April 17, 1914,

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN,

851

and exhaustion continued	at that temperature during	
16 days. Four litres of gas per 100 grammes of coal were collected.		
The analyses of the gases collected at 350 degs. and at 400 degs. were :—  At 350 degs. At 400 degs.		
H2S 				1’70 ...	...	0’70
C02 			 20’95 ...	...	2-85
C,H,				0-15 ...	... trace
c;h4 				1-90 ...	...	2-35 ’
CnH2n 			 17*90 ...	...	6-15
CO						3-40 ...	...	3‘40
Ho			 15-35 ...	... 36-90
CnH2n+2 			 37-22 ...	... 46’55

THE AMENDED RESCUE REGULATIONS.

The amended Rescue Regulations have now been
issued in draft form by the Home Secretary. It may be
remembered that, in consequence of objections taken to
the original proposal by the Mining Association of Great
Britain and the North of England United Coal Trade
Association, the question was referred to a referee, and
at the hearing before the referee an arrangement was
suggested which appeared to the Secretary of State to
be a good one and which has now the assent of the
representatives of both owners and miners. Under this
arrangement, the use of self-contained breathing appar-
atus will be made compulsory; but an alternative
system for the establishment of rescue brigades will be
admitted by which, in place of the local brigades at the
collieries now required, permanent brigades will be
maintained at the central stations, and one or more men,
according to the size of the colliery, will be trained at
each mine to act with the central brigade when summoned
to the mine. To carry out the arrangement it becomes
necessary to issue fresh amending regulations, the terms
of which have been settled with the Mining Association
and the Miners’ Federation. If these regulations are
accepted, the draft regulation issued last November will
be withdrawn. In accordance with the requirements of
the Act, the regulations are issued in the first instance
as a draft, and any objection with respect to the Draft
Regulations by or on behalf of any person affected
thereby, must be sent to the Secretary of State within
30 days from April 16. Every such objection must be
in writing, and must state—(a) the specific grounds of
objection, and (t) the omissions, additions, or modifica-
tions asked for.

The text of the new regulations is as follows :—-

Special Provisions for Mines served by a Central Rescue
Corps.

1.	Nos. 140, 141, and 142 of the General Regulations above
mentioned shall not apply to any mine which is served by a
central rescue station maintaining a permanent rescue corps
and which is situated within a radius of 10 miles from the
station and is in telephonic communication with it, subject
to the following conditions:—

(a)	The rescue corps at the central station shall consist
of not less than six men, or if the total number of under-
ground employees at all the mines served by the station in
pursuance of this regulation exceeds 15,000, eight men.

The members of the corps shall be carefully selected on
the ground of their coolress, powers of endurance and
general suitability for the work, and shall be medically
certified to be fit for the work; and they shall hold a
certificate of proficiency in first aid from a society or body
approved by the Secretary of State.

They shall be continuously employed and in constant
residence at the station.

The corps shall be thoroughly trained in the use of
breathing apparatus and in rescue work in accordance with
a scheme approved by the Secretary of State and shall be
constantly kept in a highly efficient state.

One or more members shall be appointed to act as
leaders.

(b)	One or more persons employed at the mine for the
time being shall be selected for the purpose of acting with
the rescue corps from the central station when summoned,
as follows

If the total number of under-
ground employees is not less
than 100, nor more than 250 ...Not less than 1 person.

If the total number of underground

employees is more than 250, but

not more than 1,000...........Not less than 3 persons.

If the total number of underground

employees is more than 1,000..Not less than 5 persons.

They shall be thoroughly trained, and shall from time
to time undergo practices, at the central station, in the
use of breathing apparatus and in rescue work in accordance
with a scheme approved by the Secretary of State.

They shall be carefully selected on account of their
knowledge of the mine, coolness and powers of endurance
and shall be medically certified to be fit for the work and
shall hold a certificate of proficiency in first aid as above
mentioned.

Subject to the limit of number specified above, so far as
reasonably practicable at least one shall be selected from
each shift.

Arrangements shall be made for summoning such persons
immediately their services are required.

No breach of condition (b) shall be deemed to have arisen
in consequence of failure to maintain at the mine the full
number of trained men in accordance with the foregoing
provisions if the owner, agent, or manager of the mine
satisfies the inspector of the division that he had made
every effort to comply with those provisions and that the
failure was due to causes over which he had no control.

(c)	There shall be kept at every mine tracings of the
workings of the mine up to a date not more than three
months previously, showing the ventilation and all principal
doors, stoppings and air crossings, regulators, and telephone
stations, and distinguishing the intake air by a different
colour from the return air, which tracings shall be in a
suitable form for use by the corps.

(d)	There shall be provided and maintained at the
mine:—

(i)	Two complete suits of breathing apparatus or two

smoke helmets (that is, appliances for supplying
fresh air to the user by means of a pipe and
bellows) or one of each in an efficient state and
constantly ready for immediate use.

(ii)	Two or more small birds or mice for testing for

carbon monoxide.

(iii.) One electric hand lamp and one safety lamp for
testing for firedamp for each person trained in
pursuance of condition (b) above.

(iv) One oxygen reviving apparatus.

Definition of “ breathing apparatus ”

2.	For the purpose of the foregoing regulation and of
Part IV. of the General Regulations above-mentioned,
breathing apparatus means an apparatus of such a character
that the wearer carries with him all the means for respira-
tion in an irrespirable atmosphere, and is not dependent
for them, while in such an atmosphere, on any other person
or persons.

MO.

North of Englands

An interview took place at Blyth on Tuesday between
Mr. Joseph English, president of the Northumberland
Miners’ Association, and Major J. H. Nicholson, of the
Cowpen Coal Company, in connection with the request
of the men to revert to the old custom of having the
medical charity and other levies deducted from their
earnings at the colliery office, a custom which was dis-
continued when the weekly pays came into operation.
Major Nicholson promised to recommend the owners of
the colliery to accede to the men’s request. It was stated
subsequently by Mr. English that several colliery owners
in Northumberland were now in favour of deducting the
levy as suggested.

Last Saturday a conference of representatives from
15 collieries in Northumberland and Durham was held
at Newsham. The following resolution was passed :—
“ That this meeting of the mineworkers of Northumber-
land and Durham do hereby record our detestation of
the dishonest and unjust wage awards of Lord Romer
and Lord Mersey, and call upon our representatives to
take immediate steps to secure the abrogation of the
said awards, not by the making of protests and appeals,
but by direct demands, backed up by an ultimatum from
the workers indicating their determination to down tools
in support of their demands.” Lord Willoughby de
Broke’s Bill, it was said, is to be no more relied upon
than the awards of Lord Mersey and Lord Romer. Mr.
Fred Burton said the miners had far too much senti-
ment and too little commonsense in regard to the
minimum wage. Mr. Armstrong, of Oambois, deplored
the fact that none of the executives of the miners’
associations had seen fit to respond to an invitation to
attend the conference, and came to the conclusion that
they were too intent upon entering Parliament.

Pending negotiations, the miners at the Newburgh
Colliery have returned to work. The management were
firm in their attitude of refusing to discuss the question
while the men were idle, and on the advice of their
leaders they did so. The dispute arose about the method
of payment to be adopted in the East Princess seam,
which the men claim has been won by the coal-cutter.
They stated that the management want them to start
hewing in the seam for Is. 4d. per ton, which the men
refused to do. Failing a local settlement, the case will
probably go to arbitration.

As the result of a ballot amongst the miners of
Whitburn Colliery, it has been decided to accede to the
request of the management that the men should ride
inbye. As this is one of the most controversial points
in the dispute between the management and the men, it
is thought that the way is now paved to a satisfactory
settlement of what promised to be a very serious matter.
It will be remembered that the Harton Coal Company
gave the men notices to terminate their engagements on
April 3, but, as the result of a conference, the notices
were extended to April 17, with a view of coming to an
arrangement which would not necessitate the closing
down of this large colliery. With one of the most
formidable obstacles removed, it is hoped that the
colliery will continue to find employment for the large
number of men involved.

The Seghill dispute has once again assumed a more
promising outlook. At the eleventh hour an arrange-
ment was come to between the management and men,
with the result that only the 23 men on notice were idle
on Tuesday, instead of the whole of the workmen, as
was at first feared. The discharged men are being
allowed to remain in the colliery houses, and this will,
no doubt, go a long way to prove that the management
are sincerely anxious to find working places for these
men if it . is at all possible. A rearrangement of the
coal-drawing hours is suggested as a way out of the
difficulty.

A strike at Allhallows Colliery ended on Wednesday,,
after lasting 24 hours. The workmen resented the
action of the management in starting outsiders after
terminating the engagements of some of their own
employees. As the outcome of a conference between the
managing director and the men’s representatives, work
was resumed upon the former promising the redress of
grievances and full investigation into the causes of
complaint.

The question of wages to be paid to the Cleveland
miners during the ensuing three months was considered
at a meeting of the representatives of the Cleveland
ironstone mineowners and the Cleveland Miners’ Asso-
ciation, held at Middlesbrough this week. Sir Hugh
Bell, Bart., presiding, referred to the ascertained price
of pig iron for the past three months. This was
51s. 5*13d. per ton, and he pointed out that, according to
the usual formula, the owners were entitled to a reduc-
tion of 5*55 per cent. This claim will be placed before
the men, and another meeting is to be held on the 27th
inst.

The Cumberland Coal Trade Conciliation Board on
Wednesday revised the suspended agreement come to
in April 1908, whereby underground wages were in
summer 5 and in winter 2| per cent, less than the
Midland miners receive. The coalowners sought to
bring the agreement into operation again. This would
have meant a 5 per cent, reduction. The Board decided
on a revision, having the effect of reducing underground
wages by 2J and surfacemen’s by 1g per cent, from
Monday last. This is subject to further revision six
months hence on a month’s notice from either side.

A stoppage has occurred at Linton Colliery owing to
the objection of the putters to a refractory pony, 906
men being laid idle. The dispute has been arranged by
the removal of the pony.

Federated Area.

The special conference of the Miners’ Federation of
Great Britain resumed its sitting at the Westminster
Palace Hotel on the 9th inst. Mr. R. Smillie presided.
The proceedings were unusually brief, occupying less
than an hour. Mr. Stephen Walsh, M.P., gave a state-
ment of the negotiations which had taken place between
the representatives of the coalowners and the workmen
respecting the Yorkshire dispute. It was decided to
accept the statement, and to leave the power in the
hands of the executive committee to call the conference
together again.

The unfairness of the endeavour to establish a fiat
rate of minimum wage over a mixed area was pointed
out by Mr. J. Hewitt, president of the Barnsley and
District Coalowners’ Association, last week, at a
meeting of the members. He said it would probably be
present in their minds that a short time ago they
referred to the anomalies which obtained in working
various collieries in Yorkshire, and more especially in
the Barnsley district, in the district between Barnsley
and Doncaster, and in the Doncaster district. Now it
would appear that the real difficulties which had caused
the strike arose somewhat out of the inconsistent mode
of dealing with the minimum rate. A flat rate had been
imposed by the South Yorkshire Board for what for the
moment he would call those three districts. Some of
these districts—at least one—would be pleased to grant
a minimum wage, in the present condition of trade, in
excess of that which had been settled by Sir Edward
Clarke; probably another district would not have much
objection thereto, but for the claim of increased per-
centage upon it. Then they came to the Barnsley
district, where the rate, if they had to compete with
other districts, would be more seriously felt. In the
other districts, except Doncaster, the thin-seam pits, as
distinct from the Barnsley bed proper, had found, no
doubt, the difficulty which was causing the strike at the
present time. In the West Yorkshire district, the
principle which they sought—namely, that there should
be a differentiation in rate for different groups of
collieries—had for some time past obtained, and there
appeared to be no difficulty with regard to that part of
Yorkshire. There, of course, grouping had been allowed,,
and worked well before one body came seeking to
dominate and cause a flat rate throughout the other
parts of Yorkshire. Mr. Hewitt said that, always
assuming the men concurred to grouping, they should
have had a grouping for the Barnsley Association, which
. would have been geographically and geologically con-
sistent with a lower rate for that district than, say, for
the thick-seam pits or the Doncaster district. If that
condition had obtained, fairness would have resulted,,
and it would neither have been harmful to the men nor
the employers. Accepting, for the purpose of argument,
only for the moment the proposition that 7s. 3d. was a
rate fixed for the Barnsley district, as they claimed to
have the worst conditions under which to work, there
might have been gradually a scale of 7s. 3d. for the
Barnsley district—namely, the thin-seam pits—and, say,
7s. 9d. for the Barnsley bed pits other than Doncaster,
and 8s. 3d. for the Doncaster district, a rate which the
Doncaster pits would be only too pleased to pay, and, in
fact, were paying more. This would give the rates
throughout Yorkshire as : West Yorkshire group 6s. 2d.,
the other parts of "West Yorkshire 6s. 8d., Barnsley
district 7s. 3d., thick seam 7s. 9d., Doncaster district
8s. 3d. If some arrangement on that basis were settled,
the difficulties which had now arisen, and which from time
to time arose, would be disposed of or, to a great extent,
the difficulties they were now passing through would
have been minimised. It seemed absolute folly to go on
enforcing a flat rate. Had the minimum wage been
minimum in fact or in principle, it would be different,,
but instead of that it had been a minimum which bad
been raised or varied or increased by percentages or the
award of Sir Edward Clarke, in which case it became an
average wage, and not a minimum. So that, commented
Mr. Hewitt, the inception of the minimum wage has not
been workable. It seemed conceivable that in the future