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Friday 11th October Tools etc at Meldon Heard from the Woodman at Hartburngrainge that he had applied to Mr Cairns of Meldon, pursuant to my direction for the ladder, bore rods & other articles belonging to the Hospital, but that he had refused to give them up. Wrote to Mr Cairns to ask the Ground of his refusal - saying that if he chose to pay for them by valuation, he might keep them, but not otherwise. He has the reputation of being a respectable man but I find that many respectable men who may deal fairly enough by each other, have little scruple of taking advantage of the Hospital, a system which it will require both vigilance & determination to break through. Repairs at Stublick Heard from Mr Birkett that the repairs of housing etc at the Colliery & small farms at Stublick had been executed according to estimate. Wrote to William Benson to inspect the work and report to me before making the payment. Sent Mr Hunt to get forward with the Weirs at Fourstones, the River being low, went to inspect the raising of the embankments in Widehaugh, having finished the sloping of the Shore of the Tyne, & to examine a small slip of ground in the Nursery Farm between the plantation & railway, which is of little use to the occupier, being often overflowed by the brook, & ought I think to be taken into the plantation. Proceeded to Hexham to attend, though stiff and sore from bruises, the Meeting of the Alston Road Trustees, when a conclusion was come to between them & Mr McConnell, that his connexion with the trust should cease in February next, though by his construction of the appointment, he might have held it on till May. [annotated in pencil in margin: ‘Our Receiver must be vigilant to get an honest & competent Surveyor appointed [or] there will be a job.’] His Accounts being passed, a good deal of discussion took place as to the future management of the Roads, a plan for which is to be submitted by the Committee to the general meeting at Alston on the 8th November, which I engaged to attend. I was glad to find that Mr Coats claim for Land taken from the farm he lately occupied at Lightbirks to £67.4.7 has been paid to him with £60 with which he was satisfied. Wrote to Newcastle for a supply of Stamps for the Rents, and to the Bankers acquainting them with the times & places of their receipt.
