May 1, 1914. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 963 Miners’ Federation of Great Britain ; Aid. Wm. House’ president of the Durham Miners’ Association; and Messrs. James Gilliland, W. P. Richardson and John Lawson, members of the executive of the Durham Miners’ Association. All the three latter are prominent workers in the “ forward ” movement within the Durham Miners’ Association. There are many interesting items in the last issue of minutes published by the executive committee of the Northumberland Miners’ Association. The committee express pleasure at the fact that the medical charity levies will be again deducted at Seaton Delaval Colliery office, on condition that there be placed at the pithead an official statement as to which charities the money is to be devoted. A meeting of the executive committee of the Cleve- land Miners’ and Quarry men’s Association was held at Saltburn on Tuesday, Mr. H. Dack (agent) presiding. The president reported that a compensation claim of £500, in respect of a Stanghow miner, had been settled. It was decided to proceed with the appointment of district committees in connection with the scheme of aged miners’ homes, and also take steps to have local L.R. committees formed in different parts of the district, with the object of carrying out the political fund of the association, so far as representatives of local authorities were concerned. The meeting decided to take a ballot of the members on the subject of appointing an inspector of mines, to be paid by the association, instead of two local inspectors visiting the mines, as at present. At a mass meeting of miners, held at Wallsend on Saturday, a resolution was carried recording “ detesta- tion of the awards of Lord Mersey and Lord Romer, and calling upon our representatives to take immediate steps to secure the abrogation of the awards, not by making a protest or appeal, but by a direct demand backed up by an ultimatum from the workers, indicating their determination to down tools.” Federated Area. The funds of the Cannock Chase Miners’ Association stood, on December 31 last, at £4,031 8s. 6d., which sum includes £3,400 cash in the bank. At the end of 1910 the funds amounted to £16,055, with a membership of 9,400 ; whereas the present membership is much greater by reason of the number of non-unionists who have been compelled to join, and the funds only amount to a few shillings per head. With reference to the recent general settlement in North Wales in respect of the dispute as to the fillers’ wages, as referred to last week, the miners’ agent is now going around the different collieries where the dispute affected, and coming to a specific settlement in regard to the prices to be paid at each particular colliery. The first of such meetings was held on Friday last at the offices of the Plas Power Colliery Company, when the agent and delegates met and conferred with representa,- tives of the management. At this meeting the rates of wages to be paid to fillers and holers were duly agreed to, and the terms were signed by all the parties there present. Similar settlements are being arranged at the other collieries affected. Mr. J. G. Hancock, M.P., the agent, presented a lengthy report at the monthly meeting of the council of the Notts Miners’ Association, on Saturday, April 25, concerning the interviews which had taken place between representatives of the association and the Erewash Valley coalowners regarding the surface workers’ question. He also reported on the meeting of the Conciliation Board with reference to the Yorkshire minimum wage strike, and the council recommended the branches to raise a levy to assist the Yorkshire men. Mr. C. Bunfield, secretary, gave a report on the strike of coke-oven men at Pinxton, and it was agreed to allow collections to be taken at the various collieries on their behalf. In regard to the grievance at Gedling Colliery, he was pleased to say that a strike had been avoided. The council granted permission to the men engaged at the Broxtowe Colliery, belonging to the Babbington Coal Company, to take a ballot on the non-unionist question. The old-age pension scheme and the associa- tion’s special rules came up for consideration, and a special meeting is to be called to discuss the whole question. The whole of the men employed at the Tinsley Park collieries, Sheffield, again threw down their tools and left work in a body on Saturday. The stallmen employed at the pits complained that the management had not fulfilled the promise laid down in the agreement made on returning to work after the previous stoppage. A mass meeting was held on Monday, and a deputation was appointed to see the manager of the collieries in regard to two men, complaints with regard to the other 30 involved having been met. The dispute, as a result of the negotiations, was settled satisfactorily. The annual report and balance-sheet of the National Association of Colliery Deputies are just issued. The association includes branches at Chesterfield and 30 other mining centres in Derbyshire and Notts, and the membership has increased from 350 to 1,021 during the year, while the balance has advanced from £114 to £298. The total income was £478, and the expenditure £181. The report refers to the efforts made to obtain a minimum wage of 50s. per week for deputies. In some cases, it is pointed out, the association has been very generously met by colliery managers, and wages higher than the amount in question have been secured. It was in cases where the non-union man was most in evidence that the greatest difficulty was experienced in improving the position of the deputy. Among the objects set out for achievement are: Representation on the board of examiners for mines certificates; the deputy to be State-paid; managers to be prevented from appointing unqualified men to act as deputies ; an Eight Hours Act for deputies and an old-age pension scheme; and each deputy to be employed as such, and not liable to be removed from his official position without the usual 14 days’ notice. A series of meetings is being held throughout the country, with the object of strengthening the association. A case of considerable importance to the mining world was continued at a special sitting of the Chesterfield County Court on Saturday before Judge Macpherson. The applicant was Henry Hooley, holer, Ripley, employed by the Butterley Coal Company, who claims a balance of wages under the Minimum Wage Act. The point the judge has to decide is whether the employers are liable for the amount, or whether it has to be paid by the stallman under whom Hooley worked. The case had been partly heard at Alfreton, and on Saturday the judge, after hearing evidence for the defence, reserved judgment. The miners employed at Howley Park Collieries, on the boundary of Batley and Morley, are on strike. For half-a-century it has been the custom of the men to pay for tools lost in the workings, and when the Yorkshire colliers struck work before Easter a number of employees at Howley Park refused to accept any responsibility for tools which were not handed in, the ground of protest being that, as the same tools were used also by by- workers, it was not fair to hold the colliers entirely responsible. As a satisfactory agreement could not be arrived at, the men came out, and the whole pit, which gives employment to a few hundred workmen, is now standing. It is stated that the employees at another colliery in the Leeds district are considering whether they also shall not leave work until an assurance is given that they will be no longer charged for lost tools. The West Yorkshire Coalowners’ Association will consider the matter at its next meeting. The dispute at Ingham’s Thornhill Collieries, Dews- bury, is still unsettled, and nearly 1,000 men and youths are idle. The miners are of opinion that one of their number, who was dismissed last November for “neglect of work,” is being “ victimised,” and, backed up by the Yorkshire Miners’ Association, they refuse to return to work until he is reinstated. The management insist that men who absent themselves from work on the ground of sickness shall produce a doctor’s certifi- cate, and it is generally understood that the men’s resentment against this regulation is the cause of the whole trouble. A deputation from the disaffected deputies at the Prince of Wales Colliery, Pontefract, has conferred with the management, who offered to allow the deputies to resume work at the old rates, with pay during any stoppage of the colliery, and five days a week guaranteed. The deputies accepted this offer, and work has now been resumed. A curious situation has arisen at the Altofts collieries. Normanton, consequent upon which some 300 men employed in the Silkstone seam on Tuesday morning threw down tools. The men assert that many of their number have not been paid the minimum wage. The management insist that they have paid the legal wages, although some men may have received less than they did prior to the award. Scotland. A meeting of the executive of the Scottish Miners’ Federation was held in Glasgow on Saturday. A letter was read from the secretary of the Scottish Firemen’s Association, requesting a meeting with the executive of the Scottish Miners’ Federation to discuss the question of organisation. On a previous occasion the executive had decided not to recognise the Firemen’s Association, and it was agreed unanimously to adhere to that decision, as it was considered no good purpose could be served in granting the request. The Scottish Medical Association sent a letter asking a meeting with the executive, and it was agreed that such a meeting should take place, provided the three parties to the agreement —coalowners, miners and doctors—were, present. The Scottish miners’ secretary has received Lord Balfour of Burleigh’s arbitration award on the Scottish coalmasters’ claim for Is. reduction in the miners’ wages. The arbiter’s finding is in the following terms : —“ The application before me was one on behalf of the masters for a reduction of wages of 25 per cent, on the 1888 basis, and the arguments in support of their con- tention were, speaking generally, divided under two main heads, viz.—(1) realised prices, and (2) increased cost of production. In so far as the former of these is concerned, I am of opinion that figures placed before me justify a reduction of 61 per cent, on the 1888 basis, and that this reduction should take effect as from Tuesday, April 28, in those collieries where that is the beginning of a pay or the beginning of a second week of a pay, and from Wednesday, April 29, in other collieries.” The men employed in the coking coal section of Woodilee Colliery, Kirkintilloch, recently came out for an advance of 6d. in the tonnage rates, owing to the increasing difficulties in the working conditions. The management offered 3d., which the men refused, and now the firm have decided to stop working the section altogether. About 30 men are affected. The monthly meeting of the executive board of the Fife and Kinross Miners’ Association was held at Dunfermline on Thursday, 16th ult. It was intimated that Dunfermline was the town selected for the annual gala, which is to be held on Monday, June 1. The statement of accounts for the year, which easily constitutes a record in the annals of the association, showed the total amount of the receipts for the year to be £18,339. Of that sum contributions by the members are represented by £17,855. Including property, the total assets of the association are £28,893 16s. 6d. The Iron, Steel and Engineering Trades. Negotiations are at present being carried on regarding the rates of wages in the steel industry of the west of Scotland. An application has been made on behalf of over 2,000 men for an advance of 25 per cent, on present rates, with double time for Sunday labour, and that application is being considered by the employers. The men effected are “producers, ladle daubers, chargemen, wheelers, and wagon emptiers.” The employers on the other hand have claimed, owing to the dulness of trade, a reduction of 10 per cent, in the wages of bricklayers’ labourers employed in the industry. The men’s representatives have replied by intimating a counter-claim for a 10 per cent, advance. A conference, it is expected, will be arranged shortly, and in the meantime the agreement, which terminated on April 21, will be continued. The British Steelsmelters’ Society and the Amalgamated Steel and Iron Workers’ Society are both interested in the negotiations. The result of the arbitration on the Cumberland blastfurnacemen's demand for overtime pay at the rate of time and a-half for work from 6 a.m. on Sundays to 6 a.m. on Monday, has been received. The award grants time and a-quarter, subject to the men foregoing the holiday annually taken for a demonstration and gala. Mr. Walter Cook (London) and Mr. James Cox (Darling- ton) were arbitrators for the masters and the men respectively, and Prof. Chapman acted as umpire. ME WELSH ML MO IM TOMES. Thursday, April 30. north Wales. Wrexham. OIL. Generally speaking the coal trade of this locality con- tinues to be of a satisfactory character, all the collieries appear to be able to dispose of their output, and are working full time. The house coal trade has certainly fallen off a little, as might be expected, having regard to the continued exceptionally dry and warm weather which is prevailing, but nevertheless prices have not been lowered. In regard to the gas coal, the average tonnage has been taken over the past week. Several contracts have been renewed during the past week, and the figures obtained have been prac- tically identical with last year’s prices. Strenuous efforts have been made by some buyers to get a reduction, but it may be taken for granted that last year’s figures will be the basis of settlement in most cases. There is a brisk business being done in steam coal, the railway companies are taking all they can get, and as a fair amount of North Wales coal goes for locomotive purposes the railway sup- plies represent a goodly tonnage. The local manufacturing concerns, too, are fairly busy, and take the bulk of the cheaper grades of steam coal, with the exception of what is sent to Liverpool and other Mersey ports, where the amount of trade done at present is quite up to the average. Nuts as usual are very scarce. Slack sells fairly well, and the prices all round are pretty near the same mark as advised last week, the current quotations being :— Current L’st week’s Last year’s Prices at pitf.o.r. :— prices. prices. prices. Best house coal 15/ -16/ 15/6-16/ 15/ -16/ Secondary do 14/ -15/ 14/3-15/ 14/ —15/ Steam coal 12/9-13/6 12/6-13/6 12/3-13/6 Gas coal 13/ —13/9 13/ -13/9 13/3-14/3 Bunkers 12/3-12/9 12/ -12/6 11/9-12/6 Nuts 11/ -12/ 12/ -12/6 11/3-12/3 Slack 7/ - 8/6 7/ - 8/9 6/6- 9/ Gas coke (at works) ... Prices landsale:— 13/4-15/ 13/4-15/ 15/ -17/6 Best house coal 19/2-20/ 18/1-20/ 18/4-20/ Seconds 17/6-18/4 16/8-17/6 1 16/8-18/4 Slack 6/9- 8/6 10/ -12/6 10/ -12/6 SooOi Wales, Newport. GOAL. The trend of the steam coal market during the past week has been steadily towards firmer prices, although no very perceptible changes in quotations have been made. The enquiry for forward business is distinctly better, buyers now having abandoned the attitude of awaiting a possible reduction in values, which seems now quite improbable, considering the maintained heavy shipments, the way tonnage is coming along and the activity in the chartering trade. The exceptionally fine weather has encouraged idleness at the pits, for which miners’ demonstrations form a welcome excuse, but all these things help in convincing buyers that there is nothing to be gained by waiting on the market, but rather that an increasing scarcity of supplies may put up values. The stoppage at Ebbw Vale is also to be considered as lessening the output, so enquiries have steadily increased. Second-grade coals are relatively stronger than best, while smalls remain unaltered in value. Coke, patent fuel, and house coal show no change. Pitwood supplies have been more abundant, sellers now weakening a little, as they find difficulty in moving off their stocks. Chartering continues active, with a good enquiry for the River Plate, and a 11 jady business for Mediterranean and Bay ports. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days, less 2| per cent. Steam coals :— Best Black Vein large... Western-valleys, ordin’v Best Eastern-valleys ... Secondary do. Best small coals ..... Secondary do.......... Inferior do........... Screenings............ Through coals ........ Best washed nuts...... Other sorts :— Best house coal ...... Secondary do.......... Patent fuel .......... Furnace coke ......... Foundry coke ......... Current L’st week’s prices. 17/ -17/6 16/6-16/9 16/ -16/6 : 15/3-15/9 ' 8/9- 9/ : 8/ - 8/3 7/6- 7/9 8/9- 9/ 12/9-13/ 13/3-13/9 18/ -19/ ! 17/ -18/ 19/9-20/ 19/6-20/6 23/ -25/ prices. 17/ -17/6 16/6-16/9 15/9-16/3 15/3-15/6 8/9- 9/3 8/ - 8/6 7/6- 7/9 9/ - 9/3 12/9-13/ 13/3-13/6 18/ -19/ 17/ -18/ 19/9-20/ 19/6-20/6 23/ -25/ Last year’s prices. 18/6-19/ 17/6-18/3 17/3-17/9 16/6-17/ 13/9-14/3 12/9-13/3 12/3-12/6 14/ -14/3 16/ -16/3 15/9-16/ 18/9-19/ 17/6-18/ 22/ -23/ 27/ -28/ 29/ -31/ iror. The local conditions of the iron and steel trades continue very much as for the past few months. Only business of a