424

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

March 3, 1916.

Notes from the Coal Fields.

[Local Correspondence.]

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

Railways and Local Colliery Developments-—Lord Rhondda
on the Increased Costs of Production—Unfair Incidence
of Excess Profits Tax—Freight Rates Soar Higher—
Fatal Accidents and Stoppage Custom — Colliery
Develojiments.

It is significant of the development of colliery operations
in the comparatively small field between Bridgend and
Cwmavon that the Port Talbot Bailway and Dock Company
continue to improve their property. The chairman (Gol.
■J. B. Wright) stated at the annual meeting that the deep-
water area of the docks had been greatly extended, and
there was an extension of 500 ft. of the Talbot Wharf
equipped with modern hydraulic cranes, whilst another
wharf able to deal with the growing traffic from the steel
works had been largely made use of. Three new coal con-
veyors, one of which was movable, continued to work
satisfactorily. Since the completion of the new outer lock-
gates the sluicing capacity had been greatly increased, bring-
ing about a substantial decrease in the cost of dredging the
entrance channel and maintaining its width and depth. The
larger works authorised under the 1914: Act were, of course,
still in abeyance; but the directors looked forward to putting
these and further extensions in hand when times became
normal. The extensions would be needed particularly in
view of important industrial developments at Port Talbot.

The Taff Vale Bailway Company, as explained by the
chairman at the shareholders’ meeting last week, have
not carried out all the additional work desired during the
past year; but nevertheless some important extensions have
been made to facilitate coal traffic. An additional line,
Trehafod to Porth, in the Bhondda Valley, has been com-
pleted at a cost of £5,839; and expenditures to the same end
have been made in the Aberdare and other districts, upon
Penarth branch alone £6,830 having been laid out. The
reduction in coal shipments at Penarth Dock, due to lessened
output, was as much as 846,444 tons, the figures for 1915
being 3,145,958 as compared with 3,992,402 in the preceding
year.

One of the shareholders in the Brecon and Merthyr
Bailway Company complained at the annual meeting
that a comparatively new colliery had been opened in the
district, and traffic that might have been secured for
their line had gone elsewhere. The chairman (Mr. W.
Bailey Hawkins) said there was a misapprehension. They
had gentlemen on the board that were connected with the
new colliery, .and they were getting a certain proportion
of the traffic. They did not get all they ought to, but were
using their influence to get more shipped at Newport, and
were gradually succeeding. Colliery owners had a perfect
right to say “We prefer to ship at Barry than at Newport.’’

Some striking facts were disclosed at the -annual meeting
of the Consolidated Cambrian Limited held on Monday, in
London. Lord Bhondda said that practically the entire
output of the Cambrian and Glamorgan collieries, and the
major portion of that of the Naval collieries, had been com-
mandeered by the Government at an -average price far below
that which might have been secured in -the open market.
Compared with 1913, the pre-war year, the extra wages Bill,
apart from compensation and allowance to dependants,
.amounted to something approaching .£150,000; and this
sum had been distributed between about 16 per cent, fewer
men. Bor every £1 received by labour the ordinary share-
holder received about Is. 6-81d., or something under 8 per-
cent. When regard was had to the risky nature of colliery
enterprise, .and to the short life of ia coal mine, he did not
think that the ordinary shareholder was getting more than
his fair share of the joint production of capital and labour.
During 1915 the cost of labour in the Cambrian collieries had
amounted to slightly over three-quarters of the total cost;
stores and materials amounted to 18-23 per cent. ; royalties,
3-22 per cent. ; rates 2-22; and incidentals to 0-84 per cent.
The output per man per day at all their collieries averaged
about 44 per cent, higher than in 1914, but was still some
5 per cent, lower than it was prior to the operation of the
Minimum Wage Act in the middle of 1912; and, of course,
much below the output in times preceding the Eight Hours
Act and other restrictive legislation of recent years. The
average earnings of all the colliers per day at all the
collieries for the 15 weeks ending December 31 were
11s. 8-03d. ; and of all persons employed above and below
ground, including boys, they were 8s. ll*72d. Over 12 per
cent, of the men employed earned more than 15s. per day,
or at the rate of £4 10s. per week, or say over £220 per
annum on full time. The cost of production last year
was more than double what it was in 1895, both the cost
of labour and the cost of materials having risen over 100 per
cent.; and notwithstanding the great improvements made
and the many economies effected in the working of coal mines
in recent years, the actual cost of production tended con-
tinually to rise. Deferring to the cost of production in the
United States, he said that he viewed with some anxiety the
greatly improved position of the States relatively as com-
pared with our own. A generation ago the cost of production
in America was higher than it was here; but to-day the
position was completely reversed.

Similarly interesting facts came out at a meeting of share-
holders of Graham’s Navigation Colliery. The chairman
referred to irregularity of work, stating that although the
output had been the largest in the history of the company,'it
would have been at least 20 per cent, greater if the men
had worked more regularly. Only 60 per cent, of the
responsible colliers work full time; 24 per cent, five days a
week ; 11 per cent, four days a week ; and 5 per cent, three
days a week and less. It was a regular thing on Mondays
and Tuesdays every week for 21 per cent, of the working
places to be idle through absentees. At the present time
the men ought to realise how very important it was that
coal should be provided for the Navy, for our Allies, and
for munition works. One of the directors spoke of the
operation of the excess profits tax, showing that it would
work very unfairly to a company such as theirs. Their
shareholders had received no dividend for 10 or 12 years, and
the present increased profit was in a great measure due to
the development of past years maturing in 1914 and 1915.
If the Act interpreted literally applied to this company, a
very large payment would have to be made.

Last week, owing to several causes, a new record in
freight rates was established at Cardiff. There was, com-
bined with severe weather, further requisitions by the
Government; and rates for Marseilles rose to as much as

92 fr., as compared with 90 fr., the previous best. The
freight to Bouen marked an advance of 6d? to 25s. 6d.; and
other figures were correspondingly high, Genoa reaching
as much as 80s., which was <an advance of 12s. 6d. on the
quotations of a week ago... Many merchants who had
chartered in-coming tonnage found that when their boats
arrived they were at once taken by the Government, and the
only alternative was to come -again on the already over-
crowded market.

In connection with the complaint as to High coal freights
charged by British ship owners, it is necessary to emphasise
the fact that very largely these freights are being paid in
respect of foreign vessels. In the future it is probable that
to a far larger extent than in the past coal exporters will
have to deal with foreign ship owners; and the fact is one
of serious import—one of those incidents of the war which
will have to be taken into very careful consideration. It
should be borne in mind that foreign Governments subsidise
their steamers, and thus afford them an additional advantage
in the competition against British craft.

Fifty workmen of the Cwmaman Colliery were summoned
at the Aberdare Police Court for unlawful abstention from
work; -and a claim of 10s. was made against each of them.
The hearing was made the -occasion of 'a demonstration by
several hundreds of workmen under the company, who
marched .in procession to the police court, the 50 cases being
test ones in relation to the whole of the employees. Accord-
ing to the statement made to the Stipendiary, one of the
men employed -at -the pit sustained a fatal accident, and there
was some feeling that not enough of the men -accompanied
the body from the pit, only eight who were working in the
immediate vicinity being in -attendance. The whole of the
men, therefore, desired to -attend the funeral; but permission
was refused by the management, a counter suggestion being
made by Mr. Hep-pell that 24 men from the district where
deceased worked, as well as 12 from each of the two pits
should attend. The men refused ; and on the day of the
funeral only 57 out of 800 employees came to work ; -and these
were officials and hauliers. Both pits were stopped for the
day, occasioning a loss of 1,200 tons in output, and entailing
standing charges of £424, leaving out of account any con-
sideration of profit.—It w-as contended on behalf of the men
that the refusal of the management to allow the men to
attend the funeral was unreasonable. Clause 23 of the
Conciliation Board Agreement left this question of attending
funerals to be arranged between the management and any
particular workmen who wished to attend. After hearing
the evidence, the Stipendiary gave Iris decision on Wednesday,
stating that judgment must be for plaintiffs against each
defendant for 10s. and costs.

In the Bhondda the recruiting tribunal has had before
it the case of a confidential clerk in the office of one of the
colliery companies which sought exemption from enlist-
ment; and it was decided to give a delay of two months,
pending the decision of the colliery tribunal on the subject
of clerks of this class.

The Newport County Court was occupied last week with
a very important case involving a principle connected with
payment in respect of an abnormal place. Two- colliers sued
the Newport Abercarn Coal Company for wages; -and the
defence was that as two sets of men worked in one place,
on different shifts, they should pool their earnings. Evidence
was given by the colliery cashier that all sets of workmen
on cross shifts pooled the whole of their earnings; but Mr.
George Barker, miners’ agent, said that he had never
entered -into agreement with the management in respect of
pooling, and that the present dispute hinged upon the man-
agement’s right to put the men under compulsory pooling.
Plaintiffs urged that pooling was not obligatory; and, even
if “ custom ’’ were established, that it was not valid because
it removed from the employers the liability to make up the
minimum wage, and put the liability upon fellow workmen.
—After hearing evidence and statement of counsel, the judge
decided in favour of the plaintiffs, and entered judgment
for the amount claimed, granting costs on scale B.

A fireman employed at the Onllwyn Colliery was fined £3
at Neath on Friday for failing to record without delay
whether or not noxious or inflammable gas was found in
the mine.

The Great Western Colliery Company have reached the
required depth of their Cwm pit, and with regard to the
Margaret pit report that the necessary driving through the
shaft pillar preliminary to working the coal is in progress.
The 2 ft. 9 in. and 4 ft. seams will be the first worked; and
these have been proved to be well developed and in excellent
condition. A contract lias been let for 200 houses for work-
men,-and the building of these is in progress.—In other parts
of the coal field, notably Mon mouthshire, developments are
in progress, the Western and Sirhowy valleys being the
scene of operations, and the United National Company at
Bisca being distinguished for the large expenditure they are
making in the installation of coke ovens -and by-product
plant. In Pontllanfraith there is talk of -a scheme for con-
structing a light railway; but seeing that the North-Western
Bailway already served this district, such a scheme is hardly
likely to be carried through. South of this is the Ynysddu
area, where the pits have undergone such a transformation;
and north of it are the Oakdale and other workings, of
which description has already been given, including the
operations of the Bargoed Coal Company at Argoed. In the
adjoining valley the Ebbw Vale Company hope to reach the
Meadow Vein through another shaft which is being sunk;
and in the property of the Newport-Abercarn Company a
new shaft of 500 yds. depth is already producing close on
500 tons per day, and as the workings open out this quantity
is expected to be almost doubled. At Aberbeeg -a level is
being opened ; and the Ebbw Vale Company are also at work
on their new shaft at Victoria.

Northumberland and Durham.

Alleged Breach, of Shot-Firing Regulations.

The prosecution—stated to be the first of its kind—under-
taken by Messrs. Pease and Partners Limited at Bishop
Auckland on Tuesday last, against John Hutton, a miner,
employed at St. Helen’s Colliery, for an alleged breach of
the Coal Mines Act, should serve as a warning to miners
generally. The alleged offence, said Mr. Proud, prosecuting
for the firm, consisted of defendant having fired a shot within
restricted ground, thereby endangering the safety of the mine
and the men. The company wanted to let the men know
that the management had a right to make regulations under
the Act. The back-shift deputy in the Brockwell seam
stated that he found defendant had made a hole for firing
within 2 ft. of the high side of the seam. A workmate curved
the jud, and Hutton commenced to lengthen the hole into
forbidden ground. Hutton fired the shot, despite the warn-

ing given by the deputy, who, however, admitted having
allowed defendant to do so. The checkweighman and the
defending solicitor contended that' the regulation was not
generally known. The magistrates decided to give Hutton
the benefit of the doubt, partly owing to the deputy’s admis-
sion, and dismissed the case. The case against another man,
similarly charged, was then withdrawn.

Yorkshire.

The Shortage of Men and the Safety Element—Recruiting
Tribunal: Position of Wages Clerks—Mr. Wadsworth
on the Colliery Industry After the War—Important
Home Office Prosecution at Barnsley.

A fatality to a pony driver named Howcroft, employed at
the Brodswo-rth Colliery, and concerning whom an inquest
was held last week, was stated by some of the witnesses
to be due to a shortage of men. The lad was working at
the bottom end of the east plane. Whilst some tubs were
being lowered, one of them reared up, caught a pulley, and
fell over on to him. It was stated the tubs only reared
up when there were -a large number of them. About 90 had
accumulated that morning, which was due to a shortage of
men. . There was a system of stop blocks. Questions were
put with the view to -showing there were too many tubs, and
that they were going too fast. T^he jury returned a verdict
of “ Accidental death,” and found that there was no
negligence.

An important decision was given at the Wortley (Sheffield)
tribunal on Monday, with respect to- the position of colliery
wages clerks. Messrs. Newton, Chambers, of the Thorncliffe
Collieries, applied for exemption for six wages clerks. It
was explained that the men were expert workmen, engaged
on work which required several years’ training. Moreover,
wages were paid from nine different stations, and if they
lost any more wages clerks the only expedient would be
to pay wages on different days, and they apprehended this
would cause trouble with the miners. A representative of
the company said, that women could not carry out these
'intricate and exacting durie-s under at least a year’s training.
Absolute exemption was granted in all the cases.

Tn his annual report on the work of the Yorkshire Miners’
Association, Mr. J. 'Wadsworth, M.P., makes some interest-
ing speculations as to the probable state of the mining
industry in 1916. In. his. opinion, apart from Government
interference, prices will rise even higher than they are at
the .present, time, but he thought there was bound to be a
falling off in the demand for, at all events, the first few
months after the war. French miners, he says ,have shown
themselves very patriotic, because 'in the first six months
of 1914 the .average output per man in the French collieries
was 5-91 tons.per day, whilst in the second six months of
1914 it had risen to 6-12 tons, and in May 1915 it had
reached 6-29 tons. The Germans had seized 75 per cent,
of the French collieries,, and in the Nord and Pas-de-Calais
coa-1 fields, out of 27 million tons per annum the Germans
■at the present time hold 20 million tons. This would have
a serious effect on the trade after the war, because no one
knew in what condition the pits may be left.

The Barnsley West Biding magistrates were engaged on
Wednesday in the hearing of 18 summonses issued at the
instance of the Home Office against the owners and officials
of the Central Silkstone Colliery, Smithies, Barnsley, for
alleged offences against the Coal Mines Begulation Act. The
defendants, were Messrs. Anderson and Son Limited, owners
of the colliery; Geo. Anderson, certificated manager; John
Cross, under-manager; Sam Wilkinson, deputy overman;
and Geo. Carr, electrician; and the offences were alleged to
have been committed on October 17 last. The manager and
under-manager were charged under section 3, sub-section 1,
with not exercising daily supervision of the mine ; the owners
and managers under section 1 with failing to send notice
of -accident fortwith to the divisional inspector; the manager
and overman under section 34, sub-section 1, with failing
to keep a record of men to whom safety lamps were given :
the manager iand electrician under General Begulation 127
(v.) that the switchgear, etc., of apparatus w-as not so
constructed and installed as to prevent open sparking; the
overman under section 80 (2) that he did not leave the place
as it was immediately after accident; the manager and
under-manager under section 24 (2) for neglecting to counter-
sign the reports in the book between September 9 and
October 31; the manager and electrician under General
Begulation No. 132 (1) for neglecting to see that the switch
box of a coal-cutting machine was maintained so a-s to
prevent open sparking; the manager and electrician under
section 127 (ii.) for neglecting to see the joints in the
electric conductor were efficiently made; and owners and
manager under, section 128 (c) for not providing efficient
means for cutting off electric pressure automatically.—Mr.
Gichard, for the prosecution, stated on the day named about
six workmen were about to be engaged working a coal-
cutting machine, when a shot was fired by a properly
appointed person. Ten minutes after a coal-cutting machine
had been started there was a flash from the machine and
an explosion of considerable force occurred. This affected
not only the men at the machine, but two others who were
working 12 or 14 yds. away from the machine. It was
important to notice the distance. From these facts there
was ian indication that there must • have been a serious
ignition of. something—that the coal-cutting machine was
not flame-tight. It was highly important that when men
were about to work in a heading there should be a close
examination for the presence of gas. Three days later, when
an inspector visited the pit, he found in that heading gas to
the extent of 1| per cent., which though not actually
dangerous, was an indication of danger. The inspector did
not go to the pit until October 20, and he could not go
earlier because the occurrence was not notified until the
morning of the 19th. The Act provided notice should be sent
forthwith. When the inspector arrived at the pit he found,
instead of the place having been left as it was after the explo-
sion, that the implements, the cutting machine, and safety
lamps had been removed. It was unfortunate, in view of the
serious injuries sustained by the men, that the things were
not left as they were. If they had been left there would
have been more direct evidence as to the exact nature of
the explosion. Mr. Gichard referred to correspondence
which had passed between Mr. Mottram and the defendants,
who said that owing to a combination of unfortunate circum-
stances the failure to report forthwith the explosion and
the interference with the coal cutter occurred. The deputy
overman evidently did not appreciate the seriousness of the
accident. It w-as also stated Mr. Anderson was away
owing to illness, and that the firm were about to appoint ;a
first-class certificated manager.—One of the injured men
giving evidence, stated that the seam worked was the Top