1290

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

June 18, 191S.

rope put in so as to secure the safety of the mine. It was
alleged that Ferneyhough held a light whilst Hollins
flattened the rope. The chairman (Mr. T. F. Wood) said
the case was a serious one, because it involved not only
damage, but possible loss of life in the pit. The magis-
trates had considered whether they should send Hollins,
whom they regarded as the ringleader, to prison without
the option of a fine. He would be fined £3 and costs, or
one month’s imprisonment in default; and Ferneyhough £1
and costs.

The fourth annual meeting of the North Staffordshire
Miners’ Higher Education Movement was held in the
Central School of Science and Technology, Stoke, on
Saturday night. Mr. J. T. Stobbs presided. The report of
the secretaries stated that during the year 1914-15, 24
classes were at, work. During the winter the subject treated
had been the historical causes and issues of the European
War. There were 460 students in average attendance, as
compared with 336 for the previous year. The president
said he would like to impress upon them the importance of
using all the influence they could on the miners to induce
them to work the maximum time just now. There was a
terrible amount of absenteeism, and if they were' not
careful there would be a coal shortage. He also urged them
to husband their resources, for the credit of the nation
was built upon the credit of the individual. Beally, they
ought to be prepared to walk barefoot for the fine fellows
at . the front. The report was adopted.

Kent.

The Chislet Colliery.

The.report of the North Kent Goalfield Limited, presented
at the annual meeting this week, with the accounts, states
that the sale of the area to the Chislet Colliery Company
has been completed since December 31 last, and conse-
quently the shares receivable as purchase consideration do
not appear in the balance-sheet. Owing to the war, and
consequent curtailment of financial facilities, all explora-
tion has been stopped, and the directors have taken steps to
limit all expenditure and commitments to the lowest point.
It will be necessary to consider means of raising the further
capital that will be required during , the next few months.
The accounts show that , the capital of the company is
£200,000 in 198,000 ordinary shares of £1 each, and 40,000
deferred shares of Is. each. Of this there has 'been issued
£60,000 ordinary shares and the whole of the deferred shares
—total, £62,000.

Further progress has been made with the scheme for
finding the new capital for Tilmanstone Colliery, the old
debenture holders having by a vote of 24 to 3 expressed
approval of the proposals of the advisory committee that
were recently adopted by the company’s shareholders.

Very satisfactory work is being carried out at the
Shakespeare Colliery (Kent Collieries Limited), Dover.

Scotland.

Developments in the Slamannan District—Stirling Mme
Re-started—Commission fpr a Checkweigher.

Social problems, especially in reference to the mining dis-
tricts in Fife, were dealt with in a report presented by Dr.
J. B. Drummond, Edinburgh, in the United Free Church of
Scotland Assembly. He described the remarkable change
in the line of improvements and the housing of the miners,
and on the social aspect he said the conditions throughout
Fife compared very favourably with those of other industrial
parts of the country. Of course, there’ were dark spots, but
Fife had a very material advantage in not being under-
crowded in conditions. What, he asked, was the problem
in Fife? It was not housing, and it was not wages, for
there was no grinding poverty. It seemed to be this, he
said, that the miner, largely through the character of his
employment, was left very much to associate with men of
his own occupation, with the result that he tended to become
self-engrossed; in matters affecting industry, he thought
chiefly of the miner, and in matters religious his outlook
was intense but narrow. He thought nothing could be
better for the whole mining situation than that other indus-
tries' should be introduced to indicate lines on which the men
might be occupied. He could not say that as a class the
miners were indifferent to religion, and though some of them
had misgivings as to the sympathy of the Church with
them in some of their aspirations, that attitude was being
modified. He mentioned that about one-third of the Fife
miners were with the Colours.—The Bev. T. B. Nicholson,
Dunfermline, said that, in fairness to the coal companies,
they had done a vast deal to improve the housing condi-
tions. In some cases they had pulled down rows of old
houses, and replaced them with tidy buildings. He con-
gratulated the Fife Coal Company on what they had done in
that direction, and suggested that the companies might yet
do more regarding the selection of tenants and lodgers. He
thought the miners .also, through their union leaders, for
whom he had nothing but a good word to say, might do
more to improve the whole life of the miner.

A serious explosion of gas occurred in the Bankhead
section of No. 3 Fauld Head Colliery, Kirkconnel, on
Thursday, the 10th inst., whereby one miner, Duncan
Brodie, was killed, and another man, William Blair, was
seriously burned. Another miner, William G-rierson, was
also burned about the face and arms, but his condition is
not serious. Fortunately, the other men in the section
managed to make good their escape by way of the return
air course.

Mr. David Todd, who for the past few years has been in
the employment of the Banknock Coal Company as one of
their managers in the Dennyloanhead district, has received
an appointment as manager at Auchlochan Colliery,
Lesmahagow. Mr. Todd has had good results in Denny-
loanhead district, and that notwithstanding the well known
difficulties of the field.

The Bosewell No. 1 Colliery Bescue Brigade, which was
quite recently equipped by the Lothian Coal Company
Limited, has just emerged with the maximum percentage of
narks from a series of tests with the Meco apparatus. Mr.
C. Bichardson, the captain of the team, has already been
recognised by the trustees of the Carnegie Hero Fund for
life saving.

The Pirnrigg Colliery, in the Slamannan district of
Stirlingshire, has been re-opened. Boring operations are
also proceeding at Arnloss, but, like the other collieries in
the neighbourhood, it cannot be anything in the nature of a
large undertaking, as the coal is merely a portion left from

the-old workings. Not until the seams at a greater depth
are tapped will there be a prospect of mining on a large
scale.

The mine at South Craigend, Stirlingshire, has been
re-started, after having been idle for several months. At
the present time only two machine runs are going, and any
increase in the output or development will to a great extent
depend on the supply of labour to be found in the district.

Mr. Christopher Bocks, Hamilton, who has received a
commission in the 6th Scottish Bifles, worked as a miner
until a few years ago, when he was appointed checkweigh-
man at Cadzow Colliery, Hamilton. He has been a member
of the executive of the Lanarkshire Miners’ Union for the
past four years. Lieut. Bocks served in the South African
War, and at the close of hostilities joined the South
African Police.

During the present week a deputation of the Fife and
Clackmannan coal owners have been in .London in connec-
tion with the restrictions which have recently been made
regarding the export of coal. Meanwhile, the arrangement
is that coal can only be exported under a certificate granted
by a committee set up for the purpose. Under such a
system, unless the members of the committee are men of
practical experience, and prepared to take a broad and
commonsense view of any difficulties which may arise, havoc
will be done to the exporting districts. The export trade,
means so much to Fife and Clackmannan that neither owners
nor miners can afford to sit quietly by and see the restrictions
made too rigid and severe.

Ireland.

Development of Peat Bogs.

In the House of Commons, on June 9, Mr. Ginnell asked
the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ire-
land) why the Department had not exercised their statutory
power of buying and developing some of the Irish peat bogs
for a useful industry now becoming necessary; and if he
would state the estimated cost delivered in Ireland of the
requisite machinery.—Mr. Birrell said the price of
machinery for the manufacture of improved peat fuel—
dealing with an output of 4,000 tons per annum—delivered
in Ireland would be about £1,250. That price did not
include the erection of the machinery, sheds, rails, trucks,
and drainage of bog. Including the above items, a capital
sum of about £3,500 would be necessary for the starting
of such an industry, but this sum would not include the cost
of purchase of the bog. The Department have given very
careful consideration to the methods in use on the Continent
for the manufacture of peat by means of machinery. Their
enquiries had led to the conclusion that, owing to the
different conditions existing in Ireland, the same methods
would not, generally speaking, be applicable to this country
for the production of peat for domestic purposes. Arrange-
ments were made for the Department’s representatives to
investigate, in August 1914, the results of the working of a
new type of German machine reported to give better results
than those previously in use, but the outbreak of hostilities
interfered with this enquiry. So far, hand-made turf is
much cheaper to manufacture in Ireland than the machine-
made product. The Department are drawing the attention
of those engaged in the peat-cutting industry to the impor-
tance of cutting as much as much as possible during the
present season. The Department do not propose to pur-
chase any peat areas.

A decree of £10 Is. 3d. with costs, and £3 witnesses’
expenses, was given recently at Newry Quarter Sessions, in
a claim for £40 by Messrs. Wallace Bros. Limited, coal
merchants, Dublin, against the Newry and Provincial Coal
Company for alleged breach of contract. It appeared that
in December 1913, during the labour troubles, Messrs.
Wallace ordered coal to be sent by defendants to various
customers in the south of Ireland, and in one case delivery
was refused on the ground of quality, and that a claim
against the consignee was dismissed. The defence was that
the coal was of sound quality when despatched.

LABOUR AND WAGES.

Recruiting in Coal Mining Districts.

Beplying to Sir C. Kinloch-Cooke, in the House of
Commons on June 13, Mr. Tennant said there had been no
representation either from the Home Office or the Board
of Trade or from any responsible body connected with the
coal mining industry that would lead the Army Council to
suppose that all further recruiting in coal mining districts
generally should now cease. The coal mines in South
Wales which supply the Navy have been for some time
closed to recruiting. Sir J. Simon also stated that action
under the recommendation of the Departmental Committee
in regard to the suspension of the Eight Hours Act was
being considered.

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

The conference of miners’ delegates held at Cardiff on
Tuesday, was fully representative, and sat under the presi-
dency of Mr. James Winstone, temporary holder of the
office owing to the appointment of Mr. Brace, M.P., as
Under-Secretary in the Home Department. Beferring to
this, Mr. Winstone said he regarded the selection of their
president as an honour conferred upon the mining com-
munity as a whole, and an indication of the Government’s
desire for hearty co-operation in this unprecedented crisis
in the history of the country. The duties of president had
been thrust upon himself at a time when there were very
delicate negotiations with the employers ; and with regard
to the deadlock that had arisen respecting a new Conciliation
Board agreement, he considered that it would be a national
crime to have a stoppage of South Wales collieries at the
present time. Should such a calamity take place, how-
ever, the responsibility would rest upon the owners; He
then described the proceedings at the previous meeting of
the Conciliation Board, and stated that the miners’ repre-
sentatives had been bound by the decision of the previous
delegates’ conference, not being able to modify the
demands except with the consent of the whole body; and
he said that it was ’for the-conference of that day to con-
sider what further steps should be taken.

Discussion followed; and the delegates were unanimously
of opinion that they should adhere to their demands, which
they considered to be reasonable. Not one speaker sug-
gested any modification. There was, however, strong feeling
that the settlement should be arrived at by negotiation
between employers and men, without any outside interven-
tion. The non-unionist question was mentioned, but inas-
much as the conference had been summoned specially to

deal with that of negotiation upon the agreement, the non-
unionist difficulty was ruled out of order. Over 133,000
members were represented by 268 delegates; and a vote of*
thanks was given to Mr. Wiinstone for his speech.

The resolution of the conference was an expression of
astonishment and dissatisfaction at the refusal of the
employers to negotiate during the war; and the conference
declined to accept any responsibility for stoppage of work
which might take place as the result. It re-affirmed a con-
viction that the proposals submitted for the new agreement
were “ pre-eminently reasonable, and such as can be con-
ceded by the coal owners apart from the inflated coal prices
caused by their taking advantage of the war.” The men’s
representatives were authorised to hold themselves ready
for continuing negotiations upon the proposals, and the
executive council of the Federation was asked to take into
consideration the advisability of issuing to the lodges copies
of the minutes of proceedings at the last two meetings of
the Conciliation Board held to discuss the revision of the
agreement.

The real difficulty of both sides has not been emphasised
so fully and clearly as to enable judgment to be arrived at.
The demands made upon the owners involve very heavy
addition to the working costs; and in view of the fact that,
notwithstanding present high prices, special difficulties have
to be faced involving a great reduction of profits, very much
of current adverse criticism of the employers’ attitude is
subject- to drastic discount. It has. been shown that the
reduction of output due to enlistments adds very greatly to
the cost of production just at a time when the price of pit-
wood and every other requisite for the colliery working has
enormously advanced; and also that market quotations do
not represent the actual prices that the coal owners are
getting for the bulk of their output. Mr. T. Bichards,
M.P. (general secretary of the South Wales Federation), is
• submitting a motion to the House of Commons to'get the
actual prices paid by the Admiralty for South Wales coal,
and these in themselves should prove an eye-opener to many
who think that the greater part of the output is being sold
at 35s. to 40s. a ton, simply because market quotations run
up to that figure. Another point is that, in arranging any
agreement, due regard must necessarily be had to what will
happen at the end of the war. If, as is generally under-
stood, the quantities going to the Admiralty and our Allies
are at the rate of between 15 to 20 millions of tons per
annum, the certainty of almost immediate stoppage of this
demand, and consequent flooding of the market, will bring
down prices rapidly; and, in addition, colliers returning
from the Army will be seeking employment in the pits, and
thus adding enormously to the output. It is in view of
these circumstances, however much they may be modified,
that the employers have to face the demands the men are
now making; demands which have been set forth in full, but
may briefly be indicated as : the establishment of a new
minimum wage rate of 65 per cent, above the present stan-
dard (an advance of 30 per cent, on the present minimum);
the abolition of the maximum ; the payment of 6 turns for 5
(which in one colliery alone is understood to involve a differ-
ence of £40,000 per annum in the wages bill); and, further,
the establishment of a higher standard for the day wage
men, and certain minor alterations all tending in the direc-
tion of increasing cost.

To some extent the workmen are faced with equal diffi-
culty, for (as has been pointed out) if they , accede to the
employers’ request, and postpone negotiation for a new
agreement until the end of the war, they would have to
enter upon a discussion in face of a market where prices
were rapidly falling, and of a huge influx of labour by the
return of men; and this at a time when, owing to the non-
membership of new employees brought into the pits during
the war, the difficulty of non-unionism would be intensified.

Both parties have also the grave question of fixing a
selling price which should be equivalent to the new
minimum. The whole matter bristles with difficulties, and
■it is not surprising to find that whilst the miners’ conference
repudiated in advance any idea of outside interference, there
is a general call for prompt intervention by the Board of
Trade.

The Ebbw Vale district of miners was addressed on
Saturday, 12th inst., by Coun. Evan Davies, who said that
in the negotiations for a new agreement the men had a
great moral factor in their favour for compelling the owners
to discuss the points at issue. This was that the Midland
Counties coal owners had made a new agreement with their
men. He advised the colliers to press on, for at the end
the Government would step in and tell one side of the other
that they must settle, and he believed the coal owners would
be the men to whom the Government would say it.

The Tylorstown miners in the Bhondda Valley have
decided to, conduct “ show cards ” from June 21 and for 14
subsequent days, as part of a vigorous non-unionist cam-
paign which is being initiated.

The Enginemen and Stokers’ Association held a confer-
ence to consider the question of the proposed new agreement,
delegates being present also representing surface craftsmen.
Having failed to obtain representation on the Conciliation
Board, members of this organisation had to consider two
proposals which were brought forward :—(1) That their
constituents should continue as hitherto, namely, be included
in the new agreement without having any representation on
the Conciliation Board; and (2) that they should endeavour
to establish a joint board with the coal owners. The latter
proposal was adopted by 59 votes to 49. After the delegate
conference a meeting of the executive council of the associa-
tion was held to decide upon what steps should be taken for
carrying out the decision as to obtaining a joint board with
the owners.

At the Glenavon Collieries, Blaengarw, the hauliers
stopped work last week because they had been desired
to shackle the trams between the partings. Their conten-
tion was that it was not customary for them to do this work,
and the company must either employ a shackler, or pay the
hauliers for their extra duty. They state that on their
refusal to carry out orders they were told to leave the work-
ings, and this they characterised as a virtual lock-out.

The non-unionist trouble reached a crisis at the Lewis-
Merthyr Collieries at Trehafod, when notices which had been
tendered on May 31 took effect, and the men ceased work,
refusing to work with non-unionists. Over 4,000 were
affected. On Sunday a full meeting of the men was held,
and it w’as resolved to work on day-to-day contracts, and to
hold “ show cards ” outside the pit to prevent non-unionists
working. On Monday, however, wiser counsels prevailed,
and the men expressed their intention of allowing a full
resumption of work, and to take strong action of another
type to secure the membership of those who are at present
outside the Federation.