Wed 19 Mar 1924
Work on Pike Bridge and Bristol Road Bridge begun. Stable on wharf taken down. Cheque from Mr Smith for £7 8s 2d, compensation to Company for use of short passage along wharf to Lodgemore Mills. Committee to return cheque as insufficient to meet account of £11 6s 11d. Charge of 1s 7d per ton usual for normal traffic over canal.
Application from County Council Highways Department for Company’s permission to lowering wall on premises of Stonehouse Wharf by main road at Stonehouse granted on following conditions.
1. Present coping to be replaced on lowered wall. Spiked railings fixed therein. Height of railings and wall not less than total height of old wall. Railings to be kept as near road edge of coping as possible to prevent climbing. One coat of tar varnish.
2. County Council to have dismantled stone. Present defective places in remaining wall to be made good by County Council.
Estimates for Notice plates to be exhibited at Company’s bridges in area of Wheatenhurst Rural District Council. Mr Verney’s estimate of £7 17s 6d for six white metal notice plates accepted.
Contribution of £3 to funds of Gloucester Harbour Board year ending 31 March. Company, trading on so very small a scale, practically decided to withdraw its name. Any chance of Navigation’s subscription remaining at £1 1s per annum?
Outsides and windows of wharf house at Stonehouse badly needed painting. New grate required in kitchen. Mr Day’s estimate of £2 5s for painting accepted. Grate from Mr Verney at estimated cost of £2 2s to be fixed.
£150 contribution to be paid re Thames & Severn Canal.
[1924 March] Committee Meeting held at Wallbridge on Wednesday the 19^th day of March 1924 @ 3 o'clock pm
Present: Jack Margetson, Henry R Hooper, W R Bloxam, R J C Little, F A Little.
[Pike Bridge Bristol Road Bridge] _Pike Bridge at Eastington and Bristol Road Bridge_
The Clerk reported that the County Council had commenced the work at the above mentioned bridges, and the stable on the Wharf had been taken down.
The re-erection of the Stable to stand over for the present.
[Mr Smith Wharfage A/c £11..6..11] _Mr Smith - Account for Wharfage charge_
It was reported that Mr Smith had been written to in the terms of minute of last Meeting to which he had replied by enclosing a cheque for £7..8..2 in settlement of the account which represented a payment of 6^d per ton all round. He stated further that he thought this amount more than compensated the Company for the use of the short passage along the Wharf to Lodgemore Mills.
After discussion the Committee decided to return Mr Smith's cheque as being insufficient to meet the account, viz: £11..6..11 made up as follows:- 181 tons at 3^d: 2..5..3
114 tons @ 1/7: 9..1..8
[Total] £11..6..11
and to inform him that as the charge of 1/7 per ton is the usual one for normal traffic over the canal Wharf the Committee were unable to make any reduction.
The Chairman undertook to draft a letter for the Clerk to send to M^r Smith.
[Stroud Hospital] _Stroud Hospital Effort_
The Clerk reported that the Committee of the Stroud Hospital Effort had agreed to the condition of the Company regarding the propose use of the Wharf at Wallbridge in July next.
[Stonehouse re County Council] _Premises at Stonehouse_
An application was put in from the County Council Highways Department, through their M^r Larque, for the Companys permission to the lowering of the wall on the premises of the Wharf by the main road at Stonehouse.
M^r Hooper stated that he had met M^r Larque on the spot and he understood that the County Council desire to lower the wall to the level of the wall on the eastend of the Companys garden rented by M^rs Penn.
After discussion it was agreed to grant the request if the County Council would carry out the following conditions:-
I That the present coping be replaced on the lowered wall and spiked railings fixed therein making the height of the railings and wall not less than total height of old wall, the railings to be kept as near the road edge of coping as possible to prevent climbing and to have one coat of tar varnish.
II The County Council to have the dismantled stone, but any present defective places in remaining wall to be made good by the County Council.
It was left to M^r Hooper to draft a letter for the Clerk to send to M^r Larque.
[Fence at Eastington] _Repair to fence at Eastington Wharf_
It was decided to let this matter stand for the present.
[Swing Bridges] _Swing Bridges in the area of the Wheatenhurst Rural District Council_
Estimates were submitted for Notice plates to be exhibited at the Companys bridges in the above area. It was decided to accept M^r Verney's estimate of £7..17..6 for six white metal notice plates.
[Gloucester Harbour Board] _Gloucester Harbour Board_
An application was put in from the Gloucester Harbour Board for the contribution of £3..- to the funds of the above Trustees in respect of the year ending on the 31^st March.
After discussion the Clerk was directed to write to the Secretary that the Companys trading is on so very small a scale that the Committee had practically decided to withdraw its name, but before any definite step was taken to this effect it would like to learn if there was any chance of the Harbour Board permitting the Navigation to remain at a subscription of £1..1..0 a year.
[Wharf-house Stonehouse] _Wharfhouse at Stonehouse_
It was reported that the outside of the windows and doors of the Wharfhouse at Stonehouse badly needed painting, and that a new grate was required in the kitchen.
The Clerk was instructed to accept M^r Day's estimate of £2..5..0 for the painting, and to obtain the grated from M^r Verney at an estimated cost of £2..2..0, and have the same fixed.
[T&S Canal] _Thames & Severn Canal_
It was decided to pay the £150 contribution in regard of the Thames & Severn Canal.
[Tonnage] _Tonnage_
The tonnage for the period 1^st January to 18^th March 1924 was £184..15..6 comparing with £43..8..8 (stoppage) last year and £241..9..7 in 1914.
[Tonnage] _Tonnage_
The tonnage for the month of February 1924 was £49..8..10 comparing with £2..3..8 (stoppage) last year and £88..10..4 in 1914.
[Bank} _Bank Balance_
The balance at the Bank was £252..4..5 against £190..16..0 last year and £378..7..8 in 1914.
Cheques drawn: £ s d
Committee fees: 1..12..6
E C Govier Tax: 10..7..7
D C Tanner Tax: 1..8..8
A M Boucher Tax: 8..19..9
F C White Tax: 5..9..0
F Cookley Tidesman's A/c: 2..6..0
S J Vinson Canal Maintenance A/c: 13..10
