March 10, 1916.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

460

Notes from the Coal Fields.

[Local Correspondence.]

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

Some Colliery Tribunal Cases—Lord Rhondda on the Duties
of Mining Students—Miners' Large Earnings—Celtic
Collieries Transfer.

The Earl of Plymouth, presiding lately at the meeting
of the Barry Bailway Company’s shareholders, stated that
the total imports and exports for the year 1915 were 10,389,908
tons, compared with 11,572,373 tons in 1914, being a decrease
of 1,182,46'5 tons; and although his lordship did not dis-
tinguish, it is safe to conclude that practically the whole
difference is in coal exports. He said that in 1915, 3,740
ships, with a registered tonnage of 5,020,827.tons, had entered
the docks, compared with 3,456 vessels and a tonnage of
5,061,969 in 1914, there being an increase in the number of
vessels by 284, but a slight diminution in the registered
tonnage. !Before the war, said his lordship, they had in
hand considerable works with a view to extending the traffic
facilities. There were five new coal tips of most modern
type, increased hydraulic power, large additional siding
accommodation, etc. These works had been much retarded
by the scarcity of labour. At present only one new coal
hoist had been brought into work, and this had proved
exceedingly useful. Progress had been made with the new
works, and they hoped when the war terminated that they
would be able to deal very quickly with much larger traffic.

The Bhymney Bailway shareholders had before them at
their meeting a statement showing that some £5,150 had
been spent in widenings and new coal sidings at Tunnel
South, these sidings having been -laid down on the gravita-
tion system, so that the traffic could be worked economically.
They would provide room for 950 wagons, and when exten-
sion was required, more lines could be laid down without
any great expense. In the Bhymney Valley, the widening
of the line from. Ystrad to Pwllypant,.upon which £9,275
had been expended, had been completed, so far as earth work
was concerned. It .was stated that the coal traffic had fallen
off considerably. To Cardiff they had carried 3,040,000 tons,
as against 3,500,000 tons in 1914—a decrease of 460,000 tons ;
to Penarth they had carried 648,000 tons, against 1,025,000
tons in 1914—a decrease of 378,000 tons; to Barry they had
carried 1,362,000 tons, as against .1,643,000 tons—a decrease
of over 320,000 tons. The total decrease was 1,161,000 tons.

At a reception given by Mr. Pardoe Thomas, the newly-
elected president of the Newport Chamber of Commerce,
last week, that gentleman spoke at length upon the
development of local industry, and lin the course of his
remarks referred to the question of 'additional steel works,
and also of manufacturing by-products from coal. At
present, he said, the patent fuel trade was the sole repre-
sentative of anything beyond coal shipments; but they had
a population of three millions within a radius of 75 miles,
and there was a vast opportunity for expansion.	' .

Glamorgan collieries’ tribunal held its first sitting on
Monday in Cardiff. The Ocean Company’s properties were
taken, and the tribunal exempted all underground men, and
also all carpenters, smiths, and shoeing smiths. Mr. Bees,
for the Ocean Company, submitted a statement that the
number of* employees, which before the war was 8,454, was
now 7,420. Of the original number, 1,896 had enlisted. In
the result, most of the unstarred men were exempted, the
shortage of labour at the pits being fully recognised, together
with the need of maintaining the output of coal. In those ■
cases where exemption was not granted, delay was accorded.
Wagon repairers, it was asked, should be released for mili-
tary service; but the contention on behalf of employers was
that these men were as necessary as trams ; and exemption
was decided on. In the Mynachdy Colliery, at Ynysybwl,
322 men were employed before the war, but only 219 at
present; and as two of these wished to join the tunnelling
battalion now being raised, the company were willing to
release them. These were,accordingly not exempted, and the
military representative thanked the employers. With regard
to the Coytrahen Colliery, Tondu, complaint was made that
the men had supposed the employers were claiming their •
exemption, but found that this was not so, and that their
representative had been refused particulars which would
enable the men themselves to appeal to the local tribunal.
Mr. V. Hartshorn said’that if trouble was to be avoided in
the coal field, there must be an opportunity given to men
to ascertain whether they were regarded as indispensable. It
was decided to adjourn all the cases from this colliery till
the next sitting.

Swansea tribunal has had before it the question of exempt-
ing colliery pay clerks; and in a case where two such clerks
applied, it was stated that 700 men were employed, and that
the applicants had, to deal with about £2,000 per week. The
application was not successful.

Despite the very high level to which freights had risen,
this week has shown another material advance, Genoa
running as high as 90s. from Cardiff, and 91s. from Swansea;
whilst Marseilles reached 105 fr. At the outbreak of the .
war, Genoa was below 7s. per ton, and Marseilles at 8^ fr.

The students of the South Wales' and Monmouthshire
School of Mines, Treforest, held a conversazione on Saturday,
and distribution of prizes took place. Prof. Knox, the prin-
cipal, presiding, referred to Lord Bhondda as being one of'
the first to realise the need of such a school, his lordship
having taken a keen interest in the Mining Board from the
beginning. Lord Bhondda, in an address to the students,
spoke of the great responsibilities that rested upon them in
regard to the future of the South Wales coal field. If they
were to hold their own in competition, especially with the
United States, they would have to abandon the old methods
of rule of thumb, and to apply 'science in the everyday
work of the collieries. They had great natural advantages
in South Wales—coal of every description, from anthracite
to high volatile—and they ought not to fall behind. Lord
Bhondda paid a glowing tribute to the efforts of Mr. Hugh
Ingledew, the secretary, in connection with the establish-
ment of the school, and spoke of Prof. Knox having under-
taken certain tests, which had been of invaluable service.
He said that the principal had drawn attention to a Parlia-
mentary paper issued by the Minister of Education, which ■
stated that a scheme for organising and developing scientific
and industrial research had been framed, and a committee
formed of well-known scientific men; but he did not see on .
that committee the name of anyone closely associated with
the coal trade; and it was therefore necessary to get for
South Wales some of ■ the money that the Government
intended to spend on scientific research. . He could not see -
why the Government should not render assistance to South

Wales in this direction: They could not be too strenuous in
insisting upon what the industry and commerce of the United
Kingdom owed to the coal trade. It was because of coal
that, instead of being importers of manufactures and
exporters of raw material, they had been exporters of manu-
factures and importers of raw material. Those students who
had been wise enough to take advantage of the opportunities
afforded by the mining school, were rendering very great ser-
vice, not only to Wales, but to the country generally; and
the coal owners looked to them for the maintenance of our
position in the great competition which after the war would
arise between the coal trade of the United Kingdom and
particularly that of the United States. Becently he had been
over to America several times, and he had acquired a great
admiration for the American business man. The bulk of the
university men from Harvard and Yale went into business,
and business should count for more than it did now in this
country, for Britain owed to her business the position which
she occupied among the nations. Were it not for our
industry and commerce, we should be very second rate. The
coal trade was the basic industry—the source of motive power
for all the other industries in the country.

In some of the steel works the proposal of an eight hours
shift is being considered, in place of nine or 12 hours. One
effect of this would be that it would enable more men to
enlist; but, on the other hand, the question of taking more
labour from industry is creating much discussion. In the
case of tin-platers, the enlistments, estimated to amount to
perhaps one-seventh of the total employees, have raised diffi-
culties in regard to different sections of the work. Unfortu-
nately, the labour question in the tin-plate trade is not the
most serious, for the graver problem is as to how the export
trade should be maintained, seeing that in ordinary circum-
stances two-thirds of the production goes abroad, whereas a
relatively small amount is at the present time going into the
usual foreign markets. Probably as much as three-fourths is
being utilised in the home trade at present for war purposes
alone; and then there is in addition, of course, the ordinary
home demand to be met; so that a relatively small amount is
available for export. The price is exceptionally high, being
27s. per box, as against 13s. per box before hostilities com-
menced. It is not surprising, in these circumstances, to
learn that foreign consumers, ordinarily customers ,of South
Wales, are considering the practicability of erecting their
own works, and that the Norwegians, who are large
importers, for the purposes of canning fish, are taking steps
towards this end.

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Chambers of
Shipping in London, Mr. B. O. Sanderson, chairman of the
Cardiff Ship Owners’ Association, said he trusted that after
the war they would not again see British coaling depots
dominated by Germany, as they had found out since the
war started. The most shameful instance in the Cardiff coal
trade was that Germans should come into such a centre, and
do a trade almost striking at the foundations of the British
Empire. Never again, he hoped, would they see at Cardiff
a great German firm’s ships discharging grain from Australia
in their docks.

Mr. T. Bert Price, of the office staff of the Great Western
Colliery Company, who is leaving the firm to take a position
as sales agent to the Crumlin Valley Collieries, Newport,
Mon., was last week presented with a set of bronzes and
bags by his old colleagues.

It is stated that neutral ship owners, taking advantage of
the scarcity of shipping, are endeavouring to secure from
coal exporters of South Wales onerous and harsh conditions
in charters. These include increased demurrage at the port
of discharge, guaranteed discharge, and even increased
demurrage at the port of loading. Whilst some merchants
have conceded these demands, others have refused them; and
now a movement has been started to establish organised oppo-
sition. There are many difficulties in the way of organised
action, but it is intended to bring the matter before the
Cardiff Chamber of Commerce at the earliest opportunity.

At the Llanelly Town Hall, on Wednesday of last week,
Mr. Llewellyn Williams, M.P., made a presentation ’ of
certificate and medals of the Boyal Humane Society to
several men of the Glynea Colliery. The recipients were
Messrs. Daniel Meredith (under-manager), Thomas Daniel,
David Howells, Griffith Davies, and Evan Thomas (colliers);
and in handing over the trophies, Mr. Williams said that
the award had been made for bravery in saving David
Bowen, another collier, from being crushed to death by a
fall.

A branch of railwaymen at Barry have passed a resolution
giving “ serious notice to the miners for domestic coals, that
unless the supply is improved immediately to meet the
requirement of the public at home generally, we shall be
compelled to stop shipment of the same.” This is only one
piece of evidence as to the unrest which prevails in the
district owing to shortage of house coal supplies. In Cardiff,
especially, much resentment has been expressed, the idea
being entertained that exports are maintained to the detri-
ment of the home consumer—an idea which is traversed
by colliery salesmen. The root difficulty is that of pro-
duction; fewer men at the pits lessening the total output,
so that even where the whole of the production goes to the
local retail merchant it does not meet the need.

At the meeting of the Powell-Duffryn shareholders, on
Tuesday, Mr. Joseph Shaw, the chairman, stated that if it
had not been for the war their output would have reached
4| million tons, instead of 3J millions; but notwithstanding
that their output had gone down, their wages cost had gone
up enormously. Of their men, 26 per cent, had joined the
Colours; and notwithstanding that other men had come in,
they still had 20 per cent, fewer than at the beginning of
the war. In 1909, when the output was practically the
same as that now recorded, the total paid in colliery wages
was £1,047,470, whereas last year it was £1,419,929, an
increase of about £372,459. Therefore labour could not say
that it was not getting a fair share. As to what miners
actually earned, he referred to the case of a man who
worked 243^- days as a collier and earned £356; in another
colliery they had four men making £385, and the very worst
earnings on his list he found were those of a mam, working
only 214 days out of a possible 302, earning £239. A busy-
body had suggested a scheme to arrange for the home market
to get its coal; and he had also read an article dealing with
transport, suggesting that the difficulty in this respect would
be overcome by the pooling of trucks. But anyone who knew
anything about the handling of trucks, especially in South
Wales, would know that at any time the pooling of trucks
in that district would stop the industry. It was the most
delicate machinery that handled the coal from the colliery
to the ship. In regard to the increased cost of pit wood, he
said that before the war they paid 25s. a ton, and now it
wTas 55s.

One noteworthy incident of the week has been the further
extension of Lord Bhondda’s interest in the coal field, he
taking over the Celtic Collieries, formerly known as
“ Elder’s.” On Friday an arrangement was concluded by
which the bulk of the shares were transferred. The old
board will retire, and a new board will take charge, con-
sisting of Lord Bhondda as chairman, and M. Plisson, Mr.
Cadogan, and others interested in the coal trade as directors.
Messrs. Lysberg Limited will be sales agents; and this fact
extends the range of their business, which at present includes
an agency for the Glamorgan Coal Company, and also for
the pit wood syndicate by which supplies of timber for the
Admiralty collieries are ensured. It is anticipated that the
foreign connections of this selling firm will have a substantial
influence on the sales of the Celtic Collieries. The normal
output is about 250,000 tons, and the coal is of good steam
quality, the company also having an exclusive range of coke
ovens. A dividend of 10 per cent, was declared in the last
balance-sheet, the exceptional experience of the past 12
months having more than doubled the profit of the previous
year. The Celtic Company has a capital of £230,000
ordinary shares, with debentures of just over £20,000. The
retiring chairman is Sir Owen Philipps, who is well known
for his association with leading steamship companies. The
Celtic property lies to the south of North’s Navigation hold-
ing ; and the original idea on Cardiff Exchange, when shares
began to move up and to indicate some alteration, was that
some arrangement was being made with North’s. The
Celtic have about 1,400 acres of mineral land. Speaking at
the meeting of shareholders on Tuesday, Sir Owen Philipps,
the retiring chairman, said that their undertaking contained
no less than 10 workable seams of coal, and that large sums
had been spent in up-to-date appliances for screening and
washing. During the first 10 years the working resulted in
a loss, which meant that the workmen were the only persons
who derived benefit from the collieries’ operations. During
that period the shareholders had not received one penny of
dividend on the large capital invested. In 1911 the original
holders of the ordinary shares agreed to take over the loss
of £343,158, which up to that time had been incurred; and
a new board of directors was appointed to reorganise the
concern. Very many difficulties had to be overcome, and at
one time it seemed as if the only solution were to close down
both the collieries. But latterly the position had gradually
improved; business had steadily developed, and profits
earned sufficient to pay regular though moderate dividends.
Sir Owen Philipps bore testimony to the assistance rendered
by Mr. Charles Evans in bringing .about the present satis-
factory position, referring to that gentleman’s extensive
knowledge and experience of the South Wales coal trade.
He also stated the board’s appreciation of the services of
Mr. H. T. Wales, consulting engineer, and of the general
manager of the collieries, Mr. Bees Bees. The board had
accomplished what was considered a hopeless task by many
who knew the South Wales coal field.

Northumberland and Durham.

Tudhoe Miners' Ambulance Fund,—Colliery Owner Candidate
for Parliament—Miners' War Relief Fund—Durham
Ambulance Report—Dock Dues on Coal.

As the result of a levy which the men and lads at the
Backworth group of pits have been paying for some months,
sufficient money is now in hand to justify the committee of
the fund to determine to pay 5s. per week for a period of
12 weeks to each soldier ex-miner from the Backworth
collieries at home from the front on sick leave or wounded,
and this has been resolved upon.

The Newcastle appeal tribunal under the Derby scheme
considered, last week, a chartered accountant’s appeal on
behalf of a skilled clerk, who, it was stated, was engaged in
working out quarterly ascertainments of coal prices for the
Northumberland Coal Owners’ Association, work which
could not be undertaken by any other member of the staff.
Two months’ grace was given.

Mr. John Lightley, who is leaving the Byers Green
Collieries, which he has managed on behalf of Messrs. ■
Bolckow, Vaughan and Company Limited, for nearly 11
years, has been made the recipient of the gift of a cabinet,
with a rose bowl for his wife, at the hands of the officials
and workmen at the collieries, and of personal friends.

Tudhoe Colliery Lodge of the Durham Miners’ Association
has decided to support the proposal put forward by the
Weardale Steel, Coal and Coke Company Limited, by which
the firm agrees to pay Jd. per ton on all coal raised, provided
that the men and boys pay 10s. and 5s. each respectively
over a period of 20 weeks, for the purpose of purchasing a
motor ambulance convoy for use at the front.

To meet the largely increased demand for water at the
Bankfoot works of Messrs. Pease and Partners Limited,
operations have been commenced to clean out, and instal an
up-to-date pumping plant in, an old shaft near the store-
house. . The works at present receive a. big supply of water
from the workings at Sunniside. It is hoped that the
extension now in progress will prove ample for all require-
ments.

The guarantors of the expenses attaching to the meeting of
the British Association for the Advancement of Science,
which it is proposed to hold in Newcastle during the first
full week in September, include the following colliery pro-
prietors, firms, etc. : North of England Institute of Alining
and Alechanical Engineers, Mr. F. Priestman, Sir Hugh
Bell, Messrs. Jas. Joicey and Company Limited, the
Lambton and Hetton Collieries Limited, Sir Lindsay AVood,
Mr. Cecil A. Cochrane, Mr. T. E. Forster and Mr. C. C.
Leach.

Mr. Cecil A. Cochrane, who has been selected as Liberal
candidate for the Parliamentary representation of South
Shields, and will, under the party truce, probably be elected
unopposed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr.
Bussell Bea, is the second surviving son of the late Air.
Wm. Cochrane, past president of the North of England
Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers. Mr.
Cochrane, who is in his 47th year, is chairman of the firm
of Messrs. Cochrane and Company Limited, colliery owners,
ironstone mine owners, iron manufacturers, etc., of
Middlesbrough. The firm owns New Brancepeth Colliery,
ironstone mines in Cleveland, and the Ormsby Iron Works
at Middlesbrough. Mr. Cochrane is chairman, also, of the
Newbiggin Colliery Company Limited, and is a director of
other companies.

A very unsatisfactory state of things was disclosed at the
last meeting of the members of the Stanley Local War
Belief Fund. This fund, which has been mainly maintained
by colliery subscriptions, had only a balance of £17 17s. 3d.,
which was not nearly sufficient to pay even one week’s
money. The chairman (Mr. Wm. AlcClemiing) remarked,