June 11, 1915.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

1235

North of England.

A very graceful concession has been made by the North-
umberland coal owners to those men employed on light work
who are in receipt of compensation allowance. Usually,
as wages are advanced, the compensation allowances are
decreased proportionately, but, on the present occasion,
although an increase of 15 per cent, has been conceded as
a war bonus, the men who are receiving compensation
money in respect of accidents, but are employed on light
work, will receive the benefit of the war bonus without
any curtailment of the amounts they are receiving as com-
pensation.

Although several joint meetings of the Northumberland
coal owners and 'representatives of the miners have been
held with a view to drawing up a new wages agreement to
take the place of that three months’ notice to terminate
which was given, at the instructions of the Miners’ Federa-
tion, by the miners at the beginning of April, no complete
settlement has yet been arrived at. There are, however,
good reasons for believing that by the end of the present
month,- when the old agreement will cease to operate, the
new document will be completed, for a general consensus of
opinion on essentials has now been arrived at. Another
meeting of coal owners and miners was held in Newcastle
last Saturday, when further progress was made. An
adjournment until to-morrow (Saturday) was then resolved
upon.

As the result of a dispute, the men employed at Buckhill
Colliery, Great Broughton, handed in a 14 days’ notice to
terminate all engagements on Monday. It appears that
the men complain of the non-payment of the minimum wage
to certain hewers. It is expected that the joint representa-
tives will meet .shortly, and hopes are entertained that an
amicable solution of the difficulty will result. A strike at
this pit would affect about 700 men and boys.

Federated Area.

At a meeting of the executive council of the Lancashire
and Cheshire Miners’ Federation held on Saturday, com-
plaints were received from various branches that in some
cases the 15| per cent, war bonus was not being paid. Mr.
Thomas Ashton, J.P., secretary of the Federation, was
instructed to arrange with Sir T. R. Ratcliffe-Ellis,
secretary of the Coal Owners’ Association, for a meeting
of the joint Board to discuss the grievances.

Twenty-two summonses against miners arising out of the
recent strike of Black Country colliers were returnable at
Dudley Police Court on Friday of last week. The defendants
were employed at Woodside Colliery, belonging to Messrs.
Cochmne and Company, and they were summoned under
the Emr.-oyers and Workmen Act, 10s. being claimed from
each.—Mr. W. C. Camm, who represented Mr. B. G-anner,
the charter master, who was the plaintiff, said he was
instructed M ask for permission to withdraw the whole of
the summonses. The men had approached Mr. Ganner,
and had apologised for their conduct, which they realised
was unjustifiable and also foolish and utterly wrong, and
had each agreed to pay him 10s. — The chairman of' the
Bench said the magistrates trusted that in future the
miners of the district would act sensibly, and not follow a
bad example like a flock of sheep. The application would
be granted.

Some 40 miners were summoned at Stourbridge on Friu-iy
last for neglect of work from May 17 to 20. The com-
plainants were Messrs. Harper and Moores Limited, Messrs.
Mobberley and Perry, and Messrs. King Brothers. Defen-
dants were each ordered to pay 10s. damages and the costs,
9s. In respect of several summonses which had not been
served, the Bench suggested to the complainants that it
would tend to prevent friction, and would serve the country’s
interests, if these cases were not proceeded with.

It is officially stated that the Miners’ Federation card vote
on the recent executive recommendation to refer the war
bonus application for settlement to the Prime Minister,
resulted as follows:—For, 438,000; against, 279,000.

The question of the shopmen’s and surfacemen’s partici-
pation in the war bonus in the Warwickshire coalfield has
been re-considered at a meeting of the masters’ and men’s
representatives. Last week the coal owners decided to give
the men who do not manipulate coal an advance of 10 per
cent. This concession did not satisfy the surfacemen and
shopmen, and, as a result of further negotiations, it has been
decided to pay a uniform 15J per cent, war bonus to all
able-bodied workmen about the pit. Another question of
some interest came up for consideration. It has been the
practice in the coalfield that where a man has been incapaci-
tated by accident from working underground he is given a
light job on the surface at half his original pay, and, in
addition, he receives 50 per cent, of the balance as compen-
sation under the Act. These men are now asking for 15J
per cent, war bonus on the half-wage. The employers
declined to make any concessions in the direction indicated.

The Black Country Fireclay Miners’ Wages Board has
decided to grant the clay miners an advance of 10 per cent.,
and this will also apply to the surface workers in the fire-
clay trade. The advance is equal to 6d. a day for pikemen
and loaders, and 4d. for other underground workers.

The South Staffordshire and East Worcestershire Engine
Winders’ and Firemen’s Union have instructed their
leaders to inform the coal owners that unless a satisfactory
answer is forthcoming by the 17th inst., notices will be
handed in to enforce their demand for a 15 per cent, advance
in wages. At meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, it was
reported that the offer of the coal owners of a 10 per cent,
advance had been rejected unanimously by both branches of
the union, and that the members were determined to secure
the same amount of war bonus as had been granted to
the miners.

At Old Hill Police Court on Wednesday, 10 miners in the
employ of Messrs. Parsons, Stour Colliery, Cradley Heath,
were summoned for neglecting their work on May 17, 18,
and 19, 10s. damages being claimed in each case. The
Bench ordered the defendants to pay the 10s. claimed, and
costs.

Scotland.

At a meeting of the executive of the National Union of
Scottish Miners at Glasgow on Friday last, Mr. Robert
Smillie presiding, reports were received as to disputes at
Howmuir Colliery, Cleland, and Garfin Colliery. It was
stated that the dispute at Cadzow Colliery had been settled.

In accordance with a recommendation by the executive
board of the Fife and Kinross Miners’ Association, the cele-
brations formerly associated with the anniversary of the
introduction of the eight hours working day in the mines of
the county were dispensed with on Monday. This year, in
consequence of the war, the executive decided that the
holiday should be restricted to one day.

TRADE AND THE WAR.

A committee of the Hackney Borough Council recommends
that, having regard to the existing high price of coal, and
the probable increase thereof, the Council invite representa-
tives from the borough councils of the Metropolis “to a
conference at the earliest possible date to consider the ques-
tion of the high price of coal in the Metropolis, and the
best means of dealing with it.

At the annual meeting of the Institution of Gas Engineers
last week, Mr. Edward Allen (Liverpool) proposed a reso-
lution expressing satisfaction with the action, of the council
in arranging for a committee on coal supplies, in associa-
tion with the electrical organisations. He said he was
himself of opinion that had this question been taken up in
January by the’gas undertakings, and the coal owners
approached, the amount of 2s. 6d. a ton would have been
decided upon as a satisfactory increase in price. Unfortu-
nately, the difficulty of getting coal to London and the South
of England, in consequence of the interruption of the sail-
ings on the east coast, disturbed everybody, and the London
representatives of the gas industry, and the representatives
of the southern gas undertakings, went to Yorkshire and
Lancashire and Staffordshire, and gave the impression that
the gas companies in London and the South had a great
need for coal. In fact, they went a lot further, and said :
“ We are prepared to give you a good price for your coal.”
They disturbed the whole market in Yorkshire and Lanca-
shire and the Midlands, with the result that there was an
advance of 5s. and 6s., and he understood that in Scotland
it got as high as 10s. and Ils. -He thought that, arising
out of this year’s trouble, they ought to associate themselves
together and deal with this question of coal supplies from
year to year. He knew that the coal owners in Yorkshire
and Lancashire, -some years ago, were prepared to sit down
to a round table conference every spring and discuss with
the representatives of the gas undertakings questions' of
delivery and prices. They had great respect for the coal
owners ; he knew, personally, how delightful they were, and
how well they had served them on many occasions. But
they had disturbed them. The coal buyers had been seek-
ing to get coal, and the coal sellers naturally felt : “ This
is an increasingly valuable commodity; we must do our
best to get a large price for it.” He thought they should
not agree to buy at high figures, and that if thex- agreed to
stand together they would have to pay only 2s. 6d. advance,
instead of 5s.—Mr. W. W. Woodward (Salford), seconded
the motion. He thought this committee should do every-
thing possible wTith the Government in order to ensure a
regular supply of coal during the coming winter, not that
they should be able to keep their stocks up, but they should
keep a fairly regular supply, because of the very great
difficulty experienced in getting coal out of stock—even
when' they had it at the works.—Mr. C. F. Botley
(Hastings) thought it was no good approaching a Govern-
ment Department and then waiting their pleasure. Not
only had the continuity of the supply to be considered, but
there was also the question of price, and to those who were
badly placed geographically there was the question of
freightage. As a representative of the south coast, he was
not sure that the south coast quite deserved the condemna-
tion of the mover of the resolution. They were most of
them waiting at the present time to see what would be the
result of the efforts the council were making in connection
with this matter, and if they did not mind, they would
wait so long that they would find themselves in a very
awkward position.—Mr. George Helps (Nuneaton) said there
was a very strong feeling that many of those associated
with this work of tackling the Government on the matter
had already purchased their coal. — Mr.- Robt. Watson
(Doncaster) said he took it that any work done by the deputa-
tion, after thmr meeting with members of Parliament on
June 9. would necessitate some conference with the coal
owners, and therefore, there must still be considerable delay
before the question of price was actually settled. He knew
of many gas undertakings which had had to settle their
contracts at very large prices. Others had a certain amount
of coal left, but if they waited too long—until the result of
these negotiations had been declared—it was quite possible
that they might have some little difficulty in restoring their
stocks to what they should be early in the summer. That*
was a matter which, to his mind, was very important,
inasmuch -as many of the collieries—he knew of several in
Yorkshire—had not an ounce of coal on their banks. One
colliery close to Doncaster usually stocking before the winter
between 250,000 and 300,000 tons, had not at the present
moment a ton of coal on its banks. Therefore, it was a
serious matter with gas undertakings whether they would
be wise in waiting.—Mr. F. W. Cross (Lea Bridge), as a
southern member, supported Mr. Botley in his protest
against the statement that it was the southern men who had
rushed in and raised the price of coal. It had been a
matter of necessity for the southern men to get coal where
they could, and at what price they could, to keep their
works going, and therefore it could hardly be said, as the
mover of the resolution said—although he quite supported
his resolution—that it was the action of the southern men
coming in and buying coal that had raised the price of coal.
They were now giving returns to the War Office or the
Admiralty Trading Department, but of what value these .
were to the War Office or to the Admiralty, or to them-
selves, he did not see.—The resolution was adopted.

Nearly 200 members of Parliament of all parties
attended a meeting held on Wednesday at the House of
Commons to receive a deputation from the recent con-
ference of local authorities, gas and electricity companies,
and other large coal consumers of . a public character.
Lord Claud Hamilton presided. The deputation urged
measures to increase the output of coal, greater facilities
'for transport, reduction of prices, and that in the requisition
of colliers for Government service regard should be paid to
the requirements of public utility undertakings dependent
on the coal supply. The meeting adjourned till next
Tuesday.

Much interest has been taken in the speeches made at
Manchester and Liverpool last week by Mr. Lloyd George,
the Minister of the new Munitions Department, and some
of his remarks concerning the position of labour and capital
are worth repeating. At Manchester, he pointed out that
the employers are now under the Defence of the Realm Act
—practically subject to complete State control for industrial
purposes. If we are to make the best of our resources for
winning or for shortening the war, the same principles must
extend to the whole field of industrial organisation, whether
it be capital or labour. There must be but one reservation
—‘that the State control of labour we must insure for the
benefit of the State, and not. for increasing the profits of

any industrial or private organisation. With regard to
labour, two things are essential. The first is, we must
increase the mobility of labour; and the second is, we must
have greater subordination in labour to the direction and
control of the State. These purposes they have secured in
France. Speaking at Liverpool, Mr. George urged every
locality to organise the engineering resources for the purpose
of assisting the Government. That involved a good deal
.more confidence and trust' than usual, but they had no time
to go through the same process of examination or of bar-
gaining as they usually did in the matter of Government
contracts. He appealed to labour to feel it was their
business, and said God help labour should Germany win.
As regards trade union regulations, they were essential
during peace time, but Government regulations have to be
suspended during the period of war because they were
inapplicable in a time of urgency, and the same thing
applied to many trade union regulations and practices.
Whatever the regulation or custom, if it .interfered in 'the
slightest degree with the increase of war material, he hoped
they would be suspended during the period of the war. The
Government had guaranteed that safeguards established by
tirade union action before the war would be restored to
exactly the same position when the war was over.

At the meeting of the Bradford City Council, on Tuesday,
reference was made regarding the effect of high coal prices
in the gas industry. Mr. T. W. Stamford moved, as an
amendment to the committee’s recommendations to increase
the price of gas, that the following words be added : ” That
in view of the fact that the increased price of gas is largely
necessitated by the extraordinary rise in coal prices, this
Council urge the Government to give immediate effect to
the recommendation of the Departmental Committee on Coal
Prices and assume control of the output of collieries during
the period of the war.” Mr. Stamford urged that there was
nothing to warrant the large increase of prices made by
coal owners in the United Kingdom.—Aid. R. Johnson said
that probably the country would be driven to some form of
Government control of the coal mines, not by the rapacity of
coal owners, but by the rapacity of colliers and the unwise
advice of the political demagogue who ruled the colliers. The
colliers were earning as much a day as many of the people
who had to pay the increased price of coal were earning in a
week.—Mr. J. H. Barraclough said the question was
serious, for if things did not alter coal would cost the gas
department next year £50,000 more than last. He suggested
that if Mr. Stamford’s amendment did not go so near to
suggesting nationalisation he thought the Council would
accept it. "With the understanding that the amendment
should be re-drafted,- it was carried.

In the House of Commons, on Tuesday, the President of
the Board of Trade stated, in answer to Mr. Rowlands, that,
as had already been announced, he had arrived at an
understanding with the principal London coal merchants
for a limitation of profits during the summer and, he hoped,
of the winter months also. He had been for some time in
communication with representatives of the coal owners
supplying London with a .similar object in view. They had
made a proposal which he could not- at present regard as
satisfactory.—Several other members put -leading questions
on the subject.—Sir Arthur Markham stated that the price
of coal at present being charged, to our Allies the Italians
for the use of the Italian Navy and Government was 35s.
a ton, whereas prior to the war the Italian Government were
buying coal from us at 17s.—Mr. Jonathan Samuel stated
that in the north of England the price of coal to household
consumers in the last few weeks had been raised as much
as 7s. 6d. at one time.—Mr. Outhwaite said that in the
Potteries there had just been an increase of 2s. 6d. a ton,
and Mr. Rowlands suggested that the price in London would
continue to rise in the summer right into the winter.—Mr.
Runciman said his information was that the price is not
likely to rise this winter, so far as those with whom he
had been in negotiation were concerned. He did not wish
to make any arrangement to start off at too high a level.—
Sir A. Markham asked Mr. Runciman to adopt his proposal
and fix a limit at.’the pithead based at the prices of the
preceding year.—Mr. Runcimaii replied : “ Yes, Sir. I am
not at all anxious to withdraw' from my hon. friend the
credit of that proposal. That is exactly the basis on which
I have been negotiating with the Midland coal owners.”

The United States export trade slowly gains strength, but
there is as yet a dearth of actual business. The stiffening
of prices in the best grades, however, has stimulated home
buying. Present quotations are about 2'80 dols. f.o.b.
Hampton Roads for Pocahontas and New . River, whilst
George’s Creek coal fetches about 10 c. more f.o.b. Balti-
more. It is stated that an enquiry from Italy for 200,000
tons is now circulating. Considerable shipments are also
being made to the Argentine and the Canal zone. Recent
freight fixtures include 10’80 dols. to the west coast of Italy,
and 9’60 dols. Spanish ports. Rates to South America are
easier, being about 9-12 dols. Rio, 8*40 dols. River Plate,
and 6-72 dots. Valparaiso.

Mr. Edward W. Parker, of the United States^ Geological
Survey, for many years the Government coal statistician
of the Division of Mineral' Resources, has resigned his
post. Mr. Parker leaves the Government service to accept
a responsible position with the anthracite mining . com-
panies. In transmitting his resignation, Director George
Otis Smith goes on record as expressing his regret, both
personally and as a public official, at “ this termination of
Mr. Parker’s long and efficient service. As coal statistician
of the Government since 1890, and as chief of the Division
of Mineral Resources of the Geological Survey since 1908,
Mr. Parker’s contribution to the present standard of the
annual. report, Mineral Resources, has been large and
important. In the nature of public service should also be
mentioned important work by Mr. Parker in studies of
coal testing and conservation, and the publication by him in
the engineering Press of many papers on coal mining and
production.” Director Smith has designated H. D.
McCaskey as chief of the Division of Mineral Resources of
the Survey to succeed Mr. Parker. Mr. McCaskey brings
to his new.position experience, not only as a geologist of the
Survey since 1907 and section chief since 1912, but also as
a mining engineer in the Philippine Mining Bureau from
1900 to 1903, and as chief of that bureau from 1903 to
1906. C. E. Lasher, associate geologist of the land classi-
fication bureau of the Survey, has been assigned to take
charge of the work of compiling the statistics of coal pro-
duction.