Miy 23, 1913.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

1077

NOTES FROM SOUTH WALES.

[from our own correspondent.]

Cardiff Company’s Bill Doubling Coal-shipping
Charge: Endeavours to Avert Opposition in the
Commons—Conciliation Board Fix Term of Notice
— Raising Bates of Wages for New Work —
Colliers’ 35 per cent. Minimum to go to 50—
Banksmen’s Fay and Hours—lecturers Appointed
to Coalowners’ Mining School—Presentations to
Mr. John Macaulay.

Two remarkable efforts have been made during this
week to avert further opposition to the Cardiff Railway
Company’s Bill, which has passed the Lords’ Committee,
and will shortly come before the House of Commons.
It proposes to double the maximum charge for shipping
coal, and to largely increase wharfage dues. On
Monday a private conference summoned by the Lord
Mayor of Cardiff took place at the City Hall, there
being in attendance by invitation, marked “private,”
several of the leading shippers and those occupying
positions in the Chamber of Commerce, the Freighters’
Association, &c., as well as representatives from the
Cardiff Company. But this endeavour to arrive at an
understanding proved altogether futile, the opponents
of the measure declining to any increase in the rates and
charges as designed by the Bill.

Mr. Watts Morgan said, on Friday, at Treorky, that
they sought to have 50 per cent, merged in the standard,
and to have future percentages paid on the new standard
thus set up. He added that they were going to tell the
owners that none but union men must be employed.

An echo of Mr. Redmayne’s remarks upon rescuers’
risks was heard in Monmouthshire, when strong testimony
was borne to the bravery of Mr. George P. Williams,
manager of the Blaenavon Big Pit, it being stated
during the coroner’s inquest that he encountered
serious danger when endeavouring to reach men who
had been overcome by fumes from the fire in the
colliery. Dr. Atkinson, H.M. inspector, remarked that
Mr. Williams did the right thing in warning men not
to go down, but that he had taken the risk himself. It
was shown also that Mr. Waplington, the manager, had
undergone similar risk in rescuing men from the fumes.

by the Dowlais team; second, by Cyfarthfa and Aber-
canaid; third, by Cyfarthfa-Troedyrhiw; fourth, by
Vochriw ; and fifth, by another Dowlais team.

It is announced that Mr. John Hutchinson, chief
agent at the Lewis Merthyr Collieries, in the Rhondda,
has been appointed general manager of North’s Naviga-
tion Collieries, Maesteg, in succession to Mr. Boyd
Harvey. Mr. Hutchinson has occupied his position at
the Lewis Merthyr for about 10 years. Previously, he
was general manager of the Bamfurlong and Main
collieries, near Wigan. He has taken an active part in
establishing the rescue station at Forth, and he has a
good record for bravery during a fire at one of the
collieries in Lancashire, as to which he has a silver
medal and the Order of St. John. Mr. Hutchinson does
not undertake his new duties for some time, and no
selection has yet been made of a successor to him in the
Rhondda.

The second meeting took place on Tuesday, when
Lord Merthyr, with Col. Denniss (manager of the docks),
met the Parliamentary Committee of the Corporation,
the body which has to consider the question of municipal
opposition to the measure. Lengthy explanations were
given by the company’s representatives, and in this
instance again the proceedings were strictly private.
From “ the docks ” came a number of gentlemen also to
confer with the committee, the Chamber of Commerce
being represented by Messrs. J. T. Duncan, Trevor
Jones, E. H. Jacobs and W. R. Hawkins, while Messrs.
D. Radcliffe and A. R. Chenhalls represented the Ship-
owners’ Association, and the Freighters’ Association
was represented by Messrs. J. A. Jones, T. Vivian Rees
and Joseph Davies. The traders urged the Corporation
to join with them in opposing the Bill, because of its
injurious effect on the trade of the port; and, on the
other hand, the company’s representatives argued that
if the Corporation could not support the measure, it
should at least remain neutral. Ultimately, the Parlia-
mentary Committee adjourned, a full discussion to take
place at a later meeting.

The Conciliation Board met on Monday, its chief
business being to consider the draft of a clause fixing
the term of individual contracts at the collieries. It
will be remembered that under the Board’s agreement
of 1910 the notice was fixed at one calendar month; but
owing to the Minimum Wage Act, this was varied, and

Banksmen’s grievances came under consideration,
on Thursday, at a meeting of the joint committee
appointed by the Conciliation Board to deal with the
matter. Evidence was given as to the hours worked
and the rates of pay at the Mardy, Naval, and Celynen
collieries. It was stated that as to some of the men
concerned, they worked 12 hours per shift, and seven
shifts per week; the rates of pay being from 2s. lOJd.
to 4s. per shift. Application was made for reduction of
hours and for a wage-rate of 5s. per shift. No decision
was arrived at, as the owners deferred this matter till
the next meeting, when other cases will be taken up.

At Caerphilly, on Tuesday, the magistrates granted
an application for the removal of a checkweigher.
According to the evidence tendered, the manager of
the colliery agreed with certain men to work extra time
upon a payment of half a turn; but owing to inter-
ference by the defendant, they left work before the
agreed time, he having told the manager that he would
stop them unless they were paid a full turn.

It is estimated that about 12,500 men have been
added to the Federation ranks in South Wales as a
result of the recent notices and crusade.

Swansea Harbour Trustees, at their meeting last
week, accepted the resignation of Mr. J. H. Burgess,
owing to that gentleman’s inability to attend the
meetings. Incidentally, it was stated that he was
the pioneer of direct shipments of tin-plates from that
port to America. The trade of April was reported to
have been very satisfactory ; and Lord Giantawe, in
reference to the exports of coal, coke and patent fuel,
said that these had increased enormously.

The Garn Goch Colliery, near Swansea, has been
reopened, Messrs. Gias brook intending to sink to the
Six-foot seam.

The Dean Forest miners have a new question to
trouble them, owing to the development of the steam
coal area. Mr. Rowlinson, the agent, put before a
meeting on Monday a question as to whether the wage
agreement should be varied, instead of, as at present,
having one arrangement for the whole coalfield, and a
resolution was passed favouring separation of the steam
coal interests from house coal.

there has been considerable discussion—including one
or two cases in the courts^—as to what is the proper
term of individual notice at the present time. The
clause agreed upon last Tuesday was that 14 days
should be the term in respect of individual contracts—
this to come into operation as from May 26.

The South Wales and Monmouthshire mining board

New Fife Colliery Village.—At a meeting of Dunfermline
District Committee recently a report by Mr. W. Davison,
chief sanitary inspector, in regard to the description and
plans of houses proposed to be erected near to Com tie
Castle by the Coltness Iron Company Limited, Newmains,
for the accommodation of workmen employed at their Blair-
hall Colliery, was under consideration. The plans show a
proposed new village consisting of 390 houses. The space
occupied by those 390 houses is said to be 34 acres—this
giving about 12 houses to the acre. Mr. Davison said:—
“ The situation is an excellent one, and the site is satis_
factory. The houses, which are all of one storey, are welj
arranged in blocks of six and eight in the block, and are to
be kept a distance of 30 ft. from centre of roadways.
Ninety-six houses are to be erected now, and this number
is to be added to as the colliery opens out, and more work-
men are required. Of those 96 houses, 94 consist of one
room, kitchen, and scullery, w.c., and coalhouse, and two of
them of two rooms, kitchen,scullery, w.c., and coalhouse. The
houses are of four different types, there being 78 houses of
A type, 10 houses of B type, two of C type, and six of D
type. The houses of A type are without the through
passage giving direct access from the front entrance to the

The South Wales Miners’ Federation met on
Monday, and discussed the question of colliery workmen
who had become members of the Gasworkers’ Union,
and the council decided to adhere to their previous
resolution that all workmen must join the Miners’
Federation.

The workmen of Messrs. D. Davis and Sons,
Ferndale, who had been idle since May Day upon the
non-unionist question, restarted work on Monday. It
was stated that in one section of the firm’s pits over a

met on Friday and appointed two lecturers for their
school at Treforest. Mr. Edgar 0. Evans, B.Sc., now
chief chemist at the Lewis Merthyr Collieries, was
chosen as senior lecturer in mining chemistry ; and
Mr. F. H. Downie, B.Sc., was selected as senior lecturer'
on electrical engineering. Mr. Evans is a South Wales
man, being son of the late Mr. J. W. Evans, who was
manager of the Tylorstown Collieries. Mr. Downie
was trained in Glasgow ; has held the post of demon- •
strator in the electrical engineering laboratory ; and
was afterwards lecturer and chief assistant to the
professor of electrical engineering in the Royal Technical
College.

During a presentation to Mr. John Macaulay, at
Newport, it was stated that whilst he had held the
position of manager of the docks he had multiplied the
revenue of the port enormously. It had been his duty !

kitchen. Consequently the bedroom will be used pretty
much as a passage room. Those of D type have the
through passage, and in my view are therefore much the
' superior houses. The houses are to be built of brick, with
I hollow walls, slated roofs, wood floors, &c. All have through
I ventilation, and the apartments are well lighted.” It was
! agreed to remit the plans to the Town-Planning and Public
Health Committees, with powers. The matter will afterwards
be submitted to the Local Government Board for Scotland,
to be dealt with under the Town-Planning Act.

The Late Mr. W. H. Pickering: Memorial Unveiled at
York —There was a very impressive ceremonial at
St. Peter’s School, York, on Saturday last, when a brass
mural monument tq the late Mr. W. H. Pickering, his
Majesty’s chief mining inspector for the Yorkshire and
North Midland District, was unveiled by the Marquis of
Normanby. Mr. Pickering received his education at the
school, and the old boys who were contemporary with him,
the masters, some of the governors who knew him, and

thousand non-unionists had joined the Federation ranks
during the stoppage.

The new move by the Federation—to obtain a fixed
rate for all new work—is still under discussion by the
miners, the schedule having been remitted to the lodges
for that purpose. It is very important because of the
statement that no new work will be undertaken by
Federationists except upon the terms that they may
ultimately decide upon; and the terms set forth in the
schedule are higher than the great majority of men are
now earning. In the whole class of lower-paid men—
labourers, hauliers, &c.—over 90 per cent, earn less than
is to be asked in the future for new collieries and new
seams; 56 per cent, of the coal-hewers earn less; and
these are typical. Moreover, the schedule is apparently
only one part of a policy which includes raising the
colliers’ minimum from 35 to 50 per cent, on the
standard, with separate payment for “ small ” or an

inclusive payment for throngh-and-through.

to promote six Bills in Parliament, and to oppose no
fewer than 20 Bills whereby other ports or outside
companies made aggression upon Newport interests. In
addition to the presentation by officers and staff of the
docks and railway company, others were made by the
licensed pilots, the ambulance centre, &c.—Another
presentation was made to Mr. Macaulay on Tuesday, on
that occasion by the Bristol Channel Dockowners’
Association; and, in testimony to the great services he
has rendered, he was elected honorary vice-president of
that body.

Several ambulance teams belonging to the different
sections of Messrs. Guest, Keen and Nettlefold’s
employees met at Dowlais in competition for the trophy
which the company have offered—on this occasion a
massive silver cup and £10 in prizes. Last year, the
gift was a two-horse ambulance car. The contests lasted
throughout a whole day, and the company provided

I others felt that his heroic death in the Cadeby Colliery
disaster of last July ought to be perpetuated in some
' manner. Subscriptions were readily forthcoming, and the
result is a handsome monument, which has been placed on

luncheon and tea. The first prize (cup and £4) was won Pickering’s valour.

the right of the chapel near the chancel, and j ust beneath
the organ. The incription on the plate is in the following
terms :—“ In reverent memory of William Henry Pickering,
O.P., H.M.’s Chief Inspector of Mines for Yorks and
N. Midlands, who in 1910 received King Edward VII.’s
medal for distinguished bravery, and at the Cadeby pit
disaster crowned a life devoted to the service of God and
man by a hero’s death. This tablet is erected by the
governors, masters, old boys, and boys of the school he
honoured. Born October 1st, 1858, died July 9th, 1912.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down
his life for his friends.” The unveiling ceremony partook
of the nature of a religious service, which was conducted
by the Bishop of Beverley. Having unveiled the
memorial, the Rev. the Marquis of Normanby delivered
an appropriate address in eulogium of the late Mr.