January 10, 1913.

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THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

85

The resolution to seek to establish a basis wage of
5s. 8d. per shift for coal-cutters in Northumberland is
the subject of a circular. It is intended to lay before
the Coalowners’ Association this application J but in the
first place the local committees at collieries where there
are coal-cutting machines in operation are requested to
supply the following information.—

Datal wages ............

Earnings by the piece ............

Length of shift ............

What association (if any) they are members
of ............

This application is addressed to machine drivers,
machine timber men, machine platelayers, and machine
“ scufflers ” or cleaners, and replies are required by the
end of January.

On Saturday, the executive committee and members
of the Joint Committee of the Northumberland Miners’
Association met the Coal Owners’ Association at the
Coal Trade Offices, Newcastle, to consider the re-
establishment of the Joint Committee of employers and
representatives of the men. Mr. Tom Taylor presided.
The owners proposed that the Committee be re-formed,
but with a clean sheet. Eventually it was resolved that
the Joint Committee be resuscitated, and that eleven of
the most important cases undecided when the Committee
last met be taken and dealt with. The first meeting of
the Committee for the election of a chairman and the
transaction of other preliminary business will be held
on Saturday, 18th inst. The Northumberland District
Board under the Minimum Wage Act was to have met
at the Coal Trade Offices, Newcastle, on Saturday, but
owing to the length of time occupied in discussing the
re-formation of the Joint Committee, the meeting of
the Board was postponed until next Saturday, at eleven
o’clock.

Federated Area.

The Coal Conciliation Board for the Federated Mining
Districts in England and North Wales on Monday agreed
by mutual consent to an advance of 5 per cent, in wages
from the second making-up day in January. The
advance will be received by some 400,000 workmen
underground and on the surface of the pits, and means
an aggregate addition to the wages paid of £25,000
a week. It follows closely upon the previous advance of
5 per cent, which was given from the third making-up
day in October. The present advance brings the wages
in the Federated area up to 60 per cent, on the standard
wage of 1888, and the wages are now raised to the same
percentage as in 1908, which is the highest point hitherto
reached in the history of the Conciliation Board. The
present maximum wage under the new agreement is
65 per cent, on the standard, so the advance granted at
this week’s meeting brings wages within 5 per cent, of
the maximum.

It will be remembered that when the agreement was
made in 1909 by which wages were to remain at 50 per
cent, on the standard, no application was to be made
for an advance of wages until the selling prices ex-
ceeded 7s. 10*21d. per ton. In September, 1912, the
average selling price at the representative collieries
had gone up to 8s. 7T7d. per ton; in October,
the average selling price was 8s. 9T8d. per ton ; and the
trend of prices continued upwards during November
and December to the neighbourhood. With the
tendency of selling prices to harden further the result
of Monday’s meeting, was a foregone conclusion. The
following is the official report of the meeting :—

A meeting of the Conciliation Board of the Coal Trade
of the federated districts of England and North Wales,
was held at the Westminster Palace Hotel on Monday
Mr. F. J. Jones (South Yorkshire), president, was in
the chair, and there were present Messrs. J. J. Addy
(South Yorkshire), C. B. Crawshaw and J. F. Warrington
(West Yorkshire), W. H. Hewlett, C. Pilkington and
C. R. Pilkington (Lancashire and Cheshire), A. Leslie
Wright and W. Bell Jackson (Notts, Derbyshire and
Leicester), Col. A. Heath (North Staffordshire), Col. W.
E. Harrison (Cannock Chase), H. Dyke Dennis (North
Wales), and Sir Thos. R. Ratcliffe-Ellis, secretary,
coalowners’ representatives; W. E. Harvey, M.P.
(Derbyshire), vice-president, J. Wadsworth, M.P., H
Smith and S. Roebuck (Yorkshire), S. Walsh, M.P., and
T. Greenall (Lancashire and Cheshire), A. Stanley, M.P.
(Cannock Chase), W. Johnson, M.P. (Warwickshire),
J. G. Hancock, M.P., and W. Carter (Notts), F. Hall
and Barnett Kenyon (Derbyshire), W. Buckley (South
Derbyshire), E. Hughes (North Wales), and T. Ashton
(Manchester), secretary.

The following resolution was adopted:—

“ That an advance of 5 per cent, in wages be paid
to all underground workmen, and those on the pit
banks, and those manufacturing coal, by putting on
the reduction of 5 per cent, made as from the first
making-up on September 12, 1908, such advance to

commence as from the second making-up day in
January instant.

“ That the above advance be applied, as regards
boys and day-wagemen, either on the basis rate of
wages of 1888 or upon the list rate, as has been the
case hitherto. Where workmen are paid by contract
and are not earning the minimum rate fixed by the
Joint District Board for the district, there shall be
paid to such workmen and those employed by them,
in addition to the minimum, a further 5 per cent, on
the 1888 rates as long as wages remain at 60 per cent,
above the rate of 1888. In the event of a reduction in
wages, the above addition is to be subject to such
reduction.”

The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the
chairman and vice-chairman.

Speaking at Bagworth recently, the Leicestershire
miners’ agent (Mr. Levi Lovett) said it was outside the
Conciliation Board’s procedure to add the 5 per cent, to
the minimum wage, and it was also out of the scope of
the Conciliation Board to agree to the joint boards doing
It, as they were all independent chairmen. But as a
body of coalowners they could, and did, agree with
representatives of the workmen to pay 5 per. cent, on
the basis of 1888, or on the list rate, as had been the
case hitherto. In some districts this system had been
adopted, and in Leicestershire they had twice met
the owners to discuss, among othei’ things, this
method of applying the 5 per cent, advance to the
minimum wage. The owners had adopted a system
which worked out at 6s. 2d., including 50 per
cent., which made a basis of 4s. Id. Adding
5 per cent, to the 4s. Id., they got 2’45, or 2d.
per day, making stallmen 6s. 4d. But he (Mr. Lovett)
said it was not the proper way of reckoning, as that
was not a 5 per cent, advance on the 1888 basis. The
owners had created a basis which had never before
existed. Five per cent, added to 4s. 8d. would make
2’80 or on 4s. 9d., 2*85, which made a difference between
the men’s representatives and the owners of one penny
per day, as decimal points up to 50 counted nothing,
and over 50 one penny per day. The matter was still
under consideration, and it was hoped that soon they
would be able to convince the owners that the method
which he (the agent) advocated was the proper one.
The agent also referred to the question of banksmen’s
wages, and said they had submitted a list to the owners
which was under consideration.

A ballot has been taken of the miners employed at
the Duxbury and Ellerbeck collieries, near Chorley, on
the question of tendering notices to compel non-
unionists to join the association.

The executive committee of the North Wales Miners’
Association, meeting at Wrexham on Saturday night,
decided in favour of a Labour candidate being run at
the impending by-election for Flint Boroughs. They
also decided that a conference of all the other trade
unions in the Flint Boroughs should be summoned at
once for the purpose of finally selecting a candidate, and
that the name of Aid. Edward Hughes (miners’ agent)
be submitted.

A meeting of the Barnsley branch of the Yorkshire
Colliery Deputies’ Society was held at Barnsley on
Saturday. — Mr. A. North (Wombwell) urged the
necessity of organisation as a means of wiping away the
prejudice which existed towards the position of the
deputies. Under the new Act they would know their
exact duties, and would not be j ust what some managers
desired to make them.—Mr. Keen-Smith spoke of the
growth of the society, remarking that several new
branches had been formed. The desire was that the
society should be a help in the carrying out of regula-
tions whilst it protected the men’s interest. Having
regard to the higher standard of proficiency which was
demanded from deputies, he urged that they were
entitled to better wages.

For the purpose of discussing “ the changed position
of Derbyshire under-managers and deputies under the
new Coal Mines Act,” a meeting of deputies and under-
managers was held at Chesterfield, on Saturday
evening, when Mr. G. Gittins, of Pilsley, presided. Mr.
G. Godfrey maintained that they had nothing to
complain of in the Act as officials. But if there were
some of them getting about £2 a week, he hoped they
would get the standard raised or get the sack, because
if they were capable of performing all the duties this
Act put on them they ought to have been getting more
money. Mr. C. Barlow, of Grassmoor, observed that
since the 1888 prices, as they knew, miners’ wages had
been raised, but on the other hand the wages of under-
ground officials had not increased in proportion. He
pointed out that by the passing of the new Act there
had been additional inspectors appointed, who were
more alive to their duties, and this put extra work on
the under-managers and deputies. The following

resolution was unanimously carried:—“ That this large
meeting of colliery underground officials are alive to the
fact that many of them are inadequately paid, and are
determined that this state of things shall have their
attention at a very early date.”

Scotland.

A serious situation has arisen between the Lanark-
shire Miners’ Union and the management of the
Summerlee Coal Company over the employment of non-
union labour. At several local collieries 1,000 miners
refused to resume work on Monday. A number of
non-unionists restarted, further complicating the
situation.

The Iron Steel, and Engineering Trades.

The average net selling price of No. 3 Cleveland pig
iron in the months of October, November and December
1912 has been certified at 60s. l*17d. per ton, as com-
pared with 54s. 5*64d. for the previous quarter. There
was thus an advance of 5s. 7 53d. per ton during the
fourth quarter of last year. This carries an advance in
blastfurnacemen’s wages of 7 per cent., which raises the
wages from 28 per cent, above the standard to 35 per
cent, above the standard. The advance takes effect from
January 4.

The quarterly ascertainment under the sliding scale
operating in Cumberland shows the selling price of
haematite iron warrants was 81s. 8d. per ton, compared,
with 76s. 9d. in the previous quarter. Cumberland
furnace men’s wages are therefore increased by 6 J per
cent., are 24j per cent, higher than the corresponding
quarter last year, and are now 52| per cent, above the
standard.

The average net selling price of No. 3 Cleveland pig
iron for the months of October, November and
December, 1912, has just been certified at 60s. lT7d. per
ton as compared with 54s. 5’64d. for the previous three
months. There was thus an advance in price of
5s. 7*53d. per ton in the fourth quarter of last year. This
carries an advance of blastfurnacemen’s wages of 7 per
cent., and raises wages from 28 per cent, above the
standard to 35 per cent, above the standard. The
advance takes effect from the 4th inst.

Surface Workers’ Wages.

As a preliminary step to the movement to secure for
all adult surface workers a minimum wage of not less
than 5s. a day, the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain,
has addressed a circular to all the county committees,
asking for information upon which to base the claim.
Copies of the circular were received by the North-
umberland branches yesterday. It is in the following
terms :—

Miners’ Federation of Great Britain.

Surface Workers about Collieries.

I am requested by our executive committee to ask
districts in above Federation to supply me with informa-
tion as to the state of the organisation of surface workers
about collieries, and the rate of wages and hours worked
per day.

Will districts assist me in getting the information by
answering the following questions :—

1.	Number of surface workers (males) employed in.

your district ?

(a) Over 20 years of age ? ...................._
(5) Under 20 years of age ?.....................

2.	Rates of wages to men over 20 years of age,

various ? .....................................

3.	Rates of wages paid to boys and youths from 14 to

20 years of age ?...............................

4.	Hours worked per day ?...........................

5.	Number of surface workers members of your asso-

ciation ? ......................................

6.	Can you name any other association of which the

surface workers are members ? If so, state the
name of association and number of members o£
such as far as possible.

I shall be pleased to receive any information that you
can give that may not be made quite clear in these
questions as regards conditions of employment, hours
worked per day, rates of wages and state of organisation.

Thos. Ashton, Secretary.

Replies should be sent to the Burt Hall, Newcastle,
by the end of January.

Trade Unions (No. 2) Bill.

A conference called by the Joint Board of the
Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Con-
gress, the General Federation of Trade Unions, and the
Labour Party was held in the Memorial Hall on the
3rd inst. to consider the Trade Unions (No. 2) Bill.
More than 500 delegates, representing about 2,000,000
workers, were present. Mr. Arthur Henderson, M.P.,
presided. In explaining the reason for the conference,
the national committees pointed out that the Bill had
been improved in Grand Committee, but had not been
sufficiently improved to meet the demands of the
Labour Party. It was obvious, the committees said,
that the Bill did not fully restore to trade unions the
right to engage in political action as a method of regu-