August 6, 1915.

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THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

283

INDIAN AND COLONIAL NOTES.

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India.

The mining officials of the Assam Bailways and Trading
Company Limited, Assam, India, made a presentation to
Mr. G. 0. Webster, colliery superintendent, on June 29, at
the Ledo Club. Mr. Webster received a handsome dressing
case, and Mrs. Webster a silver bag. Mr. Webster is leaving
the services of the above company to take up the position of
consulting mining engineer to Messrs. F. W. Heilgers and
Company, Calcutta. His position in. Assam will be taken by
Mr. G. E. Hines, at present manager of the Tikak Collieries.

bibpur School of Mines.—At a recent meeting of the com-
mittee of the Indian Mining Association, the chief inspector
of mines referred to the steadily improving School of Mines
at bibpur, and explained the nature of the mining instruction
given there and the results obtained. He felt no doubt that
tne best results from such an institution, so far as mining
was concerned, could only be got if it were open to students
from all parts of India, as this allowed a wide field from
which to recruit a good type of employee, and he agreed that
a larger supply of better men would be needed in the near
future. As a result of a general discussion which took place
it was agreed that evening classes should be developed, and
a suitable system of apprenticeship evolved which would
produce the proper recruit wanted by the industry. It was
further agreed that the need for more and better recruits
was urgent, and that every assistance should be given to
endeavours which aimed in that direction. Begarding the
suggestion that the Indian Mining Association should con-
tribute Bs. 50,000 towards the non-recurring expenditure
connected with the proposals, it was agreed that Government
should be asked to pay the entire initial cost, as this would
be expended chiefly in buildings which would, after all, be
the property of Government.

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Africa.

Coal Production in May.—During May the 57 active
collieries in the Union mined 865,473 tons of coal, of which
711,792 tons, valued at £182,276, were sold, prices showing
a fractional rise as compared with the previous month. The
sales in the various provinces were as follow :—Transvaal,
449,205 tons (4s. 5-41d. per ton); Cape, 3,335 tons (Ils. 0-7d.
per ton); Orange Free State, 62,097 tons (5s. 2-65d. per ton);
Natal, 197,155 tons (6s. 6*21d. per ton).

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Australia.

Coal Production in 1914.—The complete report of the
New South Wales Department of Mines, covering
the operations during 1914, has now been issued.
It shows that the output of coal for New South Wales
for the 12 months was 10,390,622 tons, valued at £3,737,761,
which is a decrease of 23,543 tons and £32,614 in value as
compared with the year 1913. It is gratifying to note that,
despite the fact that several of the large collieries in the Mait-
land district did not work for seven months, owing to the
afternoon shift strike, and notwithstanding the effects of the
war on the coal trade, the total output is so little below that
of the previous year.

Fines for Strikers.—The total amount of fines imposed on
strikers, officers of the Federation, and others concerned in
the second shift strike at the South Maitland coal mines was
£4,588. No portion of the amount, says our Sydney corre-
spondent, has yet been paid, and the Minister for Labour and
Industry now states that an application for the remission of
the penalties is under consideration. No wonder that the
Labour Government is popular, so far as the coal mines are
concerned.

Shortage of Explosives.—The shortage of explosives is
being felt at most of the New South Wales coal mining
centres; each week several collieries are thrown idle through
this cause.

Important New Undertaking.—Coal Limited has been
registered, with a capital of £300,000, the provisional direc-
tors being Messrs. Austin Chapman, M.H.B., C. B.
Woodbill, A. Baxter, W. J. Toohey, and J. Evans. The
new company takes over from the provisional Coal Limited
a large area of leasehold at the back of Illawarra, some
1,600 acres of freehold, and also leaseholds in the vicinity
of Jervis Bay, a point with considerable, if not very imme-
diate, prospects as the port of the Federal capital.

N.S.W. Gas Coal.—The chief gas examiner has erected a
coal testing plant to test the gas producing qualities of New
South Wales coals. The plant comprises a complete model
gasworks capable of dealing with samples of coal equal to
1/1000 part of a ton, tests will be made and certificates issued
as to the properties of the same.

Canada.

Nova Scotia Coal Trade during the Half Year.—Our
Sydney (C.B.) correspondent writes :—The production of the
coal mines of Nova Scotia during the first half of 1915 was
approximately 430,000 tons below that of the corresponding
half of 1914. A comparison of the output of the large
producers is as follows :—

First half 1914. First half 1915.

Tons.

Dominion Coal Co......... 2,454,000
Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Co. 396,000
Acadia Coal Co........... 207,000
Inverness Coal Co......... 126,000
Intercolonial Coal Co.....	107,000

Other companies .........	143,000

Tons.

2,274,000
256,000
144,000
103,000
90,000
140,000

3,433,000	... 3,007,000

About 82 per cent, of the tonnage comes from the Cape
Breton collieries. The percentage in the two periods is the
same. The decrease so far recorded this year follows a
decrease of 600,000 tons during the 12 months of 1914, when
compared with the 12 months of 1913. The decrease in
production is entirely attributable to the lessened activity
of the steel-making industry, as evidenced by the almost
exact coincidence of the decrease in outputs from the mines
with the decrease in the quantity of coal coked for blast
furnace use. The demand for manufacturing and domestic
coal has remained firm, and there has been considerable
activity in steamship bunker trade, as many of the steamers
engaged in transatlantic service are taking double bunker
supplies in Canadian ports. The improvement in the steel
trade arising out of the manufacture of munitions is now
having a favourable effect on the coal industry. Although
the first half of the year has shown a considerable decrease
in coal production, the demand has now so far improved
that it is probable the total coal production for the current
year will closely approach that of 1914.

The Cape Breton Coal, Iron and Bailway Company have
suspended operations, and it is not probable that these will
be resumed until after the close of the war. The supply of
labour for the mines has been considerably reduced by
enlistment, both for the British forces and the armies of the
Allies. The Dominion Coal Company, for example, has lost
over one thousand employees, about half of this number
having joined the Canadian overseas contingents and other
branches of the British forces. The other half is composed
of Frenchmen, Belgians, Italians, Bussians and other
nationalities who were reservists. There has not yet been
any large exodus of Italian reservists, as all the classes have
not been called up.

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LABOUR AND WAGES.

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

The committee which has been appointed to settle details
of the new agreement between employers and employed has
had several meetings, but as yet a definite conclusion on all
points has not been reached. An unexpected development
took place at their meeting on Wednesday, when the question
of an advance of wages was raised from the men’s side, and
it was decided to bring the matter before the Conciliation
Board next week. Matters at issue as to detail and the
new agreement will be ultimately referred to the Board of
Trade nominee.

To the anthracite miners’ monthly meeting, on Saturday,
it was reported that a misunderstanding existed concerning
the old claim of the lost 5 per cent., and that the members
of the sub-committee drafting the new agreement differed
widely in their ideas on the matter, employers’ representa-
tives and those of the workmen being at variance. In all
probability the issue raised will have to be decided by the
independent chairman. Nearly 16,000 anthracite men were
represented in Saturday’s meeting. A further subject of
discussion was the stoppage at Henllys Colliery, which has
now lasted two months, the dispute having relation to fixed
allowances. This matter was referred to the agents.
Wernos Colliery men, 250 in number, were granted permis-
sion to tender notices because of some difficulty which has
arisen as to their conveyance to and from the colliery.

The Colliery Enginemen, Stokers and Craftsmen’s
Association, at a meeting on the 30th ult., drafted proposals
to be placed before the coal owners in respect of their wage
rate. These provide that all men employed in mechanical
departments who are at present receiving a standard rate
below 3s. 4d. per shift should be advanced to 3s. 4d., and
the standard should be raised by 50 per cent, and an
additional 10 per cent, added to this. This proposal brings
the men referred to up to a level with the colliers’ minimum,
although not to their actual wage rate. The second proposal
was that all men now receiving 3s. 4d. per shift and above
should be given a bonus of 4d. per day, and that the standard
should be raised by 50 per cent., with an addition of 10 per
cent. The third proposal was that a bonus turn be paid
each week to all men employed in the afternoon and night
shifts. Here, again, the suggestion is for a levelling up with
the colliers. Another proposal was that all men employed on
12-hour shifts should have their shifts reduced to eight hours.

Later in the day the association representatives had an
interview with the coal owners under the chairmanship of
Mr. T. H. Deakin, and a promise was made to the men that
the proposals should have early consideration, and that
whatever arrangements were come to should be retrospective.

Further trouble with the tippers at Swansea developed on
the 30th ult because of the new system of ‘ ‘ working round ’ ’
introduced by the men; and five tips were idle. An
emergency meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was called,
and it was decided, in view of the urgency, to telegraph to
the Board of Trade and the Ministry of Munitions. The
serious nature of the position was emphasised, and a sugges-
tion was made that work should be continued while
negotiations were entered into. It was pointed out that the
trade of the port was being seriously hindered, and that the
disputes were between the men themselves, neither the
Chamber nor the shippers being parties; also that the
stoppage at the docks occasioned idleness at the collieries,
with restrictions of output needed for the munition factories
as well as for shipment; steamers being detained as well.

The Western District of Miners have resolved to take
“ definite and drastic action ” regarding non-unionists
during the current month. They discussed the matter at
the monthly meeting of delegates in Swansea, on Saturday,
and resolved that each lodge should send full returns to the
central office. Beference was made to the fact that the
working terms—arranged with the Government—applied
only to federationists, this being regarded as an additional
reason for bringing outsiders within the ranks, seeing that
employers might refuse to pay the new scale to non-unionists.

North of England.

During last month, according to the returns from 45 steam
coal collieries in Northumberland, the average number of
days worked per week was 5'25, as compared with 5’26 days
per week worked in June, whilst at 25 household coal pits
the average was 5’23 days per week, as compared with 5’36
days. The average for both classes of collieries was 5’24
days per week, as compared with 5’29 days weekly in June.

The joint committee of the Northumberland Coal Trade
has had under consideration a claim from Eltringham work-
men that broken wall yard price should be paid, viz., Is. 2d.
per yd., as per agreement, instead of headways lift prices
to certain workmen in Six-Quarter seam. The committee
has decided that, when the men are instructed by the
management to drive a narrow place over headways way,
and where the distance to the goaf is three yards or more,
Is. 2d. per yd. should be paid.

“ Unconstitutional and illegal attempts by coal owners
and agents to induce workmen to violate everything that
trade unionism stands for ” is how, in a circular to the
branches, Mr. William Straker, corresponding secretary of
the Northumberland Miners’ Association, describes the vain
efforts of colliery companies to assist the country by increas-
ing the output of coal. The point has arisen as a result
of a notice which was posted by the agent to the Cramlington
Coal Company, towards the end of last week, informing the
men that the pit would be open on Bank Holiday for all
who desired to work on that day. The matter has been
brought before the executive committee of the Miners’
Association, and the circular issued as the result. It states
that no application to abandon any of the recognised county
holidays has been received from the Coal Owners’ Associa-
tion, and informs the men that they ought not to forfeit
any holidays in the absence of an agreement between their
association and the owners. The same thing, Mr. Straker

says, applies to the suspension of the Eight Hours Act. He
has now written a protest to the agent to the Cramlington
Coal Company.

At the request of Mr. John Wadsworth, M.P., secretary
of the Yorkshire Miners’ Association, Mr. Wm. Straker
has circularised the branches pointing out that complaints
are being made of miners going from Northumberland and
Durham to Yorkshire collieries where disputes are pending,
and asks members to make enquiries through the Burt Hall
before accepting work at Yorkshire collieries or at other
collieries in any other district.

Northumberland deputies were conceded a wages advance
of l|d. per day, making their wages 8s. Id. per day, on
Saturday last. The colhery mechanics were awarded 2|d.
per day. In each instance it was agreed that, should the
Northumberland miners’ contention that they are entitled to
a further advance of 11 per cent, be upheld, the increase now
granted would be revised.

The miners at Shildon Lodge Colliery have decided to
discontinue their subscriptions to the Prince of Wales’ Fund
as a protest against the alleged refusal of the management to
abide by the Minimum Wage Act.

Federated Area.

The Notts Miners’ Association at its meeting on Saturday
passed a resolution appointing the executive committee as a
board to settle all disputes in the county during the war.
This decision was arrived at in consequence of a communica-
tion from Mr. T. Ashton, secretary of the Miners’ Federation
of Great Britain, recommending all districts to set up
machinery for the settlement of all disputes while the war
lasts on the lines of the pledge given to Mr. Lloyd George.
It was announced that the ballot taken at the Babbington
Colliery on the question of terminating contracts with a view
to compelling non-unionists to join the association was in
favour of that step being taken, and it was left to Mr. J. G.
Hancock, M.P. (the agent) and the local committee to
arrange when notices should be given in. It was agreed
that a levy of 6d. per member be made as early as possible
in order to enable an increased sum to be given to the
members in receipt of old age pensions on account of the
present high cost of living.

The Lancashire and Cheshire miners’ delegates to the
National Coal Conference met in London on Friday last to
consider the position of the coal trade and the requirements
of the country in the present emergency. It was
unanimously resolved :—“ That this meeting recognises the
great responsibility devolving upon coal miners and coal
owners to do all they can to maintain the output of coal as
high as possible in the interest of the nation as well for
needs of our people at home as for our land and sea forces,
and pledges itself to use all possible efforts in discharging
such responsibility. It desires most earnestly to impress you
miners with the necessity of reducing the percentage of
absenteeism to the lowest possible limit, and receives with
gratification the categorical assurance of the Home Secretary
that any changes in the working arrangements at mines,
local or otherwise, shall be for the period of war only, to be
restored intact to workmen upon its conclusion.”

A very serious view is being taken of the neglect of work
by miners in the North Staffordshire coal field. According
to arrangement, all collieries in the district were reopened
on Wednesday after the holidays, but only a small proportion
of the men returned to work, and at a number of the
collieries the men were insufficient to work the pits, and no
coal could be drawn. Dr. Frank Shufflebotham referred in
serious terms to the responsibility of the miners in a speech
at Newcastle-under-Lyme. He said that munitions were
being largely made in North Staffordshire, and munition
factories were dependent upon the miners for coal. It had
been stated, and it had not been contradicted, that 30 per
cent, of the miners engaged in the North Staffordshire coal
field were absenting themselves from work. He did not
say they were all slackers and shirkers, but he did say a
very large percentage need not be absent. He begged the
miners to realise what was their responsibility in this great
contest.

Iron, Steel and Engineering Trades.

According to the certificate of the accountants to the Board
of Conciliation and Arbitration for the Manufactured Iron
and Steel Trades of the North of England, the average net
selling price of iron rails, plates, bars, and angles for the
two months ending June was £7 19s. 7*47d., as compared
with £7 11s. 10-41d. for the previous two months, and under
sliding scale arrangements wages for the months of August
and September are advanced by 6d. per ton on puddling and
5 per cent, on all other forge and mill work. The produc-
tion of manufactured iron for the two months ending June
was 8,508 tons. During the first six months of the year the
output amounted to 26,080 tons, as against 26,573 tons for
the corresponding period of 1914. The selling price—
£7 19s. 7d.—exceeds the boom prices of 1913, which up to
that period were the highest known to the trade since 1907.

According to the report of the accountants to the Midland
Iron and Steel Wages Board, which controls iron workers’
wages in North and South Staffordshire, Shropshire, Lanca-
shire, etc., the sales of iron made by the 17 selected firms in
May and June amounted to 31,291 tons, and the average net
selling price was £8 10s. 9d. per ton, which shows an increase
of 14s. 3d. over the figures for the previous two months. The
net price for the corresponding period of 1914, before hostili-
ties had begun, was £6 15s. 9d. Not since 1900 has such a
high average net price been recorded as that for May and
June last. In accordance with the sliding scale arrange-
ments, the wages for puddling during August and September
will be 10s. 9d. per ton, and all other mill and forge wages
will be advanced 7| per cent. In addition to the puddling
rate of 10s. 9d. per ton, under the sliding scale arrangements
there is an allowance of 6s. per ton given to the puddlers by
resolution of the Board in 1912, making the total puddling
rate 11s. 3d. per ton.

The North Lincolnshire iron workers have received a
further substantial increase in wages. This has been brought
about under the sliding scale agreement, dated September
1913, on the selling price of iron realised at makers’ works
for May, June, and July, 1915. Under this the whole of
the workers engaged in the production of pig iron in North
Lincolnshire will receive an increase of 4 per cent., making
a total of Ilf per cent, above the standard. The new scale
will continue in vogue during August, September, and
October.

Messrs. James C. Bishop and James Gavin, joint secre-
taries of the Scottish Manufactured Iron Trade Conciliation
and Arbitration Board, have received an intimation from Mr.
John M. MacLeod. C.A., Glasgow, that he has examined
the employers’ books for May and June 1915, and certifies
the average net selling price brought out as £7 16s. 9’61d.
per ton. This means an increase of 5 per cent, in the wages
of the workmen.