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THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

April 3, 1914.

of delegates representing Monmouthshire miners on
Wednesday. He spoke very strongly against the inten-
tion which was disclosed in Mr. Tallis’s speech of the
establishment by the coalowners of a branch of their
Treforest School at Crumlin in Monmouthshire.

The annual report of Monmouthshire and South
Wales Miners’ Provident Society shows figures of
membership as 381 instead of 343, and that the avail-
able balances at the close of the year 1914 was for
£83,000. During the year 270 disabled members received
relief, and there were 583 widows and 90 children also
on the fund. The report states that the total amount
raised in aid of Senghenydd sufferers is upwards of
£120,000, and that the formation of a trust is now in
progress. In all probability it is believed the trustees
will continue to avail themselves of the services of the
Provident Society for distribution of allowances.

Northumberland and Durham.

Trade of the Tyne—Ambulance Competitions—Progress
at Ashington — Mr. Burt to be Honoured—The
Conveyance of Coke to the West Coast — Falstone
Colliery Offered for Sale.

Mr. F. J. Raine, for eight years manager of Sir S. A.
Sadler Limited, Etherley Grange Colliery, Bishop
Auckland, has been appointed to the managership of
the New Copley Coal Company’s collieries at Cockfield.

The results of the divisional ambulance competitions
in connection with the Durham Mines Inspection
District Ambulance League were as follow :—Ferryhill
division, Leasingthorne A team; Hetton division,
Easington A team; Durham division, South Brance-
peth ; Seaham division, Seaham A team.

Last week, a special meeting of the Tyne Improve-
ment Commission was held at Newcastle, Capt. George
Armstrong presiding. The Finance Committee, in
presenting their report, reminded the meeting that it
was the report of a year comparatively peaceful as
against 1912, during which they had a national coal strike
and a strike on the North-Eastern Railway. The gross
revenue receipts were £477,278, as compared with
£440,962 in 1912 and £483,005 in 1911. The coal and
coke shipments from the Tyne totalled 20,299,948 tons,
an increase over the previous year. The Commissioners
realised the imperfections of the Northumberland Dock
and had the whole matter under consideration. They
are looking forward to having further conferences with
the coalowners interested, to see if a feasible scheme can
be evolved. The agreements entered into between the
Commissioners and certain colliery companies will
expire towards the end of 1916. The matter will thus
require the serious attention of the Commissioners. It
was stated that the arrangement made with the North-
Eastern Railway Company in 1912 was purely a tem-
porary one. The agreement was that a rebate of IJd.
per ton should be allowed upon coal diverted from the
Dunston staiths to the Commissioners’ shipping places
over and above the quantity shipped in 1909. Disappoint-
ment was expressed that this had not had the effect
expected and hoped for. During the last six months of
1913 the number of vessels so diverted had dwindled
down to 37, and therefore, so soon as the new staiths at
Dunston were opened, the Commissioners intended
reverting to the original position.

A well-deserved honour is to be bestowed upon Mr.
W. C. Blackett, of Sacriston, the well-known mining
engineer. He is to receive the honorary degree of
Master of Science from the Durham University.

A presentation was made to Mr. John Jacques, who
has retired from the East Holywell Colliery after 49
years’ service. The presentation consisted of a silver
cigar case, and was made by Mr. Thompson, the
manager, on behalf of the officials.

Mr. George Robson, general treasurer of the
Northumberland and Durham Miners’ Permanent
Relief Fund, was on Saturday elected general secretary
of the fund, in succession to the late Mr. William Barnes.
There were about 30 candidates. The new general
secretary has acted successively as clerk, agent, and
general treasurer, and has been identified with the fund
for nearly 30 years.

At the Cambridge Hall, Northumberland-road, New-
castle, on Saturday afternoon, under the auspices of
the St. John Ambulance Brigade, the preliminary
rounds of the F. W. Gibbon bowl, Northumberland
bronze shield, and the C. B. Palmer bowl were completed.
The results were :—

Northumberland bronze shield (possible marks 280):

1,	North Seaton No. 1, 261J ; 2, Ashington Carl, 254J ;
3, Oramlington A., 244. Palmer bowl (possible marks
280): 1, Ashington Carl, 252; 2, North Seaton No. 1,
244; 3, North Seaton No. 2,234. Gibbon bowl (possible
marks 280): 1, Ashington Carl, 263; 2, Ashington
Duke, 243; 3, Oramlington F, 241.

The result of the fifth preliminary ambulance
competition for the county of Durham, of the No. 6
District, St. John Ambulance Brigade, is:—Durham
bronze shield (maximum marks 253): 1, Ouston (1), 233;

2,	Ravensworth, 227; 3, Felling, 202. C. B. Palmer
bowl (maximum 343): 1, Ravensworth, 305; 2, Felling,
300J; 3, Ouston (1), 296J. F. W. Gibbon bowl (maximum
300): 1, Springwell, 264; 2, Ouston (3), 247. The
winners of the bronze shield will compete on April 18
with the winners of the previous preliminary ties, and
the winners of the C. B. Palmer bowl and the F. W.
Gibbon bowl will compete in the final on April 28, in
Newcastle.

The Bearpark Coal and Coke Company Limited,
Middlesbrough, have just placed an order with Simon-
Carves Limited, of Manchester, for complete Baum
coal-washing plant to treat 80 tons of coal per hour.

Mr. T. Proctor, under-manager of Woodhorn Colliery
—one of the Ashington Coal Company’s pits—speaking
at the annual dinner of the chargemen, said that since
the commencement of the pit, 17 years ago, they had
increased their output of coal in every year, with the
exception of 1912, when the miners’ strike affected their
returns adversely. Last year they produced 567,912
tons, and in one day last week they had brought out of
the pit 300 score tubs, or 2,600 tons, and they were
hopeful that when 1914 was ended it would be found
that they had beaten all records.

The practice of obtaining money by false pretences in
mines is really becoming a very serious question. The
“ token ” method appears to be the most popular, and a
case will be heard in a higher court, as a putter named
Benjamin Hepburn, employed at Easington Colliery,
has elected to take his trial at Quarter Sessions on such
a charge. John Cowie, putter, and John Peckett, token
lad, both employed at Wheatley Hill Colliery, were each
fined £5 and costs for obtaining money in the colliery
by changing tokens. The token lad had assisted Cowie
in the fraud.

The question of doctors’ certificates was brought up
in a case before the Gateshead magistrates recently.
Alfred Henry Ward, a hewer, was summoned on a
charge of having obtained 15s. 2d. by false pretences
from Messrs. Priestman’s Collieries Limited. Defendant
was hurt at Messrs. Priestman’s colliery and obtained com-
pensation. Three weeks after the accident he commenced
work at Ferryhill, and, after working there a few days,
he sent in a medical certificate to Messrs. Priestman
claiming compensation. However, the manager had
discovered that defendant was actually working.
Defendant was sent to prison for one month, and the
doctor who gave the certificate (without seeing the man)
was refused his expenses, the magistrates expressing
the opinion that he should be more careful in giving
certificates.

The opinion has been frequently expressed that some
permanent record should be made of the high and general
esteem with which the Rt. Hon. Thomas Burt is regarded,
alike because of his long public service and his personal
and private worth. And as he is looked upon almost as
a personal friend by all classes of the community, it is
thought that this record should be placed in some
institution which people habitually frequent, and which
is freely open to men and women of all kinds without
distinction. An influential committee, which has been
formed, has come to the conclusion that a bust, to be
kept in one of the public buildings of Newcastle, is the
most appropriate form for such a record to take. They
are inviting subscriptions towards procuring from Mr.
Christian Neuper a marble bust and pedestal. Sub-
scriptions may be sent to the hon. treasurer, Councillor
David Adams, 1, St. Nicholas-buildings, Newcastle-
upon-Tyne.

Mr. McGregor Anderson has been one of the most
popular members of the general surveying staff of the
Ashington group of collieries, and this was demonstrated
when the officials of those collieries gathered to make a
presentation to him on his departure. Mr. Anderson
has been appointed surveyor to Lord Hamilton, of
Dalzell, in Lanarkshire. Mr. H. S. Hunter, manager of
Ellington Colliery, made the presentation, which con-
sisted of a kit bag, silver cigarette case and gold-
mounted fountain pen.

The heavy coke traffic from the Mid and South
Durham coalfields to the Furness and West Cumberland
district is concentrated at the Shildon and West
Auckland marshalling sidings, and passes thence on to
the Darlington and Kirkby Stephen branch line at
Barnard Castle. Amongst the several large viaducts
on this section of railway is that which carries the line
over the River Tees, a short distance westward of
Barnard Castle. Owing to the increasing weight of
locomotives and mineral train loads, the North-Eastern
Railway Company has recently decided to reconstruct
the Tees viaduct, and a contract for the carrying out of
this work has been placed with the Motherwell Bridge
Company Limited, of Motherwell, N.B. During the
renewal, traffic will be worked on single line, one half
being renewed at a time to allow of this.

Mr. Patrick Gallagher is leaving Netherton Colliery,
where he was under-mana ger, to take up an appointment
at Horden Colliery.

“ Baldy,” after 27 years’ service, has been drawn to
the surface of the Ashington Colliery. “Baldy,” it
must be explained, is a pit pony, 31 years of age, and is
in wonderfully good condition, apart from the fact that
he is blind.

A number of resolutions were dealt with at the
delegate meeting of the Northumberland Deputies’
Mutual Aid Association, on Saturday afternoon, in
Newcastle. It was decided to seek to have the rent
allowance advanced Is. per week, raising it to 3s. per
week; also a substantial advance in wages; to have an
arrangement with the owners whereby both shifts of
deputies shall finish on pay Saturday mornings not later
than 8 o’clock, and that all Sunday labour be abolished,
unless it be a case of emergency; and to get an altera-
tion of the time of the baff Saturday shift so as to
enable them to finish at 2 p.m., when the pit is done,
instead of 5 p.m.

At Newcastle, on Tuesday last, Messrs. Anderson and
Garland offered for sale the colliery of the Falstone
Coal Company Limited, Falstone, S.O., as a going
concern. The particulars of the sale stated that the
drift into the colliery workings is approximately 840
yards in length, and the section of the main coal seam
is from 4 ft. 6 in. to 4 ft. 9 in., with 3 in. of band close to
the bottom. The royalty is virgin, extending over about
3,000 acres, all coal-bearing, held under an agreement
for a lease of 30 years from May 1, 1908, on favourable
terms, and it is estimated that there should be at least
15,000,000 tons of coal in the main seam alone.

There are also two other workable seams, one of which
contains a fireclay band of about 2 ft. 6 in., and also a
fireclay thill. Although there was a large gathering,
no offer was made, and the colliery is now offered for
sale by private treaty.

Cumberland.

The Important lind of Coal at Harrington—The Pay-
ment of Examination Fees.

The news that the Workington Iron and Steel Com-
pany have been successful in proving the famous Main
Band coal in their No. 10 pit at Harrington has been
received with the greatest satisfaction by all interested
in coalmining in West Cumberland. The seam, which
is stated to have a very large spread, is similar to the
one worked in the adjoining colliery at Whitehaven.
The coal is about 10 ft. in thickness, and of excellent
quality. The drift, which is rising to the dipping of the
measures, will only need to be extended a very short
distance until the proper working of the level of the
seam is reached. At present about 1,000 workmen
are employed, but this number will, it is hoped, in the
very near future be largely increased, and the present
large output will probably be doubled. The extensive
preparations are well forward for dealing with the
increased output, and consequently there will be very
little delay in the development of the seam. The Little
Main, Six-quarters, and the Four-foot seam are now
being worked, and are opening out very well for quality
and quantity, and with the adjoining coke ovens and
by-product plants there is the certainty of good business
and much employment for years to come. It was
Mr. T. P. Martin, of Workington, who advised where
the Main Band would be found, and he is to be
congratulated upon the success of the operations,
most ably carried out by Mr. A. Miller, the colliery
manager. The No. 10 pit is fitted up with machinery
for a large output, and the adjoining No. 9 pit is being
rapidly enlarged and fitted up in the same manner. The
colliery is excellently situated for the shipment of
its produce either at Whitehaven, Harrington, or
Workington.

Our correspondent adds:—The fact that the Work-
ington Iron and Steel Company have penetrated the
famous Main Band Seam of coal in their No. 10 pit at
Harrington goes a long way to prove that the Cumber-
land coalfield is not by any means yet exhausted, and
that there is still plenty of coal to be got out. The Main
Band is undoubtedly the most valuable seam to be found
in the county. It is rather singular that this valuable
coal measure has never been struck to the north of the
present Lowca royalty, but of course it must be remem-
bered that the collieries in the Flimby, Maryport and
Dearham districts have not been sunk to the same depth
as those at Whitehaven. The lowest level to which any
colliery in the Maryport district has reached is 139
fathoms to the Yard seam, but borings have proved that
other important seams lie much deeper. It is interesting
to note, however, that in nearly all the pits round Mary-
port, Flimby and neighbourhood the same seams of coal
are to be found. The old Rosegill pit was noted for its
famous Ten-quarter, which was 8 ft. in height, and it
was the enormous output from this seam, more
than anything else, that enabled the Rosegill
Company to clear £30,000 during the time of the
coal famine. Yet the same seam was to be found in the
two adjoining collieries—Crosby and Bullgill. The
Oughterside Colliery Company are now working the
Ten-quarter, and before the Ellenborough Colliery was
closed, two months ago, a very large part of the output
was being drawn from this seam. In fact, all the pits
from Flimby to Bullgill have the Cannel and Metal
bands, the Yard and the Ten-quarter; and assuming
that the coal measures along the coast are regular, and
similar to those prevailing at Whitehaven, it is not
improbable that some of the more valuable seams might
be found underlying the Dearham, Ellenborough, and
other royalties in the vicinity; and, in fact, since the
discovery of the Four-foot seam below the Lickbank, at
St. Helen’s Colliery, near Workington, and the more
recent find at Harrington, those well informed now
incline to that view. Cumberland could be made a
veritable hive of industry, if only experts and capitalists
could be got to combine for the purpose of bringing up
to the- surface the treasures which lie beneath. A series
of borings, extending over a considerable portion of
West Cumberland, would probably reveal the presence
of accessible coal over’the greater part of the area. The
idea that the great North fault, which runs from near
Maryport through Crosby and Brayton to the east coast,
forms a limit to the Cumberland coalfield has been dis-
proved by the experience of the No. 4 pit at Brayton,
whose workings lie to the north of the fault, and there
appears to be no reason why coal should not be found
further north than has usually been thought probable.
There is no doubt whatever that the Ten-quarter, Little
Main and Yard seams contain sufficient coal to last for
m any ly ears; but the discovery of the Main band, or even
a Four-foot seam in the collieries around the Maryport
district, would revolutionise the Cumberland coal trade
and would make it one of the most important industrial
counties in the kingdom.

At a meeting of the Flimby Technical Instruction
Committee, recently, the secretary reported that the
students of the mining class refused to be examined if
they had to pay their own examination fees. The fee
for Stage I. was Is. 6d., the Board of Education fees
being 3s. 6d. each. The local committee had previously
paid these fees, but now the funds at their disposal were
almost exhausted. There would not be sufficient to
pay these fees and the other local expenses. It was
eventually agreed that the committee do not pay any
fees.

A public presentation by the workmen, officials and
staff has been made of a purse of gold and an easy chair