May 12, 1916.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

913

the offence had been committed unwittingly, the magistrates
gave Mr. Rolfe the benefit of the doubt, and ordered him to
pay the costs.of the prosecution. He would also have to find
a store for the explosives.

Cleveland.

At the meeting of the executive committee of the Cleve-
land Miners’ and Quarrymon’s- Association at Saltburn, a
strong protest was made regarding the fixing of a maximum
price of pig iron by the Ministry of Munitions, whilst no
maximum is applied to the commodities consumed by the
workers. It was agreed to point out to Mr. Lloyd George
that it is unfair to limit the price of pig iron, by which not
only the wages of miners and quarrymen, but of thousands
of others are affected, whilst the price of food continues to
advance.

Yorkshire.

Mr. J. Cocks, late manager of the Cad-eby Pit, was pre-
sented with a silver tea and coffee service by the workmen
and officials. He has taken up new duties at Glasshough ton.

Towards the estimated cost (£35,000) of providing a convoy
of motor ambulances for the front, the Yorkshire Miners’
Association lias received £4,720. The officials were
instructed last week to put in hand the work of building
the convoy at once.

Suggestions with the object of increasing the output of
coal which have been made by Sir Richard Redmayne, his
Majesty’s Chief Inspector of 'Mines, were considered at a
special meeting of the council of the Yorkshire Miners Asso-
ciation at Barnsley on Saturday, Mr. H. Smith in the chair.
A report of the proceedings appears on another page under
the heading of “The Nation’s Coal Supply.’’

A banksman’s cabin at the Askern pit was blown up last
week, and two men were injured by an explosion. It is
supposed that in the banksman’s absence from the cabin a
heating pipe exploded, and that one of the fragments struck
a tin of gelignite.

Lancashire and Cheshire.

Fatal Delay—Extensions at Blackrod—Rescue Station—
Payment Question—Fined for Matches—New Pits at
Cronton—Fences and Fines.

Delay in propping was assigned as the cause of a fatality
in Ingleton Colliery. At the inquest on Ephraim Wilkinson
(64), evidence was given by Albert Knighton, deputy, who
said that he had fired three shots before noon, and the second
one blew out the middle of three props. He told Wilkinson
to re-set, and he promised to do so, but had filled a tub before
putting the prop in. As he was doing so, the roof coal fell,
causing the accident. Wilkinson was one of the best work-
men, and knew the importance of propping. A verdict of
“ Accidental death ’’ was returned.

The New Yard mine of the Scot Lane Colliery Company is
being opened out at the Scot Lane Colliery, Blackrod, near
Bolton. Other extensions and improvements are in prospect.

A correspondent understands that as soon as a favourable
opportunity presents itself, extensions will be carried out at
the Lancashire and Cheshire Coal Owners’ Association’s
rescue station at Howe Bridge, Atherton, the first erected in
Lancashire. The original plans provided for enlargement.

At a representative, meeting of the Lancashire and Cheshire
Coal Wages Board, held in Manchester on Monday, various
important matters relating to payment for Saturday after-
noon and Sunday work, etc., were discussed.. It is under-
stood that these questions will be amicably adjusted.

The Macclesfield county magistrates recently imposed a
fine of 40s. on Joshua Tidier, miner, of Flazcl Grove, for
having eight matches in his possession in the Lawrence Bit,
Boynton.

Last week Mr. S. Blackburn, colliery salesman, West-
houghton, was injured about the chest, face, and hands, as
the result of an accident while motor cycling in Chorley-road,
Duxbury. He was able to proceed home by motor.

Mr. Daniel Darlington, manager of the New Moss Colliery
at Audenshaw, and formerly at Holbrook Colliery, Eekington,
Derbyshire, has received an appointment at Cronton Boints,
near Liverpool, under the Hulton Colliery Company Limited.

A correspondent says the new collieries which the Hulton
Colliery Company Limited, of Chequerbent, Bolton, have had
sunk in the Cronton district of South-West Lancashire, are
now almost completed. The electric winders which are to
be used will be installed as soon as they are obtained from the
makers.

Sergt. Richard Bent, a Walkden coal miner, was awarded
a public welcome in the local town hall on Saturday, and
presented with the D.C.M. medal which he had gained for
gallant conduct in Gallipoli, together with a valuable gold
hunter watch, chain, and pendant. The recipient, who has
returned to civil life, is again employed in a Walkden coal
mine.

It is estimated that if the threatened strike takes place
in the cotton trade, the demand for steam fuel in Central,
East, and South-East Lancashire, where the bulk of the
spinning mills are situated, will be decreased by nearly
100,000 tons per week, as several hundreds of mills would be
closed.

Summoned for passing a fence in the Bemberton Colliery in
contravention of the Coal Mines Regulations, three youths
pleaded “ Guilty’’ at Wigan last week, and were fined 15s.,
14s., and 10s.,' respectively. It was stated that the oldest
youth passed over a fence on the haulage road, the rope
, having been brought to a temporary stand. The ether defen-
dants ’ followed, and while they were doing this the rope
re-started, and one pony was knocked down and killed, and
another was injured.

A miner named Fred Taylor (27), who was new to under-
ground work, died from an accident in the Sutton Manor
Colliery, St. Helens. At the inquest, a fellow worker named
Green'said that he and another man took a full wagon of
coal out of No. 4 level to the balance brow. This place was
very steep—one in six. lYhen the box reached the brow, it
was fastened to the rope, and they twisted the box round on
to the rails, when it suddenly ran away. He followed the
box, shouting “Look up!’’ but on getting to the bottom
found that the box had crashed into Taylor, who was. work-
in«- at the bottom of the slope. They had. a scotch in one
of the wheels of the tub, which was still in when the box
reached the bottom. There was a slide rail 6 ft. below the
landing, but they had forgotten to put the rail across the
road, or it would have stopped the box.—The foreman said

the witness ought to be cautioned about forgetting the safety
rail in future.—Verdict : “ Accidental death.’’

The Midlands.

Important Drainage Work—Reviving the Ironstone Industry
Shaft Deepening—Welcome to D.C.M.

At the meeting of the arbitrators to the South Stafford-
shire Mines Drainage Commission, at Dudley, on Tuesday,
the estimates of receipts and expenditure, for the current
year in respect to the Tipton district were presented by the
general manager (Mr. Edmund Howl), who observed that
the prospect was not a pleasing one. The estimates showed
a loss of T9,000, exclusive of interest on the “ A ’’ loan or
“ B ’’ mortgages. They were having more and more
trouble in getting stores and slack, while the .amount of
the rate was reduced to -a' great extent owing to labour
troubles. In addition, the recent heavy rainfalls had
resulted in the working of the engines at their maximum
number of strokes.—Mr. I. Meachem (mining engineer)
made .an application respecting the Empire Colliery, Brinccs
End. He said that when he -was called In, there was a
prospect of the colliery being completely drowned out. The
present level was driven about 40 years ago, at a cost of
.£4,000, and the water was within less than 2 ft. 6 in. of
the last obstruction. Ble had advised the driving of another
drift, but before that scheme was embarked upon, the com-
pany desired an assurance that they would be permanently
retained in a low rate paying schedule. Unless this encour-
agement was given, the colliery would have to close down.
If* they did not continue, he feared it would mean disaster
to the other collieries in the district. He estimated the cost
of the new level at between £2,500 and £3,000. At present
they were drawing anything from 600 to 700 tons of water
a week.—The genera] manager said the Tipton district
committee suggested the scheme should be considered on an
engineering basis, and that if it was approved then the
Commissioners would entertain it. The Commissioners
decided that the company should remain in the same
schedule subject to the quantity of water pumped being to
the satisfaction of the engineer. The other question was
referred to the district committee for the preparation of an
agreement.

The prospect of a resuscitation of an old Black Country
industry was foreshadowed at the same meeting. Mr.
Meachem said he had been requested to obtain the views of
the arbitrators on the question of a possible graduation in
the case of ironstone raised within the area. They had not
been able to work the ironstone in that district for many
years. Two or three colliery owners and iron masters had
approached him, and were willing to restart the industry
if given sufficient encouragement by the arbitrators. At
present the full rate was charged, and it was felt something
might be done 'if the owners were placed <in relation to iron-
stone in the fourth schedule. The firms who had approached
him were the Horseley, Gospel Oak, and No. 2 School Fields
collieries. It would be generally admitted that the reopen-
ing of these mines would be a grand thing for the district.—
Mr. Howl said it was a question they had to face. The
price of ironstone had gone up, and the reopening of the
mines in question had come nearer to a possibility. The
matter had been brought to his notice, and the suggestion
that blast furnaces should be restarted. He admitted that
a reduction of 3d. per ton might have the effect of resuscitat-
ing the industry, and, of course, if it were not raised within
the next eight years, when the Commission came to an end,
it never would be raised.—The matter was referred to the
Commissioners.

The Buffery Colliery Company, Dudley, are shortly to
deepen the shafts at their pits.

Mr. H. S. Higginbottom, the well-known colliery pro-
prietor, paid a visit to Cheadle, Staffordshire, to take part
in a popular demonstration in the welcome home of Sergt.
Win. Cooper, who won the D.C.M. in France, in recognition
of his bravery in conducting a raiding attack on the German
trenches, which was very successful. Cooper, prior to the
war, was employed at.the New Haden Collieries, Cheadle, of
which Mr. Higginbottom is the proprietor, and it was on
behalf of the company and the employees Mr. Higginbottom
presented Sergt. Cooper with a gold albert and medal, and
a purse of gold. Sergt. Cooper also had presentations from
the Cheadle Barish Council, the Zion Men’s Bible Class,
Cooper’s brother Oddfellows, and from the citizens of
Cheadle. Mr. Higginbottomis interest in his employees at
all the collieries of which he is the proprietor is well know]]
and appreciated.

Kent.

Another £100,000 Expenditure—Coal and, Water.

At the annual meeting of the Ch islet Colliery Company
Limited, Mr. Joseph Shaw, K.C. (chairman), who moved
the adoption of the report and accounts, spoke of the develop-
ment work so far carried out at the colliery, near Canterbury,
and stated that up to the present about £58,300 had been
expended on this work. The estimate of their engineer was
that another £100,000 would have to be spent to put the
colliery into a position to work the coal, and that it would
take 16 months to carry out the work. For this purpose the
company would require another £60,000 beyond the £40,000
at their disposal. The company had unissued shares to the
value of £60,000. The meeting supported the suggestion
in favour of issuing these shares.

Brof. W. Galloway has prepared a technical report to be
presented at .the general meeting of the East Kent Colliery
Company, concerning the underground workings of the
Tilmanstone Colliery. The report states that, in order to
increase the output, three pairs of headings had been com-
menced, running - southwards (each pair some hundreds of
yards distant from the others) into an undeveloped region
of the seam ; and the main cast levels had been driven into
the Guilford property with all possible speed. Efforts had
been made to attract men to the colliery, and ponies pur-
chased for haulage purposes. The work of preparing the
bottom of and fitting up No. 1 Bit with guide ropes, wind-
ing ropes, two cages, and the necessary appliances at the
-surface, was proceeded with to prepare the shaft for winding
4,000 or 5,000 tons of coal per week, and to free Nos. 2 and
3 shafts, ready for deepening. Some of the south headings
have reached a distance of 400 yds. from the shafts, and have
proved a decreased gradient of the seam; whilst the east
levels have reached a distance of 900 yds. from the shafts, and
the seam in that direction, as well as towards the dip, con-
tinues to have the same favourable inclination and uniform
section. The east levels and south headings are practically
dry, and no sensible addition of water has been met with.
Only one small fault, over 400 yds. north of the pits, and

20 ft. down, has been encountered. It runs E.S.E., and if
it should continue so far it will cross the east levels 1,200 or
1,300 yds. east of the pits. The work of fitting up No. 1 Bit
has been completed, and the two cages are now at work. A
substantial chamber for receiving transformers and other elec-
trical appliances has been excavated, and supported with
brick walls and iron joists, near the bottom of No. 1 Bit.
All the necessary electrical appliances, including a 75 horse-
power electric haulage engine for drawing coal from the dip,
have been, provided, and are being installed; ancl all the
other plant and machinery at the colliery are in good work-
ing order.—The report to be presented at the meeting records
the various financial steps taken since the last meeting, the
paying out of the receiver, and the resumption by the board
of management of the colliery and of the electric power station.
Since the board resumed control, matters have proceeded
satisfactorily at the colliery. The water difficulties are well
under control, and the output of coal now amounts to nearly
2,000 tons per week, a point at which the directors are of
opinion that the colliery is paying its own working expenses,
in spite of the fact that some low-priced contracts have still
to be worked off.,

Scotland.

Visit to Heriot-Watt College — Houses for Miners ■—
Presentation—Motor Ambulances for the Front.

The members of the Scottish Colliery Under-Managers’
Association visited the Heriot-Watt College, on Saturday,
on the invitation of Mr. Henry Briggs, the mining lecturer.
Mr. Briggs showed the party over the college. Subsequently
a visit was paid to the mines rescue station in Edinburgh,
where demonstrations were given by members of the resident
brigade.

At a meeting of the Sanquhar Town Council, plans for
the erection of houses were submitted by the colliery com-
pany. With the development of the coa] industry in this
district the housing of the increasing population has become
an acute question.

Mr. David Cunningham, who has been manager at Fordell
Colliery for some -tdme, and who is leaving the district, has
been the recipient of a handsome present from the workers
and others. Mr. Cunningham is succeeded at the colliery
by Mr. King, who w-as previously manager at Fordell, but.
has recently acted in that capacity at Bothwell.

The coal trade in Scotland has definitely committed itself
to the provision of a fleet of ambulances for the front. It
is understood that the coal owners of the country are to
furnish £10,000, and in addition, they will subscribe a sum
equal to that raised by the miners. The executive committee
of the Lanarkshire Miners’ Union have suggested to their
members that a -sum of 6d. per week should be contributed
by each miner, and the feeding throughout Lanarkshire is
to cordially endorse that suggestion.

OBITUARY.

Mr. E. B. Dawson, aged 86, one of the founders of the
Kiveton Bark Cea] Company 50 years ago, and chairman of
the company during that period, died after a sudden seizure
at his residence, Aldcliffc Hall, Lancaster. On the previous
day he presided at the Lancaster Quarter Sessions apparently
in his usual health. At one time he practised as a barrister.

The death occurred suddenly at his residence last week of
Mr. James C. Elliot, who acted for the South Derwent Coal
Company on Newcastle Commercial Exchange for a consider-
able number of years. Mr. Elliot also represented in New-
castle the West Belaw Main, North Belton, and West Stanley
collieries, and was regarded as an authority on the Northum-
berland and Durham coal trade.

Mr. Sam Armes, who has died at Trimdon Grange, was
secretary of the local miners’ lodge for nearly 30 years, and
checkweighman at the local colliery for over a quarter of a
century. He was a .member of the Sedgefield Rural District
Council, of the Trimdon Barish Council, of the District Educa-
tion Committee, the Insurance Committee, the Old-Age Ben-
sions Committee, also of the House Committee of Hartlepools
Hospital. He was joint secretary to the scheme for aged
miners’ homes for the Trirndons.

The death occurred on. Wednesday of Mr. A. B. Wilkin,
aged 48, who for 30 years had been connected with the firm
of Messrs. John Hudson and Company, coal exporters, of
Newcastle and Sunderland.

Mr. Wm. J. D. Burnyeat, aged 42, who died at his resi-
dence, Millgrove, near Whitehaven, on Monday, was actively
associated with the staple industries of West Cumberland.
He was the managing director of the Distington Haematite
Iron Company, and a director of the Workington Iren and
Steel Company. He also represented the by-products industry
on the Munitions -Committee for West Cumberland. After
taking his degree, he was called to the Bar at the Inner
Temple in 1899, and practised in the Northern Circuit. Mr.
Burnyeat sat as Liberal member for Whitehaven in the House
of Commons from 1906 to 1909.

Mr. T. Railton, an ex-president of the Colliery Managers’
Association, died on Tuesday in Cardiff, aged 64. He was
well known in South Wales, having in earlier life been con-
nected with several cf the leading undertakings — Risca,
Tredegar, Aberaman, Abercynon, and Lewis-Merthyr. He
retired from manager’s duty some years ago, and has had
proprietary interest in local concerns, acting also as mining-
engineer. Four of his sons are engaged in colliery work.

Grimsby Coal Exports.—The returns for the week ended
May 5 show that the coal exported from Grimsby consisted
of the following :—Foreign : To Dieppe, 301 tons; Esbjerg,
1,323; Haugesund, 101: and Treport, 885—a total of 2.610
tons foreign, as compared with 9,171 tons foreign and 195
tons coastwise during the corresponding week last year.

Hull Coal Imports. — The • return issued by Mr. W. H.
Truman, coal Inspector of the Hull Corporation, states that
the coal brought into Hull during April totalled 230,325 tons
—214,330 tons by raiil and 15,995 tons by river—as against
458,612 tons in the corresponding period last year. Imports
for the four completed months of the year amounted to
1,031,169 tons, as compared with 1,563,699 tons in the like
period- of 1915. Shipments coastwise .in April were 33,034
tons, and for the four months 95,857 tons. Exports for the
month (five weeks) totalled 88,504 tons, as against 192.503
tons in the same month (four weeks) last year. The
aggregate exports for the four months was 356,682 tons, and
for the same period last year 691,964 tons. All figures are
exclusive of coal for British and foreign Admiralty purposes.