hawkins: 3..3..0
A H G Heelas: 2..13..3
W Fredericks: 1..10..0
The Ryeford Saw Mills C^o: 27..15..3
S Hopson: 9..12..4
Postmaster General: 4..13..9
