January 30, 1914. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 257 Notes from the Coalfields. [Local Correspondence.J South Wales and Monmouthshire. Conference on Mining Education—Opening of School of Mines a,t Treforest—List of Contributing Companies ■with Probable Income—Miners' Federation Hostility Explained—Developments in Pembrokeshire—Mon- mozuthshire Colliery Officials. The conference at Cardiff on Saturday upon the question of co-ordinating mining education in the South Wales coalfield, was presided over by the Lord Mayor of that city, and it was held by adjournment from December, the coalowners having, in the meantime, considered suggestions that had reference to their Mining School at Treforest. A scheme has now been arranged, and was submitted by the Mining Education Board; but, unfortunately, the Miners’ Federation refused to agree to it, their objection being that it gave the authorities of the Treforest Mining School (the coal- owners) some degree of control over public mining education, their desire being that only public authorities should be included. No representatives of the Federation were, therefore, present on Saturday. Mr. Hugh M. Ingledew submitted a communication from the South Wales Institute of Engineers, who desired to be represented on the Board; and also from the Welsh Department of the Board of Education, expressing gratification at the prospect of agreement between the parties concerned. Principal Griffiths, of the South Wales University College, submitted the report and the scheme which had been prepared by Mr. Henry Davies (Glamorgan Director of Mining Education) and himself. He said the coalowners had made an extremely valuable gift to further industrial education in South Wales, and the question was how that gift could be best utilised. In his opinion the defect of their industrial undertakings was the separa- tion into watertight compartments of the laboratory, the workshop, and the counting-house. It would be a calamity if the present scheme fell through. The arguments of the Miners’ Federation were based upon false premisses ; for if it was possible, as the Federation executive feared, that the existence of the Mining School at Treforest would do harm, was it likely to do less harm if the Federation were not represented on the Mining Board ? Were they moreTikely to help matters by standing aloof than by coming into consultation. He could not see that the school or the owners could do the least harm; and even supposing they could, the representatives of the Fedetation should be present to see that they did the least possible harm. The Board would be a purely consultative body, and it was desirable to have in consultation every coal interest in South Wales. He proposed that the conference should approve the scheme. Sir Clifford Cory, M.P., seconded, and said he did not want to see the Coalowners’ Association and the Mining School mixed up. One was a combination for trade purposes; the other a purely educational institution. When the school at Treforest was established, the coal- owners had made great sacrifices, which they thought were for the benefit of the men. He was absolutely ata loss to understand the attitude of the Miners’ Federa- tion. Every workman aimed at becoming a colliery official if he could, and colliers were gladly received at the school, every facility being given them for learning. The coalowners were anxious to help the miner improve himself and his position, and to do all he could for himself. Certainly, they did not want to force him out of the district to obtain technical training. It was absurd to suggest that the owners could influence the Mining Board, for they would be swamped in voting by the representatives of public authorities and institu- tions. It would be found that, upon the establishment of the Board, technical instruction in the district would advance rapidly; and they would set an example to other districts. Mr. H. T. Wales, Dr. Atkinson and Mr. W. A. Chamen urged that representation should be accorded to the Institute of Engineers ; but Dr. Morris, chair- man of the Glamorgan Education Committee, objected, and said that his committee were of opinion that the Board should consist chiefly of the bodies whose work was educational, and who could assist in co-ordinating education and prevent overlapping. He also objected to a proposal to give the Colliery Managers’ Asso- ciation representation, and moved the omission of that recommendation. Unless representation of these bodies were refused, the Glamorgan County Council would have nothing to do with the scheme. Upon a vote being taken, it was agreed to allow one representative to the Engineers’ Institute, and one repre- sentative to the St. John Ambulance Association. Llanelly Town Council was also accorded one representative if it were shown to be an educational authority. It was stated that the expense of the Mining Board would not be more than £100 a year, and probably only £30 or £40, and Principal Griffiths appealed to the Glamorgan Council representatives to support the scheme. Dr. Morris said that the matter should be broughtup again at the Education Committee’s meeting. Finally a resolution was passed accepting and approving the scheme as modified, and pledging those present at the conference to recommend the same for formal adop- tion by their constituent authorities and institutions. The vote was carried with four dissenting. The South Wales and Monmouthshire Mining Educa- tion Board will be reconstituted, and composed of representatives of the different authorities and institu- tions as under:— Ordinary Representatives County Council of Glamorgan................. 4 County Council of Monmouth.................. 3 County Council of Brecon.................... 2 County Council of Carmarthen ............... 2 Urban District Council of Rhondda .......... 2 City of Cardiff............................. 1 County Borough of Swansea ................ 1 County Borough of Newport ................ 1 County Borough of Merthyr ................ 1 Council of the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire ................. 2 Senate of the University College ........... 1 South Wales and Monmouthshire School of Mines.................................... 4 Mon. and South Wales Coalowners’ Association 3 South Wales Miners’ Federation ............. 3 South Wales Branch Colliery Managers’ Ass cm- tion .................................... 1 South Wales Institute of Engineers ......... 1 St. John Ambulance Association.............. 1 Total................... 33 Co-opted Members Home Office................................. 2 Later in the day a representative company assembled at Treforest for the inaugural ceremony of the School of Mines, which has been established by the coalowners, a. large number of colliery undertakings being united, and having agreed to maintain the school by a levy of one-tenth of a penny per ton upon the respective outputs. The gathering included Lord Merthyr, Mr. T. Evans and Mr. E. Edwards (Ocean), Mr. Vivian Rees and Mr. D. Hannah (Ferndale), Mr. North Lewis and Mr. T. Griffiths (Insole’s), Mr. Hugh Bramwell (Great Western), Mr. J. A. Jones and Mr. T. Kane (United National), Mr. Stuart (Powells’ Tillery), Mr. W. W. Hood and Mr. J. Davies (Cross Hands), Mr. T. R. Thompson (Bedwas), Mr. Douglas (Board of Education), Principal Griffiths, Prof. Knox and Mr. J. Samuel, Mr. Henry Davies, Dr. Atkinson, Mr. Martin Price (Institute of Engineers), the energetic secretary (Mr. Hugh M. Ingledew), and others. Sir Clifford Cory (first chair- man of the Mining Board) set forth the objects aimed at in the establishment of the school. Lord Merthyr followed, and formally declared the school open. Principal Griffiths said that the University College would whole-heartedly join with the managers of the school in doing all possible for technical educa- tion, especially for the mining interests in South W ales; and Dr. Morris, chairman of the Glamorgan Education Committee, said he hoped that the school would be the first of a series of technical schools in Wales, and that the engineers would follow the example of the miners. Mr. Hugh Ingledew and Prof. Knox also spoke. Among the promoters of the school not previously named, are Mr. D. Davies, M.P., and Mr. W. Jenkins (Ocean), Mr. Joseph Shaw and Mr. E. M. Hann (Powell Duffryn), and Mr. D. A. Thomas and Mr. T. J. Callaghan (Cambrian). It is estimated that the levy of y^d. per ton of output will now yield over £8,000 per annum, for other firms and undertakings are joining those which originally formed the combination. Among the number now enrolled are:— Cambrian Collieries, with the Glamorgan, Naval, and others in the Combine, Ocean Coal Company, Cory Brothers and Company, with Penrikyber, &c., D. Davis and Sons (Ferndale), Lewis Merthyr, Nixon’s Navigation, Powell Duffryn, United National, with Burnyeat-Brown, Insoles Limited, Great Western Colliery Company, Ynyshir Steam Coal Company, Bedwas, and several others. The total output of the united undertakings is approximately 20,000,000 tons per annum if full work be accomplished throughout the year. The hostile attitude taken up by the miners’ execu- tive in relation to this scheme of mining education has been once more explained. Mr. T. Richards, M.P., secretary of the Federation, stated that the council regard the School of Mines, established by the coal- owners at Treforest as a purely private venture; and they therefore hold that in the general scheme it should not be given any more authority and influence than other private schools. The technical instruction given by the local authorities should not, they consider, be influenced by a private institution. Although the coal- owners had representation under the old scheme, this new one is regarded as of their initiation. It is further held that the public authorities have full powers to deal with mining instruction, and that they should exercise those powers and retain full control. The miners’ repre- sentatives on the county councils will contest the right of those bodies to enter into any such agreement with the Treforest institution instead of establishing their own schools. An amendment to the Address will, it is stated, be moved in the House of Commons by Mr. W. Brace, M.P., president of the South Wales Federation. It will have relation to the Senghenydd disaster, and will deplore “the inadequacy of the present Mines Act, and condemn the Home Office for its failure to enforce even that unsatisfactory law.” The coalfield in Pembrokeshire, as to which previous references have appeared, is still under close examina- tion, and the boring operations of the Wigan Colliery Company, who have been at work at Johnston, near Haverfordwest, are expected to end in the next few weeks. Naturally there are high hopes entertained in the district, because it is clearly understood that large deposits of good anthracite underlie all that territory, but hitherto they have not been proved. Although it is too early yet to adopt the local story as to sinkings of new pits and the employment of two or three thousand men, it needs no prophet to declare that important developments in this far-western coalfield are imminent Other operations in the same part of the coalfield are at Hook, and there is also a project which has its centre at Landshipping, where about 2,000 acres are to be leased for carrying on colliery workings, with the adjunct of by-product works, the seams in that district ranging from 2 to 10 feet in thickness. Still further west a light railway is being constructed from Milford Haven to Nolton, where coal pits are to be sunk; and all over the district there is a manifestation of intense interest as to this opening out of what has hitherto been almost entirely an agricultural area. Whilst not directly connected with the coal trade, it is worth notice that the Mannesmann Tube Company have decided to establish at Newport their new works, which will, when complete, employ between 2,000 and 3,000 men. For building and equipment these works will cost £800,000, the land alone—107 acres—entailing an outlay of £46,000. Operations in preparing the site will commence next month. To accommodate the workmen in these other new undertakings, no fewer than 1,000 new houses will be required; and about £10,000 per week in additional wages will be added to the current expenditure of the town. For water-supply the Corporation may have to construct an additional reservoir, the initial amount of half a-million gallons per day rising later to a full million. No fewer than eight more undertakings are likely to be established, there being cement, tin-plate, tar and pitch, cold storage, Whitehead’s from Tredegar, and others. At Cribbwr Fawr Colliery, Kenfig Hill, four good seams have now been struck, and the fact proves that the coalseams are further south than had previously been assumed. Three of the seams vary from 4 ft. to 8 ft. with good roof. In their sinking to the Graigola Vein at Garngoch, Messrs. Glassbrook Brothers have made very heavy expenditure, and on Saturday the winding engine was completed. It is expected that 700 or 800 men will ultimately be at work there. The Cardiff Exchange committee, which is raising a fund for presenting to Sir W. J. Thomas a testimonial in recognition of his knighthood, met on Monday. Sir John Gunn proposed that out of the sum raised 1,000 guineas should go towards endowment of a bed at Cardiff Hospital, that a bust of Sir W. J. Thomas be placed in the hospital, and that the balance of the fund should go to the Seamen’s Hospital. This proposition was agreed to. There was a large attendance on Saturday night last at the seventeenth annual dinner of the Monmouthshire Colliery Officials’ Association, held at the King’s Head Hotel, Newport, under the presidency of Mr. Joseph Morgan, of Talywain. The gathering was chiefly notable for two outstanding speeches—one on the coal trade, by Mr. D. A. Thomas, and one on the iron and steel trades and their prospects, by Mr. Frederick Mills, the managing director of the Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron and Coal Company. These vere the responses to the toast of “ The Trade of the District,” proposed by the mayor, Dr. Lloyd Davies. Mr. D. A. Thomas spoke of the increased responsibility and the varied qualifications of colliery officials, due to the operation of recent legisla- tion. To-day a colliery official of any standing needed not only to be a mining engineer but an electrical engineer, to have a good knowledge of law in order to have half-a-dozen Acts of Parliament at his fingers’ ends, to learn hundreds of rules which were constantly being altered, and beside all that, to have a knowledge of military tactics, since a distinguished general who was in the Rhondda Valley during the strike period told them in his report that all their pits were sunk in the wrong places. It was open to question whether recent legislation had contributed to safety and the onus was on the Home Office to show that results were commen- surate in any degree with the enormous expense which colliery proprietors had been put to. Mr. Thomas in a light vein went on to say that Old King Coal was enjoying fairly good health at present and had quite got over the dose of oil which the First Lord of the Admiralty administered last summer. In his opinion the Admiralty was now showing caution if not also wisdom in designing the newer Dreadnoughts for coal consumption. In Mr. Thomas’s opinion, it was futile to expect from labour what was called a “ final settle- ment,” and knowing what miners’ leaders were he did not blame them for asking for more and more all the time. But he thought it was not too much to ask them to show a little more heart as well as a little more head. They appeared to him to be pursuing a dog-in-the- manger policy by refusing to have anything to do with the Treforest Mining School simply because it was originated by coalowners. Mr. Frederick Mills, though admitting that the iron and steel trades of the district seemed to be past praying for, thought they had not received the attention from capitalists and the general public which they deserved. He was under the impression that there was an enormous future for the iron trade, and that the local ore known as the “Black Band ” in South Wales would come into general use again, and that for more reasons than one. It was, he claimed, the best smelting iron ore that the world had ever seen, and there was the fact that the cost of foreign ore was in an ever- increasing ratio. Spanish ore would never again, he thought, be delivered in this country at 8s., 9s., or 10s. per ton, and with the price still increasing, they were approaching a time when the “ Black Band ” will again be extensively worked. There was an .abundance of it. In the neighbourhood of Ebbw Vale, he