May 28, 1915.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

1135

to going down with the morning shift, and at 66 junction
finding 18 wagons just below the plate, all single and not
clipped on to the rope. ; There were some pairs clipped on
to the rope above the plate. The rope had not been in
motion that morning. He prepared to clip the 18 wagons
on to the rope, and had to lower them separately to clip
them, as where they stood they were all huddled together.
He lowered six of the wagons, and left them standing,
using lockers to prevent them moving. Witness started to
lower the seventh wagon, and took the locker out of the
wheel. As soon as he had done this, the lockers on the
eighth and tenth wagons broke, and the other tubs started
to run. He was working alone, and the 12 wagons got out
of his control, with the result that they ran down to the
other six which he had left standing lower down the
incline, and the impetus caused the lockers to break, and
the whole 18 ran away. The lockers which broke were not
wooden—they were pieces of “ bind ” which had been
placed in the wheels. There were refuge holes at short
intervals in the wall. It would be over 100 yds. from where
witness left the foremost wagon to an automatic block on
the line, which would act as a check against any wagons
running away, but before the wagons reached it a pony got
in the way, and caused them to leave the metals. At this
point deceased and the other men were caught.' Thomas
Campbell, deputy at the pit, said that after the accident he
was walking down the road when he saw the top block in
question standing almost vertically by the side of the metals
not damaged in any way, but there was a hole in the
ground where it should have been. The inquest was even-
tually adjourned until June 5, in order that the important
point of the movement of the stop block could be further
investigated, the coroner remarking that there was little
doubt that had the block been there the accident could, not
have occurred.

Mr. John Mosley, who from boyhood has been employed
in the engineering department at the Butterley Company’s
Iron Works, and for some time superintendent of the engine
factory, has received a massive leather travelling bag, fitted
leather dressing case, pipe and smoker’s requisites, from the
men and officials of the engine factory, drawing office staff,
and foremen of other departments, upon leaving to take up
a managerial position with a well-known Durham firm.

The Midlands.

Winding Accident at a West Bromwich Pit.

Mr. Janies Clark (borough coroner) held an enquiry at
West Bromwich on the 21st inst. into the circumstances
attending the deaths of James Peck and John Walker, which
took place as the result of a somewhat mysterious accident
on April 24 at the Millfields Colliery, Hill Top, West Brom-
wich, belonging to the Patent Shaft and Axle tree Company
Limited, Wednesbury. Peck was killed outright, and the
inquest which was opened on April 28 was adjourned
in the hope that Walker would be able to attend, as he and
Peck were the only two men in the engine house at the
time of the accident. It was stated that Walker was
employed as stoker and Peck as engine driver, and on the
day named they were employed in drawing water from the
pit.—Dr. Parker said while Walker was in the hospital he
told witness that the engine had stopped, and he and Peck
went down into the pit beneath the engine for the purpose
of attending to it. While they were there the engine
started, and Peck rushed to get out, and was knocked down.
Being in front, Walker was prevented from getting out of
the pit, and he had to take some bricks away in the side to
make his escape. He then walked some distance until he
found assistance.—Mr. Davis, manager of the colliery, said
that when he arrived at the colliery the engine was racing,
and there was a good deal of havoc in the engine house, and
many breakages. The tackle which was used to draw the
water had become detached from the rope, which was coiled
round the drum. He said there were many theories they
could put forward to account for the accident, but they would
be purely conjectural.—The jury returned a verdict that the
men died from the injuries sustained, but there was no
evidence to show how the accident happened.

At the Newport Police Court last week, W. Smith, engine-
man, was charged with contravening one of the General Bules
under the Coal Mines Act by negligently starting the wind-
ing engine without the required signal, and thereby,
endangering the life of Alfred Matthews, in the mine at the
Lilleshall Company’s Granville Colliery. — Mr. Allen
(Wigan), for the Lilleshall Company, said the company’s
desire was not to bring the defendant into court, because
they felt he must have suffered in his own mind through
what had happened, but the mines inspector had pointed
out that it was their duty to prosecute.—Frank Bradley said
that on February 10 he was working as an onsetter at the
Granville Pit, and Alfred Matthews was assisting him.
About two o’clock in the morning he ran a full tub on to the
cage, and it stuck when half-way on. He called to
Matthews to come and help him, and Matthews went on to
the cage. Matthews took hold of a lever, and was in the
act of levering the tub on to the cage when the cage went
up. The tub knocked witness over.. As soon as he got up
he rang the bell to stop the cage. He had not rung that
bell before that, and there was no one there who could have
rung the bell.-^For the defence, William Smith said he
believed he had the signal, and would not have thought of
starting without it.—The justices, after consultation, were
equally divided, and the case was adjourned for trial before
a re-constituted court.

A new element of uncertainty has been introduced on to
the South Staffordshire coalfield this week, owing to a
significant hint from the Government that house coal con-
tracting may be made the subject of veto by the authorities
on the ground, that contracting may unduly “ corner” the
market. High prices for domestic fuel are therefore pre-
dicted, not only for the autumn, but during the summer.
As to the effect of the new wages war bonus on the price of
coal to Midland consumers, also, opinion in this district
this week is that it will certainly maintain values at their
present level, and very possibly force them up further. The
coal masters deny very emphatically that they are making
for their fuel at the pit’s mouth anything like the high
prices which pass current in business circles hereabouts. It
has to be remembered that the bulk of the coal “ turned ” is
still being delivered under contracts made months ago at
much lower prices, and the owners state that only a small
margin not contracted for carries the extreme values that
iron masters and manufacturers, and householders likewise,
are now paying. The owners in the Midlands would have
liked to see the new bonus made conditional upon the men
in the pits working full time, as in some other Midland
industries, notably .the iron and steel trades, but that
apparently was unattainable in the mining industry, which

has always “ played ” pretty much when it pleased to. It
is something new for the Cannock Chase and Pelsall colliers
to be badly wanted in the pits at this time of the year, and
they will probably take some time to accustom themselves
to wearing their pit clothes in the summer. Even prior to
the bonus, they could at the present rate of wages secure a
remuneration ample for their necessities by making only
moderately good time-, and their recent action in striking
suggests that any excuse is good enough to enable them to
take more “ play ” days.. The men are in no sense in need
of money; and from the statements that have been made, it
would seem impossible for men of any intelligence to have
misunderstood that they were in no way jeopardising their
status for full participation in the war bonus in remaining
down the pits on the old rate of wages, like the miners in
other districts.

Somersetshire.

A new colliery is shortly to be opened near Bath. Since
March 1914, Capt. Vaughan Jenkins, lord of the manor of
Bristow, Somerset, has been engaged in the sinking of a
shaft in that parish. His enterprise has now been crowned
with success, for coal of excellent quality, and, it is
believed, in abundance, was reached-during the week end.
The coal found belongs to the Great Vein seam, which is the
top seam of the Badstock series, and it is considerably above
the average thickness. It lay deeper than was at first
anticipated. The find, according to expert opinion, could
not have been better, and has given great satisfaction to all
associated with the Somerset coal field. Coal-getting will
be proceeded with as soon as the necessary equipment has1
been installed, and it is hoped to have the new coal on the
market within a month. It will be the nearest colliery to
the city of Bath, and has the additional advantage that it
is connected with a road of easy gradients.

Kent.

The Mineral Railway : Report of Progress.

The engineer’s report on the construction and progress of
the various lines of the East Kent Light Bailways, in con-
nection with the Kent coalfield, w7as presented at the annual
meeting of the company yesterday (Thursday), as follows :—
Shepherdswell and Bichborough line : The earth works and
permanent way of the section from Shepherdswell to Eastry
have been completed, and the line partially ballasted. The
stations and subsidiary works are unfinished. Platform
walls have been built at Eythorne and Eastry stations.
From Eastry to Sandwich a temporary line has 'been laid as
far as Gosh all Stream, Ash, three miles from Eastry, and
the earth works partially completed.—Eastry to Wingham
line : Earthworks have been completed, permanent way laid
and partially ballasted as far as the junction of the branch
to Wingham Colliery. A temporary line has been laid from
the latter to Dambridge-road, Wingham, and the earth
works partially completed. From Dambridge-road to
Canterbury-road, Wingham, work has proceeded slowly on
the earthworks of this section. The platforms of stations at
Woodnesborough and Hamhill, Ash Town, and Staple, and
Ash stations have been constructed. — Guilford branch :
About one-third of the permanent earth works between
Eythorne and Coldred-street have been completed, and the
temporary line to Guilford Colliery maintained. — Tilman-
stone Colliery branch : The high and low level screen
sidings and loops have been completed and conhected up
with the permanent line, and the ballasting practically
‘finished. The temporary service line to Tilmanstone
Colliery has been taken up, and the land reinstated.—
Hammill branch is partly constructed, and has been main-
tained in running order. — Wingham Colliery branch is
-partly constructed, and has been maintained in running
order.—Wingham-Stodmarsh line : Earthworks have been
completed for a length of about 1 mile 10 chains towards
Canterbury from Wingham. — Mongeham branch : About
half-a-mile has been fenced, and a small portion of earth
works constructed. The contractors have not delivered two
engines, which were mentioned in last year’s report as under
construction. It is reported that the makers have disposed
of them to other purchasers. Traffic has been dealt with as
offered, but as the line is worked by the contractors under
the terms of their contract no tonnage figures are available.
—The balance-sheet shows that the expenditure for con-
struction for the year ending December 31 last was .£13,739.
The expenditure to date on the principal works in progress
has been £235,195. The estimated expenditure during the
present year is £10,000, and the subsequent’estimated expen-
diture is £139,804.

Scotland.

Important Checkweighing Case.

A meeting of the Scottish Branch of the National Asso-
ciation of Colliery Managers was held in the Heriot-Watt
College, Edinburgh, on Saturday evening, when the
following papers were discussed :—“ The Electric Safety
Lamp,” by Mr. John George, Cambuslang, the representa-
tive in Scotland for the “ Ceag ” lamp; “Brushing and
Building Boadways working Longwall in Highly Inclined
Seams,” by Mr. Thomas Watson, Boslin Colliery, Mid-
lothian; and Some Notes on Systematic Timbering,” by
Mr. Mungo Mackay, genera] manager at the Newbattle
Collieries of the Lothian Coal Company. Chief interest
centred around the discussion of the paper by Mr. George
on “ The Electric Safety Lamp.” Interesting experiences
with the lamp were narrated by Mr. Wm. IJoss, Auchen-
geich Colliery, Chryston; Mr. David Beveridge, Kelty; Mr.
John Irvine, Dysart; and others. Satisfaction was
expressed at the announcement that Mr. James Kirk-
patrick, colliery manager, Viewpark Colliery, Uddingston,
had agreed to continue in office as secretary of the branch.
A.t the outset of the proceedings, Mr. Bichard McPhee,
Bothwell, the branch president, made sympathetic reference
to the death at the front of Lieut.-Col. C. L. Bobinson,
of the Monmouthshire Territorials. Col. Bobinson in civil
life was an inspector of mines, and just prior to the out-
break of the war had received his appointment as chief
inspector of mines for the Scotland division. The branch
agreed to minute an appreciation of Col. Bobinson’s services
and to forward a letter of condolence to the family of the
deceased, officer.

At a meeting of Bothwell School Board some interesting
facts were, elicited with regard to the industrial prospects
of Mossend district. In particular, a letter was read from
the Coltness Iron Company, in which they explained that
they anticipated no increase in the number of workmen
employed at their colliery, and in a year or so hence there
was likely to be a large decrease. It was also reported at
the meeting that there was a likelihood of a new colliery
being opened in the Dalziel estate, between . Stevenston
and Clydesdale, and the clerk of the Board was directed to
write the factor on the estate interested and ascertain if the
information disclosed was accurate, and the number of

workmen likely to be regularly employed at the proposed
colliery.

.. A meeting of the East of Scotland; branch of. the Associa-
tioir of Mining Electrical Engineers was held in the Boyal
Hotel, Dunfermline, on Friday evening. Office-bearers
were appointed* for the ensuing session as follows :—Presi-
dent, Mr. N. A. Wilkie, Cardenden; vice-president, Mr. D.
• Beveridge, Kelty; secretary -and treasurer, Mr. Bobert W.
'Peters, Lochgelly Iron and Coal Company, Lochgelly.
Papers on “ The Use and-Abuse of Oils ” and “ Bearings
of ■ Electrical Machinery ” were read and discussed. Mr. N.
A. Wilkie, .branch president, made special reference to the
loss the branch had sustained by the death of Mr. C. L.
Bobinson, H.M. inspector of mines for the Scotland
division, who was killed in action while serving with the

. Monmouthshire Territorials.

The South Ayrshire Collieries Limited, a new company
formed last January, with a capital of £30,000, for the
purpose of developing the coal mining industry in the
Girvan Valley, on the estates of Bargany, Dalquhattan,
and Killochan, have been making steady progress in- the
perfecting of their plant and machinery. The new pro-
prietors. took over the pits from the Killochan Coal Com-
pany Limited, which went into liquidation towards the end
of last year. It is anticipated in the near future that work
will be found for 200 men. It is also the intention of the
new company to erect coal-washing machinery to deal with
small coal. A second shaft is being sunk on the Bargany
estate to a depth of 120 fathoms, near Girvan railway
station, when between 20 and 30 modern working men’s
houses will be built alongside a row already erected by the
old company.

The Second Division of the Scottish Court of Session, on
Friday last, disposed of a reclaiming note in the action by
James Bobert Tait, writer, Glasgow, against David
Bussell, steamship owner, Edinburgh, and the Oakley Col-
lieries Limited, Dunfermline. The pursuer is a share-
holder in the Oakley Collieries Limited, and he sought to
interdict the second defenders from making any payment to
the first defender under agreements entered into between
them when the defender Bussell was a director of the Oakley
Collieries Limited, and in respect of sales made by the
defending company or their selling agents. An order was
also asked on the defender Bussell to produce an account
of all sums of money received by him as his share of the
commission received by James A. Dow and Company, coal
agents, Glasgow, in connection with sales made by them
for the Oakley Collieries Limited. Under the arrangement
of which he complained, the pursuer said that the defender
Bussell received Id. on every ton of coal sold by the Glasgow
firm which acted as selling agents for the Oakley Collieries
Limited. The defenders pleaded that the pursuer had no
title to sue, and further, that the pursuer having acquired
his shares after the date of the agreement between the
Oakley Company and the Glasgow selling agents fixing the
latter’s commission, the pursuer had no interest to maintain
the action. In the Outer House, Lord Ormidale repelled
the plea of no title to sue, and ordered the defender Bussell
to lodge an account. Judgment was also given on a
reclaiming note in the action in which David Bussell sued
James A. Dow and Company, coal masters and merchants,
Glasgow, and others, for declarator that the defenders were
bound to pay him Id. per ton on all coal sold by them as
selling agents for the Oakley Collieries Limited, or that the
pursuer was entitled to be paid at the rate of one-third of
the commission or remuneration received by the defenders.
Alternatively he asked for an accounting. The Lord
Ordinary dismissed this action with expenses. The Division
adhered to the interlocutors reclaimed against, with expenses
against the reclaimer.

New coal-washing plant is being installed at the Fauld-
house Colliery, Scotland, belonging to Messrs. Barr and
Thornton. It is on the latest designs, and will be an advan-
tage to the selling department of the colliery.

Work is proceeding at the new dock at the leading Fife
coal-shipping port of Methil. All the coal hoists are
stopped, and traffic suspended until the dock gates have
received attention, an undertaking which may last many
months, and will involve a considerable outlay. Shippers
are disappointed, as this large modern-equipped new coal-
exporting dock was only opened two years ago.

In the outer house of the Scottish Court of Session on
Tuesday, Lord Hunter had before him the note of suspen-
sion and interdict for Bobert Addie and Sons Limited,
Uddingston, against Thomas Sullivan, Crofthead-street,
Uddingston. Sheriff-Substitute Shennan, at Hamilton,
recently pronounced an order, in a petition by the com-
plainers, removing Sullivan from the position of check-
weighman at their Viewpark Colliery, Uddingston, on the
Aground that his actings had interfered with the management
of the colliery. Thereafter, according to the complainers,
the respondent persisted in going to the pithead and exer-
cising the duties of checkweighman, and they asked the
Lord-Ordinary on the Bills to grant interdict. In his
answers in the Bill Chamber, the respondent said that he
was not merely checkweighman at the pit in question, but
that he held the position of time checker in connection with
the working of the Eight Hours Act. Lord Hunter, who
was Lord-Ordinary on the Bills at the time, in passing the
note and granting interim interdict, said he thought the
respondent should have produced immediate evidence of his
possessing the character which might have been affected
unfairly towards him by the granting of the interdict. The
statutory declaration that he had been appointed time
checker had not been made in his case. Bespondent pro-
duced evidence that the statutory declaration that he had
been appointed time checker and inspector under the Coal
Mines Begulation Act at the complainers’ colliery, and
asked that the interim interdict might be modified to enable
him to perform his duties under these offices. The Lord-
Ordinary modified the interdict accordingly. The case was
sisted to await the decision of a stated case, bringing under
review the decision^, of the . Sheriff-Substitute removing the
respondent from the office of checkweighman.

Ireland.

The Slieveardagh Coal Field.

In reference to a letter from the Local Government Board,
calling the attention of the Callan Guardians to a possible
shortage of coal in the coming winter, the latter body have
passed a resolution calling upon the Treasury to give a
grant or loan for the development of the Slieveardagh coal-
fields, the mines in this district now being almost aban-
doned for want of capital. The Kanturk District Council
also propose asking the Land Commission to grant the
necessary liberty and expert advice for the purpose of test-
ing the different parts of the district in which it is believed
abundance of coal is to be found.