THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

337

August 13, 1915.

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receive, but, sad to say, he is gone, as he was in the company
fitted out for a clearance hospital somewhere in France.
Crawford spent a lot of time in the Y.M.C.A., and he was
with the colonel some time.”

The Wigan Coal and Iron Company has informed the
Rochdale Town Council that the price for discharging gas
fuel from their shoots was being increased from 2d. to 3d.
per ton.

The clerk to the Atherton District Council has been
instructed to write to the Hulton Colliery Company
Limited to complain of the continued pollution of North-
road Brook, and of the expense the Council are being put
to in clearing out the catch-pit.

It is now stated that the Lancashire and Cheshire Miners’
Federation have decided to co-operate with the coal owners
in the Lancashire and Cheshire coal fields in providing money
for the purchase of an ambulance convoy at a cost of £35,000.

Mr. Austin Twist, son of Mr. J. Twist, Halefield-street,
St. Helens, has just been married to Miss M. A. Bridge,
daughter of Mr. Alec Bridge, of Downall Green-road, Bryn.
Among the presents received was a chiming clock from the
directors and staff of the Sutton Heath and Lea Green
collieries.

At the monthly meeting of the Wigan Town Council last
week, Alderman Cheetham said the Sewage Disposal Com-
mittee had received a letter from the Rose Bridge and
Douglas Bank Collieries Company Limited giving notice of
their intention to commence working after the 2nd inst.
an area of Pemberton 4 ft. and 5 ft. coal under the land
forming part of the Pemberton Sewage Farm.

A short discussion took place at a meeting of the Salford
Town Council last week upon the question of accepting a
tender for coal required at the sewage works at a cost
of approximatqjy £6,400. Coun. P. Hampson* wanted to
know whether the committee concerned had taken into
account the powers given under the Coal Act, and'Coun.
Mather replied that the committee would give consideration
to the point. Coun. Bratherton pointed out that the Act
was not passed until the contract had been let, whereupon
Coun. Clift said that as a matter of fact the contract was
not let until it had passed the Council at that meeting.
Eventually it was decided to refer the matter back for the
consideration of the committee.

A somewhat similar discussion took place at a meeting of
the Darwen Town Council on the 5th inst., upon the resolu-
tion that the common seal of the borough be affixed to certain
contracts with collieries and coal firms for the supply of
coal. The suggestion was made that in view of the new
Act it would be wise not to seal these documents at present,
and a somewhat protracted discussion ensued as to whether
the contracts were binding or not, in the absence of the
common seal. The town clerk explained that the tenders
had been accepted by the gas committee, and the Council
had sanctioned the acceptance of the tender. A formal
contract had not been entered into, that was all, and it was
thought advisable not to enter into it until the new Bill
came out. They did not want to run away from the con-
tracts. Contracts for large sums like the present ought to
be under the seal. Coun. Holden said the contract was just
as binding whether sealed or not.—The Town Clerk said
they must understand there was now a new Act.—Aid.
Carus remarked that if they did not seal contracts, the
bargains were off from either side.—The Town Clerk : I do
not think so.—Coun. Duxbury : I take it that at the back
of declining to seal contracts it implies whether we are not
bound to these people for the contracts. That being so,
suppose they look at it in that way and withdraw their
tenders altogether, what is our position?—The Mayor (Aid.
Cocker) said they did not want to deal unfairly with the
suppliers, and Coun. Duxbury said he did not think it
would make the slightest difference.—The Mayor : We have
entered into an agreement, and we cannot honourably get
out.of it whether sealed or not. We are taking delivery.—Aid.
John Tomlinson said the Act would be available for them
presently, and they must leave the matter until they saw
what powers were conveyed by the measure. This course
was adopted.

North Wales.

Mr. R. Yates, late assistant at the Brynkinalt Collieries,
has been gazetted second-lieutenant in the Royal Engineers,
and has left for France with a party of tunnellers from
Chatham.

Mr. Thomas Davies, of Ruabon, has gained a first-class
colliery manager’s certificate, and has been appointed as
manager of the Wynnstay Collieries, Ruabon, in place of
Mr. E. T. Davies, who recently resigned in order to go to
the Brynkinalt- Collieries, near Chirk.

Notts and Derbyshire.

Liquidation of an Iron Company.

Meetings of creditors of the Renishaw Iron Company
Limited and Appleby and Company Limited, iron founders,
Renishaw, which concerns are in voluntary liquidation, were
held on Friday last. A statement was submitted indicating
that, subject to realisation, the estate showed a surplus over
liabilities. The failure of the companies was attributed to
the war, which, whilst benefiting the steel trade, had operated
greatly to the disadvantage of the classes of iron made at
Renishaw, with the result that it had been impossible in
selling prices to cover the heavy increases in the cost of pro-
duction. The meeting was adjourned to enable the managing
director to confer with the debenture holders with reference
to the sale of the concerns in the best interests of the
creditors.

The Midlands.

Shortage of Timber in South Staffs—Consumers Pressing
for Supplies.

In common with the rest of the country, the Black Country
is suffering from a shortage of timber. The district is more
liable to those unaccountable “ slips ” which cause so many
accidents than most coal fields, and the owners are placed in
such a position that old wooden canal boats are being pur-
chased and broken up for “ trees.” The situation in this
respect is one of great difficulty. The idea of using iron pipes
in place of timber does not seem to have commended itself to
colliery proprietors.

Colliery owners and merchants in the South Staffordshire
district and Warwickshire alike express themselves as puzzled
by the provisions of the new Price of Coal (Limitation) Act,
and quite unable to gauge its effect upon prices. A reduction
of Is. or so per ton is notified at some collieries, but such

instances are exceptional. It is the short supply of coal
which has driven prices up so high. At the Warwickshire
and Cannock Chase collieries, consumers consent to pay
premiums varying* from Is. 6d. to 2s. 6d. per ton in excess
of the current nominal rates, if only coal masters will under-
take to make delivery within, say, seven or 10 days from date
of order. Pit head prices for forge lump coal at the South
Staffordshire collieries are 15s. to 16s. per ton, deep lumps
20s., seconds 14s. and 15s., and rough slack 10s. 6d. to
12s. 6d. per ton. Coal owners criticise .the Price of Coal
(Limitation) Act as likely to curtail production, both at the
Warwickshire and Black Country collieries, and therefore as
probably defeating its own object, while inflicting hardship
upon the colliery proprietor. Costs in wages, timber, and
powder have advanced so heavily of late that it is argued the
Government have had insufficient consideration for owners in
the recent step which they have taken.

Somersetshire.

The 24th annual distribution of prizes to the successful
students in the mining instruction classes held under the
Somerset County Council, was successfully held at Chewton
Mendip, through the invitation of the Right Hon. Lord
and the Countess Waldegrave. The students and friends,
numbering about 180, were entertained to tea. Subse-
quently a meeting was held, presided over by the Right Hon.
Lord Waldegrave. The Countess Waldegrave also delivered
a speech, at the close of which her ladyship presented the
prizes to the successful students.

Kent.

Tilmanstone Finance.

The East Kent Colliery (Tilmanstone mine) shareholders
who subscribed for over £50,000 worth of the new second
debenture stock, have been circularised by Prof. Galloway,
chairman of the directors, and Mr. J. J. Clark, chairman of
the shareholders’ committee, with regard to a hitch in the
new capital arrangements. The first debenture holders would
not accept the scheme approved in June, and negotiations
have since been proceeding with them, as a result of which
they have agreed, with certain modifications, to accept the
scheme. The modified scheme is now submitted to the second
debenture subscribers for their approval.

Scotland.

Developments in Stirlingshire.

Mr. Henry Rowan, colliery manager, Cowdenbeath, has
received a telegram stating that his second son, Sec. Lieut.
G. Rowan, 1-7th Black Watch, has been wounded in France,
where he went only last week.

For a number of months past boring operations have been
going on to the south of Camelon on the Forbes Estate,
Stirlingshire. The intention is to open up the coal field here
by driving a mine from the surface, with the object of
tapping the main coal, and it is further intended to extend
the operations by sinking two shafts. The coal field is <
situated to the south of the main line, between Edinburgh
and Glasgow. The field is practically a new one, as no -
coal production has been carried on in the district since the
Carmuirs Colliery was closed. The company are presently
making good progress with the mine, and as the boring
operations recently carried out were reported to be of a
satisfactory nature, in a very short time the colliery will be
giving employment to a number of miners and other workers.

___________________________

Shipments of Bunker Coals. — The quantity of coal, etc.,
shipped for the use of steamers engaged in the foreign trade
during July was 1,098,877 tons, as against 1,919,433 tons in
July 1914, and 1,883,676 tons in July 1913. The aggregate
so shipped during the six months ending July 31 was
8,499,198 tons, as compared with 12,101,590 tons and
11,970,713 tons in the corresponding periods respectively of
1914 and 1913.

Imports of Pit Props in July.—During July 197,736 loads
of pit props were imported into the United Kingdom, the
value being £372,261. „The imports in July last year
amounted to 357,002 loads, and the value £461,429. The
total imports during the first seven completed months of the
year were 1,282,278 loads, valued at £2,153,065, as compared
with 1,543,575 loads, valued at £1,794,026, in the corre-
sponding period of 1914.

Exports and Imports of Mining Machinery.—Imports and
exports of mining machinery during July were as follow :—

	July.		Jan.-July.	
	1914.	1915?	1914.	1915.
	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.
Imports 				103	85 .	930 ...	675
Exports 				1,536	... 1,924 .	.. 13,569 ...	10,176

The value of the imported mining machinery in July was
£6,624, as compared with £6,103; and, in the seven months,
£51,049, as compared with £61,602. These figures are not
inclusive of prime movers or electrical machinery. Accord-
ing to destination, the value of exports was as under :—

To-

Countries in Europe.....
United States of America..
Countries in S. America ..,
British South Africa ...

,. East Indies .....
Australia ..............
New Zealand ..........
Other countries ........

Total ........

July.	Jan.-July.

------------------- ---------A________

1914.	1915.	1914.	1915.

£ £ <£ £

12.421..	. 5,068...114,158... 43,201

52	— ...	739...	113

5.502..	. 1,325... 29,064... 10,189

22.710..	. 32,738... 176,134... 147,583

5.986..	. 2,725... 50,246 31,927

1.871..	.	869...	29,698... 16,520

1,000...	216...	8,082... 5,289

12.835..	. 26,115..119,210... 98,610

6 3,377... 69,056... 527,33 L... 353,432

The following shows the exports of prime movers other than
electrical :—

July.	Jan.-July.

_______
t-------A---------' i---------*— --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------'

1914.	1915.	1914.	1915.

«£ <£ £ £

Rail locomotives ....347,573...263,925...2,431,324... 1,490,895

Pumping ............. 43,586... 30,978... 312,557... 303,678

Winding ............. 1,704... 3,473...	22,466...	9,235

COAL, IRON AND ENGINEERING COMPANIES.
REPORTS AND DIVIDENDS.

Fife Coal Company Limited. — Interim dividend on the
ordinary shares at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum, free
of tax.

Fox (Samuel) and Company Limited.—The report shows a
profit for the year of £65,822, from which interest upon
debenture stock, £5,000, has to be deducted. Adding a
balance of £15,847 brought from last year, there is a total
of £76,669. Of this sum, £12,841 has been transferred to
the reserve fund. It is proposed to declare a dividend of 10
per cent, for the year, less income-tax. This, with interest
on amounts paid up on new ordinary shares to December 31,
1914, and dividend on new preference shares to June 30, 1915,
will absorb £35,109, towards which £7,500 as an interim
dividend on the original ordinary shares was paid on
February 16, leaving a balance of £28,739 to be carried for-
ward to next account. Of the 150,000 new ordinary £1
shares offered to the shareholders in June 1914, 68,000 have
been taken up, and the premium on these, £17,178, has been
carried to the reserve fund, making it, with the amount trans-
ferred as above, £140,000. The balance of the new capital
authorised was obtained by the issue of 80,000 6 per cent,
cumulative preference shares of £1 each at par, which were
applied for more than three times over.

Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds Limited.—The directors recom-
mend the payment of final dividends as follow :—On the pre-
ference shares at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum, and on
the ordinary shares at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum for
the half-year ended June 30, together with a bonus of Is. per
share on the ordinary shares, all free of income-tax.

Insoles Limited.—Profits for the year ended June 30 were
£30,692, and £4,843 was brought forward. A dividend of
10 per cent, is proposed on the ordinary shares, placing £3,000
to the debenture redemption fund, and £3,000 to the reserve,
and carrying forward £9,735.

International Coal Company Limited.—In their report for
the year ended June 30 last, the directors state that the net
profits for the 12 months amounted to £18,304 8s. 7d., which,
with the sum brought forward from the preceding year
(£2,808 9s. 8d.), leaves a total of £21,112 18s. 3d. for distri-
bution. The directors recommend that this sum be appro-
priated as follows :—Dividend of 10 per cent., less tax,
£8,500; bonus of 24 per cent., less tax, £2,125; to general
reserve, £6,500; leaving £3,987 18s. 3d. to be carried forward.
Owing to the scarcity of labour, due to workmen joining the
Army, the output of the collieries suffered materially. Steps
are being taken to improve the screening arrangements and
to instal electric plant at the colliery, with a view to effect-
ing a further saving in the cos*t of labour. The directors
regret to report the resignation by Mr. Robert T. Rees of
his seat on the directorate upon his appointment as mineral
agent to the Marquess of Bute.

Midland Railway Carriage and Wagon Company Limited.
—The directors’ report for the year 1914-15 states that owing
to the war the company has been greatly and injuriously
affected in its operations. It has experienced a large reduc-
tion in the number of its employees, and this has been accom-
panied by a considerable increase of wages to those who
remain, and a large rise in the prices of all materials. Not-
withstanding these drawbacks, there has been an improve-
ment in the results of the past year’s working, and the
accounts for the year ended June 30 last show a profit of
£28,439 14s., as compared with £24,908 Is. 5d. the previous
year. Adding the amount brought forward from last year,
£5,625 0s. 5d., there remains the sum of £34,064 14s. 5d. to
be dealt with. From this must be? deducted the sum of
£8,000 set apart for the depreciation of plant and machinery,
£781 Ils. 8d., part cost, as usual, of the issue of debentures,
and the sum of £640 14s. in reduction of the charge for
interest upon capital during construction, together with the
debenture interest amounting to £12,480, the balance .avail-
able for distribution thus being £12,162 8s. 9d., which it is
proposed to apply as follows :—Dividend on the preference
shares at the rate of 6 per cent, (free of income tax), payable
on August 18, £5,823; leaving a balance to be carried for-
ward of £6,339 8s. 9d. As the shareholders have on more
than one occasion suggested an addition to the numbers of
the board, the directors have elected Mr. George Yorke Iliffe,
one of the largest shareholders, to a seat on the board.

National Boiler and General Insurance Company Limited.
—The directors announce an interim dividend of 10s. per
share, less income-tax, for the half-year.

Snowdown Colliery Company Limited.—In their report for
the year ended March 31 last, the directors state that the
response to the issue of prior lien bonds was so small that
they could not go on with sinking the second shaft. All
they could do was to continue working the Beresford seam,
the output from which has been gradually increased from
1,200 to over 2,000 tons per week, and notwithstanding the
small quantity raised, the colliery is now being worked at a
profit. An agreement has been entered into with the parent
companies, under which they will advance to this company
the cost of sinking the No. 2 shaft to the Snowdown Hard seam
—taking prior lien bonds at par in payment—and subse-
quently at their own expense sink the same shaft to the lower
seams which are known to exist, in order to ascertain pre-
cisely their nature and extent. The expenditure in connec-
tion with the works plant, machinery, etc., for the period
under review was £50,169, and general expenses, including
interest charges, amounted to £17,372, while sales* of coal
realised £37,960.

Walker (C. and W.) Limited.—The directors have resolved
to pay an interim dividend for the six months ended July' 31
at the rate of 5| per cent, per annum, less income-tax, on
the cumulative preference shares, and on the ordinary shares
at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum, free of income-tax.

Windsor Steam Coal Company Limited.— For the year
ended June 30, profits were £42,790, and the adverse balance
brought forward was converted into a surplus of £5,772. It
is proposed to write £1,879 off issue expenses, and to carry
forward £3,893.

Workington Iron and Steel Company Limited.—A divi-
dend of 4 per cent, on the ordinary shares for the year ended
June 30 has been declared. For each of the two preceding
years the ordinary shares received 6 per cent.

Yorkshire Railway Wagon Company Limited. — The
directors have paid interim dividends of 2s. 6d. per share
on the £2 paid shares, and Is. 3d. per share on the £1 paid
shares, free of tax, or at the rate of 6| per cent.

NEW COMPANIES.

Component Munitions Limited.—Private company. Regis-
tered August 6. To carry on the business of manufacturers