1422 June 19, 1914. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. _________________________________________________________________ MINERS’ RELIEF. Report of the Central Association. The annual conference of representatives of miners’ permanent relief societies and others interested in the relief of distress caused by accidents in mines was held at the Westminster Palace Hotel, London, on Friday, June 5, the chair being taken by the noble president of the association, the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres. The report of the council for 1913 showed that there had been increases in membership, contributions and revenue, and a decrease in the accumulated funds . As the result of the fatalities for 1913 the annuitants admitted were 239 widows and 446 children, compared with 216 widows and 402 children in 1912, and the numbers still on the funds at the close of 1913 were 3,817 and 3,444 respectively, a decrease of 153 widows and 206 children as compared with 1912. A large number of persons employed in mining are outside the miners’ permanent relief fund movement, and in view of the discussion in the public Press and elsewhere as to the advisability of making provision for single fatalities in mines, as well as for great disasters by a central fund, the consultative committee hope a solution may be found with a view to extending the miners’ permanent relief fund movement, so that it may include all those employed in mines in every mining district of the United Kingdom. Several serious mining disasters occurred during the past year notably those at the Carr House Colliery, Yorkshire; Messrs. Locke and Com- pany’s colliery, Normanton; the Cadder Colliery, Glasgow; the Universal Colliery, Senghenydd; and the Glynea Colliery, near Llanelly, but none of the men killed in these sad calamities were members of any miners’ permanent relief society. The report next considers the movement to establish a national fund for the relief of distress arising from fatal colliery accidents of all kinds. The consultative com- mittee report that the Mansion House Committee have commenced their deliberations, and at their first meeting passed the following resolution, that :—“It is of opinion that a central fund for the purpose of assisting the dependants of persons who have lost their lives in mines should be established, and that the surpluses in hand remaining from funds raised for previous disasters should be paid into such central fund, and that any appeal be made to the trustees on those lines.’’ The following table summarises the experience of the various funds affiliated to the association :— Society. No. of members. Revenue. Members’ contri- butions. Accumu- lated funds. Deaths by fatal accidents. Disablement cases. Widows on funds at end of year. Children on funds at end of year. No. Rate per 1,000. No. Rate per 1,000. Northumberld. & Durham 209,589 £ 222,957 £ 205,438 £ 502,056 254 1’14 49,006 23'3 1,517 1,580 North Staffordshire 4,241 4,482 3,173 24,888 3 0*70 1,089 25*6 105 77 Lancashire and Cheshire 62,231 69,383 63,053 176,918 68 1’09 14,587 23*4 829 838 West Riding of Yorkshire 12,245 13,317 11,474 46,095 26 2’01 3,389 27*6 266 343 North Wales 2,949 4,080 3,510 15,032 12 4*06 774 25*2 222 147 Monmouthshire & S. Wales 343 5,490 278 83,105 5 14’5 42 12*2 583 90 Midland district (fatal accidents only) 45,554 12,663 9,218 82,838 66 1’45 — — 295 369 Total 337,152 332,372 296,144 930,932 434 1*28 68,857 20*4 3,817 3,444 Total (1912) 335,254 313,634 292,132 943,326 400 1T9 64,056 19*1 3,970 3,650 The Chairman, moving the adoption of the report, said the position of these societies was no longer so easy as it was some years ago. It must be obvious to everybody that the establishment of the great approved societies must have an indirect effect upon permanent relief societies. Although on the relief societies as a whole there were something like 7,500 persons dependent, yet in certain parts of the country the difficulty of maintain- ing such societies apparently was becoming overwhelm- ing. In Yorkshire, for instance, it was difficult if not impossible, to retain the standard of membership. Mr. James Darlington, chairman of the council, seconded, and the report was adopted. Mr. E. Hibbert, on behalf of the Lancashire and Cheshire Society, moved a resolution to the effect that the Central Association invite the support of colliery owners to the permanent relief society movement by helping in the formation and extension of the permanent relief societies in their respective districts, and also by allowing the contributions to be deducted in the colliery offices as is also done by a majority of the employers of the members of existing relief societies. The least said about a national fund the better. Many of them did not like the idea of going cadging and sponging on the rest of the community for something they could provide for themselves as they were doing at the present time. Mr.FEARNLEY, of the West Riding Society, seconded, and said that in Yorkshire owing to the stopping of the con- tributions through the offices they had lost two-thirds of their members. The owners discontinued the practice because they alleged that it encouraged malingering. At the end of 1908, they had 35,643 members, with a capital of ^647,580. The membership was now 11,500. The Central Association should use its influence with the coalowners with the view of inducing them to reconsider their position, and again start the contribution through the offices. Unless that were done he did not know what would become of the West Riding Society. Mr. Sewell, vice-president of the Derbyshire Miners’ Association, expressed the opinion that in places situated like Yorkshire, the time had come, if they could not carry on a permanent relief society with present liabilities for minor and permanent accidents, to abandon that part and go in for fatal accidents. Sir Thos. Ratcliffe-Ellis said he understood the diffi- culty had arisen very largely in Yorkshire. From what he had heard there had been no great indisposition on the part of the Yorkshire coal owners to favour arrangements by which fatal accidents could be provided for. Generally he had understood that the objections made in Yorkshire were to the collections being made for the provision of non-fatal accidents on the ground that it rather induced malingering. He thought the resolution before the meeting should be reconsidered by the council, and knowing how the matter stood with Yorkshire coal owners, they could put it into a shape which would give it a greater chance of being accepted by coal owners if it applied to fatal accidents only. Ultimately the following resolution was unanimously adopted :— “ That the Executive Committee be invited to give careful consideration to the Lancashire and Cheshire societies’ proposals, and be empowered to take such action as they may think fit to promote the development of permanent relief societies.’’ ______________________________________ INDIAN AND COLONIAL NOTES. ______________________________ India. The Government of Bengal has received the report' of a committee appointed to consider the question of the estab- lishment of a mining institute at Asansol or Dhanbaid. The following preliminary figures have been issued with regard to the production of coal in India during 1913 Province. Tons. Bengal ..................... 4,649,852 ..................... Bihar and Orissa ........... 10,226,389 ................ Punjab ........................... 51,040 Assam ..................... 270,364 Baluchistan ...................... 52,932 Central Provinces .......... 235,651 ............ N.W. Provinces ....................... 90 ___________ Total .................... 15,486,318 The South Indian Railway Company has recently called for tenders for the supply of 250,000 tons of coal for con- sumption during 1915. The Railway Board have also invited tenders for 1,236,000 tons of steam coal by rail and for 300,000 tons by sea, as well as small quantities of smith coal, hand coke, and steam rubble, for consumption on the three State-worked railways during 1915. Africa. Speaking at the annual meeting of the Glencoe Collieries, the chairman, Mr. Mackie Niven, commented upon the decrease of 100,000 tons of coal exported by the company from Durban to Cape ports, and said that one cause lay in the industrial troubles. “ The main cause,’’ he continued, “ has been the competition from the Transvaal, which has been rendered possible by the low—and it is believed non- paying—rates granted for what is technically known as the ‘ long haul.’ . These low rates enable practically all the Transvaal collieries to send coal for the shipping trade to Cape Town at the unprecedentedly low rate of 0’15d. per ton per mile, probably the world’s record rate for coal, and that in a country where the cost of working the railways is not by any means the lowest. Natal’s grievance is that the Transvaal collieries, on the one hand, have their geographical markets on the Rand and at Delagoa Bay, and that they have the further advantage of thick seams, and conse- quently low working costs; on the other hand, that Natal’s geographical markets, apart from the port of Durban, are the Cape ports’ coal trade, which she had at considerable expense captured as against imported coals from Europe.’’ Concluding, Mr. Niven said :—“ Export trade with India has recently received a check, owing to the serious fall in steamer freights from England to Bombay. A year ago the freight was 14s. 6d. per ton, and the last mail quotations indicate that the vessels can be chartered at 9s. 9d. per ton, or practically a 5s. reduction. Welsh coal can thus drive South African coal out of the Indian market, in which we were gradually establishing ourselves, and it is more necessary now than ever that export coal rates on the rail- ways should be substantially reduced if the Indian and Eastern trade is to be held and extended.’’ New Coaling Installation at Delagoa Bay.—The new coal- ing installation at Delagoa Bay has been supplied by the McMyler Company, of Ohio. It will have a normal load- ing capacity of 400 tons per hour, but this can be increased if necessary to 600 tons. The structure, which is some 66 ft. high, raises the coal trucks by means of a cradle up to the height required by the state of the tide, turns the truck on its side, and throws the coal into an apron ending in a telescopic tube, through which the coal descends steadily into the ship’s hold so as to avoid breakage. This tube, which is always kept full, has a movable end worked by an electrical winch fixed on to the apron, which distri- butes the coal evenly in the hold. For the purpose of weighing, two Howe scales are employed. The loaded trucks are brought to the first scale by an endless rope, which is constantly in motion and passes on the side of the lines of railway connected with the yards holding the loaded and empty trucks. These lines are joined by an automatic switch at a short distance from the plant. The loaded trucks are pushed along by a locomotive as far as the endless rope, to which each truck is hooked, and taken to the scale, and then are hoisted by the cradle. The empty trucks are drawn from the plant by the same endless rope, and after passing the automatic switch they go down a gradient as far as the other scale. After weighing there the endless rope again takes charge of them, and they go down another gradient into the empty truck yard. The installation is worked exclusively by electricity. Wankie Coal in Katanga.—An important agreement has just been concluded between the Wankie Colliery Company and the Union Miniere du Haut Katanga, under which the great Belgian mining company will take its fuel require- ments for lump coal, washed coal, and coke for use at its smelting works at Elizabethville for 10 years from July 1, 1915, the minimum quantity to be taken annually being 100,000 tons, of which not more than 60,000 tons shall be coal, and at least 40,000 coke. The contract also includes the supply by this company of fireclay (ground and unground) and ordinary and special firebricks. To enable the company to increase its plant additional working capital will be required. ____ Australia. The winding shaft at the new Richmond Main Colliery, in the Maitland district of New South Wales, is down within 30 ft. of the main seam. The mine is about 800 ft. deep, and will be one of the finest in the field. The intention is, as soon as the mine has started work, to generate elec- tricity at this centre for the running of the Pelaw Main and Minmi collieries. Everything in connection with the sur- face plant will work automatically, and the powerful haulage machinery will be capable of handling 4,000 tons of coal per day. The opinion which prevailed at one time, says a corres- pondent of the Australian Mining Standard, that the coal beds of the northern part of New South Wales were con- tained within the area of the Lower Hunter Valley, has for years given place to a more correct estimate of the extent and value of the great coal seams of that part of the State. Not only do the beds occur throughout the Hunter Valley, but excellent steam coal has been obtained for some years at Gunnedah and Curlewis, on the Liverpool Plains. Recently a bore was put down at Breeza, a> few miles from the two places named, and it has proved a seam 17 ft. thick.; and it is known that what is termed the lower seam, 10 ft. thick, dips under the Breeza property. About nine months ago Mr. J. E. Game, assistant Government geologist, visited Breeza, and he expressed the opinion at that time that a large seam of coal would be found to underlie the property. It is probable that a shaft will be put down and the coal worked. A report has been prepared at the request of a public meeting of the citizens of Ipswich (Queensland), relating to a proposal to establish a central electric power generating and distributing station in a central situation on the Ipswich coalfield, for the purpose of supplying electric power and light to the city and the collieries in the surrounding districts, and, eventually, to Brisbane, 24 miles distant. The Ipswich coalfield is estimated to cover an area of 12,000 square miles, and within a radius of five miles as many as 17 seams of workable coal have been operated on, while 22 collieries are at present being worked, and 10 others are in the course of development. The annual output of coal is over 600,000 tons, and the mines employ about 1,300 men. In addition, there are a large and increasing number of coke ovens, and one firm contemplates building a battery of 48 by-product coke ovens with a combined capacity of from 70,000 to 80,000 tons of coke a year. This firm, it is stated, is prepared to negotiate for the sale of its surplus gas, which, it is estimated, would produce 1,200-horse power per hour. It is considered that at least 22 of the collieries are likely to require electric power before long. The estimated cost of power station, lines and sub-stations, is £60,000, and the cost of generating 5,500,000 and distributing 4,500,000 units per annum, including reserve for depreciation, obso- lescence, etc., is set down at £15,710, or 0’838d. per unit. A Sydney cablegram, dated 2nd inst., states that nine collieries had been closed down in the Newcastle district owing to the miners’ refusal to work on the afternoon shift. Three thousand five hundred men are idle. When the matter was before the Miners’ Wages Board recently, Mr. R. A. Harle, speaking for the colliery proprietors, referring to the Hebburn Colliery, said that they had to do much necessary repair work and cleaning of the mine on the third shift, and also on Sundays and holidays, and if that were not done the mine would soon be in a deplorable condition, and part of it would have to stop. The colliery had been equipped to haul coal on three shifts, and it had never been anticipated that it would be a profitable concern if coal were hauled only during one-third of the 24 hours. The present output was about 2,200 tons per day, but they were not producing up to their full capacity, and could easily put out 3,000 tons in the 16 hours if full-handed and the men worked the full time. As it was, they could not get out the coal that was required. The average net earnings of the miners ranged from 13s. 3d. to 17s. 6d. per shift; machine men, 14s. 6d. to 19s. 9d.; and contract wheelers, 12s. 4d. to 14s. 3d. The difference between the output on the day and afternoon shifts was really only '016 ton, or about 13 lb. of coal per man, in favour of the day shift. Mr. R. Scott, general colliery manager for Messrs. J. and A. Brown, said that 882 hands were employed at Pelaw Main Colliery. The production on the day shift was 11 tons 4 cwt. per miner, and on the afternoon shift 11 tons 9 cwt. The percentage of time lost was 19 for the whole of the pit, but the time lost on the afternoon shift was greater than on the day shift, because there were more men absent on the second shift on pay-Friday and back-Saturday than on the first shift. They could put out 4,000 tons of coal on two shifts if they were working full-handed, but they could not get enough men. On one shift they could not put out more than 2,200 tons, so that it would be impossible to put in all the men on one shift. If they could get the coal out, they could sell 500,000 tons more of Pelaw Main coal per year than they were now doing. Coal in Queensland.—The following particulars are from the annual report of the Minister for Mining, Queensland,