198

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

January 23, 1914.

more sober, but equally unambiguous. It is folly
to ascribe such reports to inveterate prejudice. There
was a time, no doubt, when mining engineers disliked
such things from sheer conservatism, but that day
happily has passed. Such experience as that gained
by Mr. Allott at the Norton Colliery has done much
to convince managers and owners that the rescue
appliance has a very useful and important function
to perform. Again, those who maintain that
the Doncaster Committee, who are doing* such
valuable work for the industry, have carried
out this investigation simply as a counterblast
to legislation, and, so to speak, to get even with the
Home Office over—shall we say it ?-—the Bentley
case, are placing the most bigoted evaluation upon
public spirit. The coalowners in the new Doncaster
coalfield, in whose keeping is placed a national asset
of great value, have been faced with problems of
well-nigh unparalleled difficulty. They have not
been slow to recognise the value of such apparatus as
a means of contending with gob fires, but they have
taken the right view that, before using them, they
must be above suspicion. As Dr. Haldane says in
concluding his report:—“It is quite evident from
the results of our experiments that a number of
serious and more or less dangerous defects exist in
rescue apparatus at present in use in this country,
and in the manner of using them. The sooner these
defects are recognised, the sooner will they be
remedied, or adequate means be taken to guard
against harm resulting from them.”

As a result of this report, we may expect improve-
ments to be forthcoming, because makers have never
lacked ingenuity in dealing with such questions.
But, until then, the statutory inhibitions must be
relaxed, and let us hear no more senseless recrimina-
tions, such as those which resulted from the Cadder
disaster.

The conference convened by the
Colliery Lord Mayor, on Monday of this
Relief. week, for the purpose of considering
the proposal to form a National
Bund for dealing with mining distress, if it failed to
formulate any definite scheme, fulfilled its primary
object in placing the matter at last upon a practical
basis. The committee that has been appointed is
thoroughly representative, and? when they have
considered the project in all its bearings, it should
not be impossible to erect satisfactory and economical
machinery. The chief difficulty has been to bring
into unison interests not necessarily conflicting, but
somewhat apart because they have worked in
separate spheres. The amount and the adaptability
of the existing balances is really a question sub-
sidiary to that of organisation with regard to the
future. That being so, we take it that the main
objects to be kept in view are the following:—

1.	The establishment of a uniform system of
dealing with all accidents.

2.	The maintenance of existing and the creation
of fresh sources of revenue.

3.	The financial administration of the funds so
as to render them available for application with
the minimum of expense.

4.	Efficient administration as regards the distri-
bution and organisation of relief.

5.	Proper regard for local interests.

With respect to the first of these points, we may
repeat that the victims of a fall of roof have a claim
to relief almost equal to those of a devastating
explosion. The only real merit of a special fund is
that it is an extremely powerful means of enlisting
practical sympathy. But, just as there is no reason,
from the view-point of abstract justice, that one
colliery should fare better than another, so every
sufferer and dependant has an equal claim upon
human|charity.

Then, taking the second point, may we not hope
that the donations to a permanent fund in the sum
total will be just as munificent as those evoked by a
single disaster, although the sympathy that inspires
the givers may be less a matter of momentary
emotion ? Many of our greatest and best supported
charities are unable to make any call upon sudden
impulse.

As to the third and fourth points, and perhaps

the fifth, we can only repeat that in the existing
permanent relief funds — preferably as separate
entities—machinery is already in being whose record
ensures that any available funds will be honestly
and capably administered. Indeed, we feel that
this is a sine qua non. It is rather in the direction
of eliminating wasteful legal expense and in
obtaining the best means of investment that some
measure of centralisation would appear to be
desirable. Should the scheme fall to the ground it
will be largely through the clash of class interests
that should have no place in movements of this
nature.

STOISMUSTOiG.

Home Office Circular.

On behalf of the Home Office, Sir Edward Troup has
issued a circular letter, dated January 17, 1914, in
which he states that, following on the circular letter
issued by the Home Office to owners of coalmines on
October 3, 1912, a number of owners have already
adopted the precaution of stonedusting in their mines.
The letter next sets forth the main conclusions and
recommendations of the Explosions in Mines Com-
mittee, as contained in their Fifth Report.

Sir Edward Troup continues :—

“ The Secretary of State recommends these proposals
to the earnest attention of the owners. It will be
necessary to embody the recommendations in statutory
regulations under the Coal Mines Act, but he would urge
owners most strongly, without waiting for the formal
settlement of the regulations, to take the matter into
immediate consideration with a view to early adoption
of precautionary measures on the lines indicated by the
Committee. The Committee have not in the report
recommended the adoption of stonedusting to the
exclusion of watering; but it is generally recognised
that any system of watering which does not render inert
the dust not only on the floor, but on the supports and
sides, would not be equivalent to the system of stone-
dusting recommended by the Committee.

“ The Secretary of State will further be glad to receive
from those owners who have already adopted stone-
dusting any suggestions in connection with the framing
of the regulations which they may be able to make as a
result of their actual experience of its use, and to
consider them before formally issuing the regulations
in draft. He would also invite these owners to furnish
him with information as to the character of the dust
used, its degree of fineness, the extent to which the
roads in the mine have been dusted, any difficulties
which have arisen in carrying out the system, &c.

“ In the meantime, work is being pressed forward at
Eskmeals to clear up some of the further points men-
tioned in the Report—e.g., the effect of the presence of
small quantities of gas on the inflammability of mixtures
of coaldust and incombustible dust; the best sorts of
incombustible dust to be used; and the question of
watering.

“Any suggestions which the owners may be good
enough to make should reach the Home Office by the
end of February.”

UMK ITO WMES.

North of England.

A joint committee of the Cumberland Coke Trade
Conciliation Board on Tuesday advanced the wages of
fillers at the Flimby Colliery coke ovens from Is. 3d. to
Is. 6d. per oven, and the day wage of labourers at the
Flimby and St. Helen’s Collieries from 3s. 2d. to 3s. 4d.,
the advances to date from the first making-up date in
January.

The Northumberland Miners’ Council met at the
Burt Hall, Newcastle, on Saturday, for the purpose of
considering their future policy with regard to the
three-shifts system. Mr. Joseph English presided.
In Northumberland there are about seventy collieries,
and three shifts have been worked at sixteen of
them since the Eight Hours Act came into force.
It will be remembered that last month a ballot was
taken on the question of tendering notice to cease
work, and there voted 15,236 in favour and 14,181
against. The majority, 1,055, was not sufficient to
warrant the executive of the association in declaring a
strike. At the meeting on Saturday, a long discussion
took place, and in the end the following resolution was
passed:—“ That the question of the three-shifts system
be left in the hands of our members at each of the three-
shifts pits, and that they have the power to make locally
the best arrangements they can with the management at
each pit, so as to have the system abolished or modified
at their own collieries, but no final agreement can be
come to in any case until the proposals have been
submitted to the executive committee, in order that the
general working conditions in the county may be safe-
guarded.” The resolution will be submitted to the
branches, and a proxy vote taken upon it.

Representatives of the different sections of the North-
umberland Colliery Enginemen’s and Firemen’s Associ-

ation met at Newcastle on Saturday night in connection
with the agitation for improved wages and shorter hours.
It was decided to ask the owners for another interview.

Trouble between the men and the management of the
Seaton Delaval Coal Company’s collieries on the
question of explosives is being shown at present owing
to the regulation which forbids large quantities of
explosives to be kept in the houses of the workmen.

Federated Area.

At the annual delegate meeting of the Lancashire and
Cheshire Miners’ Federation in Manchester on Saturday,
Mr. T. Greenall, the president, reviewed the situation.
He said they had increased in the 12 months by 20,000.
A year ago they had 59,928 members; to-day the total
was 80,773. The Federation had done all it could to ,
secure a peaceful settlement of the question of surface
workers’ wages. They had been able to settle with
employers by whom 40 per cent, of their members were
engaged, and every possible argument had been put
forward to convince the others. Suggestions would be
made with a view to another step being taken to achieve
their object, and bring about a complete and satis-
factory arrangement. Their experience under the
Minimum Wage Act had, under all the circum-
stances, been fairly satisfactory. At least it had
enabled their men to earn better wages collectively, with
very little increase in the cost of producing the coal.
The additional facilities which had been given to the
men for doing their work, especially those who had been
working in abnormal places, had enabled them to get
more coal out of the mines and earn better wages. It
was only in the collieries where facilities had not been
given that it could be shown that the Act had increased’
the cost of production by any appreciable amount.
They were asking for amendments to the award for
Lancashire and Cheshire. The principal were that the
minimum should be raised from 6s. 6d. to 7s. a day, and
that the minimum should be paid weekly instead of
fortnightly: On the average the coal-getter was able to
work four and a-half days a week, and at 6s' 6d. a day
his wage would be about 30s. a week. But he had his
tools to buy, repair and renew, and his lamp and other
things to pay for, with the result that in many cases he
had little more wage than a number of casual labourers
working for municipalities.

A ballot is being taken of the whole of the collieries
in Yorkshire upon the question of increasing the con-
tributions to and benefits of the association. The
question upon which the men are asked to vote is as
follows :—“ Are you in favour of increasing the present
weekly contributions from 6d. (with benefits of 9s. full
members, 4s. 6d. half members, and Is. for children per
week) to 9d., with benefits of 14s. full members, 7s. half I
members, and 2s. children ? ”

The workers at Messrs. Evence Coppee coke ovens
and by-product plant at Pinxton took a ballot, the
result of which was declared on Saturday. This
showed an overwhelming majority in favour of handing
in notices as a means of obtaining a settlement of
matters in dispute. Eighty-five were in favour, four
against, foui’ neutral, and four did not return papers.
The majority of the workers are members of the Notts
Miners’ Association.

The Cannock Chase Colliery Company, with a view
to overcoming the difficulties presented by the recent
agitation for ceasing work at 12 o’clock on Saturdays
and at the same time rendering unnecessary any loss of
wages, has made an offer that work should commence
on Saturdays at 6 a.m. and finish at 1 p.m., instead of
the present times of 7 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The men employed at Col. Wood’s Scot Lane
Collieries, Blackrod. Central Lancashire, have for some
time past been dissatisfied with their rates of pay for
working abnormal places, and last week-end tendered
notices to cease contracts unless better terms are offered..

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

Colliery enginemen, stokers and craftsmen are still
agitated with regard to unifying their organisation with
the Miners’ Federation. A two-thirds vote is necessary
for carrying out the recommendation of their executive
that they should unite, but two ballots, although showing
an absolute majority in favour, do not give the requisite
two-thirds.

Anthracite miners in the Swansea and Dulais valleys
desire to establish a shorter working day on Saturdays,
but it is said that the objection urged is that any such
change should not be considered until the period of the
existing agreement ends. Several lodges seek permis-
sion to tender notices at the beginning of February in
enforcement of the demand, and the Anthracite Miners’
Association have decided to ask the central executive of
the Federation to present their case to the Conciliation
Board.

Caerphilly district of miners had several subjects of
interest at their meeting on Monday. It was reported
that the objection to double shift at Penallta still
remained, and the matter is now to come before the
Conciliation Board. The filling of coal on Sunday in
the Windsor Colliery occasioned the protest; and an
application was received for permission to tender notice,
should this become necessary.

Mr. James Winstone, vice-president of the South
Wales Miners’Federation, presided over a meeting of
the executive council held at Cardiff, on Wednesday.
The outstanding feature of the meeting was the discus-
sion relative to the new schedule of rates, and also the
position of banksmen. It was resolved that a special
conference of the Federation be held on Monday,
February 2, to consider the matter and the dispute
respecting the banksmen’s wages and hours. The
Senghenydd explosion was dealt with generally, and in
this connection it was resolved that the question of
further precautionary measures in the mine be a subject
of consideration at the South Wales miners’ conference.
With reference to the experiment conducted by the