June 23, 1916. e THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 1201 Rogers has been associated with the work for over 50 years. During this time no fewer than six dock masters and three general managers have served the company. Col. Denniss, the present general manager, who spoke very appreciatively of Mr. Rogers’ services, said that that gentleman would have retired earlier but for the fact that he had been persuaded to remain. An Abergavenny coal and timber firm were sued at the local county court mi Monday by the Great Western Company for a-sum of £20 odd in respect of demurrage, siding rent, etc., but tliey paid part of the sum into court, and denied liability as to the remainder. Their defence was stated to be that they could not accept the trucks, as the colliery com- pany had not weighed them ; and tliat when the railway com- pany was requested to weigh, tliey did not do so for some days. With regard to demurrage at Abergavenny, they said that trucks cf coal had been sent on too fast for dealing with them, and that rhe railway company had been asked not to accept them. Judgment was given for the company on the ground that defendants were liable by the custom of a course of trading between the parties, but part of a counter-claim was allowed. In order to maintain, the regularity of work at the docks, and avert any interruption, the men a,re to be registered. The Port and Transport Committee arranged a meeting of employers and of labour representatives, with the officer com- manding the Severn defences; and this took place at the Chamber of Commerce office, Cardiff, Col. Denniss, general manager of the docks and railway being also present. The idea was to draft a scheme for ensuring exemption from military service of those men who are necessary for carrying cn the work of the docks in discharging cargoes. It was decided that members of the Dockers’ Union should obtain from their secretary a certificate of registration; this to be presented to' the committee of military representatives, employers, and dock authorities, by whom exemption will be granted. At the annual meeting of the committee of Morfa Colliery Relief Fund, it was stated that 24 widows and six other dependants still remained beneficiaries, the sum of £440 having been expended during the year. The receipts totalled £656. Cardiff and district coal trimmers have subscribed £275 towards Sir A. Pearson’s fund for assisting soldiers and sailors rendered blind during the war. The issue of the Ebbw Vale Company’s report to share- holders, with its proposal that a large 'amount of new capital should be raised, had the effect of causing an immediate fall of 2s, in the value of the shares. These are £1 nominally, and were standing at 26s. 9d., but fell back to 24s. 9d. Market opinion in this respect has, however, since been criticised adversely, seeing that authorisation for raising new capital would mean, not solely an increase upon present 'capital, but also additional earning power through properties acquired. One criticism generally dwelled against employers—particularly in industries requir- ing extensive mechanical equipment—is that they main- tain obsolete plant and do not bring their equipment up. to the highest point, as is necessary in times of keen com- petition. No such criticism can be. levelled against the 'Ebbw Vale Company, for the finest instalment of coke ovens in the kingdom has lately been installed. The com- pany also have added to their steel works some fine shops for the production of galvanised iron, and they have bought iron ore land in Northamptonshire, besides making other extensions and improvements which cannot fail to add materially to the earning capabilities. The output of coal exceeds 2,000,000 tons per annum, and steel a quarter of a million tons, and the pig iron 300,000 tons. So that the present capital of about millions—even though increased by about £600,000 more—cannot, it is held, be considered excessive. The offer of Lieut.-Col. D. Davies, M.P. (Ocean Coal Company), of a large site which should serve as a settle- ment in Wales for soldiers and sailors after the war, is hardly likely to be accepted, it being considered that the land is not very suitable for the purpose. None the less, there is general recognition of Mr. Davies’ liberality, of which this offer is only one instance among many. It will be remembered that his munificence and that of his family set on foot the Welsh national scheme for combatting con- sumption, which is now in full and effective operation, their original donations having considerably exceeded £100,000. It is announced by the Tredegar Company directors that from the outbreak of Avar to the end of March this year no fewer than 2,300 of their men have enlisted, and the com- pany has agreed also to release many others for expert operations at the front. The amount paid to dependants of men on active service by the Tredegar with its two associ- ated companies, the Oakdale and Markham, during the year was £14,677, making -a total since the commencement of the war of over £24,100.—The Newport Abercarn Company have during their year paid £4,600 to dependants of men serving in the Army. Sir A. C. Cory-Wright, chairman, speaking at the annual meeting of William Cory and Son, said that altogether 767 employees had joined the Colours. Many had been through very severe fighting, especially those who formed one of the companies of the Buffs. This company, known as “ Cory’s unit,” had unfortunately had its ranks so thinned that it had ceased to exist in its original form, but every man had acquitted himself with courage and honour and earned the praise and admiration of the officers. Sixty-six of their employees had fallen in action and six or seven were lost in the great naval battle. Northumberland and Durham'. More College Donations—Accident at North Seaton— Ballot for Association Committee—Compensation Cases —Concerning German Mines—Mr. A. F. Pease's Fore- cast. Messrs. Pease and Partners Limited have given £1,000, Mr. Hustler £500, and the North Bitchburn Coal Company Limited £500, towards the equipment of the projected new technical college at Middlesbrough. An accident occurred at North Seaton Colliery on Monday, when the main shaft of the winding engine broke, causing the cage to be suspended in the shaft. The back shift men and boys who were waiting to ascend were brought to the bank at the adjacent shaft. This colliery is at piesent supplying a large proportion of the best steam coal available for sale on the open market, and the stoppage caused a sharp stiffening of prompt prices on Newcastle market on Tues- day. tT is hoped that work will be resumed within a few days. The final ballot for .vacancies on the executive committee of the Durham .Miners’ Association has resulted as follows : No. 1 Ward, Coun. Robert Richardson, Ryhope Colliery, • 443 votes; Conn. Fenwick Bell, Hebburn, 210. No. 2 Ward, Coun. Peter Lee, Wheatley Hill, 429; Coun. J. Cox, Philadelphia, 224. No. 3 Ward, W. G. Ollier, Redheugh, 392; Coun. W. Shaw, Usworth Colliery, 261. No. 4 Ward, Coun. J. Herriott, Windlestone, 430; W. Hall, Ushaw Moor, 223. No. 5 Ward, Coun. W. McClenning, Stanley, 388; Coun. Fred Chapman, St. Helen’s, 265. No. 6 Ward, Robert Wren, Allerdene, 345; Coun. E. Cook, Hand-and-Hold, 308. The first-named in each ward is elected. It is noteworthy, from, the number of candidates Avith “ handles ” to their names, how prominent is the part taken by local miners in public affairs in their different districts. Judge Bonsey, of the Durham County Court, has given his decision in the compensation action brought by Walter Trevanna, a bricklayer, Thornley, against the Weardale Steel, Coal, and Coke Company Limited. Trevanna, whilst walking to work at the respondent's colliery at Wheatley Hill early on the morning of November 16 last, fell on an icy part of the footpath alongside the wagon way and hurt his back, with the result that he was confined to bed for five weeks. The contention on Trevanna’s behalf was that his employment commenced as soon as he reached respondent’s premises, the wagon way in this instance. The respon- dents contended, however, (1) that employment did not commence until claimant’s arrival at the time office, (2) that the accident occurred on a public road, and that the foot- path was there before the wagon way and there was a public right of way over it, and (3) that the accident did not arise out of or in the course of claimant’s employment. Judge Bonsey has found for the respondent company. Two claims of compensation came before Judge Bonsey at Durham County Court on M’onday. Margaret Wilson, of Shiney-row, claimed compensation from the Lambton and Hetton Collieries Limited in respect of the death of her husband, who had been killed by a fall of stone in the mine. The exact point at issue was as to Avhether the deceased had properly carried out his instructions, which, the firm con- tended, were that he should work at the right-hand gate- way and not at the left, where he was killed. Judge Bonsey decided that the orders did not specify the right- hand gateway only, and gave judgment for the applicant for £291.—The other claimant was Letitia Parkin, mother of Joseph Taylor Heslop, formerly a beltman at Messrs. Strakers and Love’s Willington Colliery, who was injured at work in January 1914, and died towards the end of last year. Mr. Heath, representing the Durham Miners’ Association, stated that deceased met with a strained groin and became a case of general consumption. Dr. R. E. Brown was of the opinion that, whilst the strain might have brought the disease into activity, the disease might have revived without any accident. Judge Bonsey found that the accident had accelerated Heslop’s decease, and awarded £75 compensation. A member of the Sth Durham Light Infantry, who has now reached Switzerland after a year’s imprisonment in Germany, states, inter alia, with reference to Munster camp : “In June (last year) I and 41 other men were sent out to work at the mines. We all refused to go down, and were then taken back to the billets, and told that we could not have any food unless we worked in the mines. Still we refused. They tried all sorts of punishment to make us give way, but no; we-stuck out. It was then told us that we would be compelled to work in the coke yards at a place three miles away. We started out the following morning to work from six o’clock until five. For meals we had one boAvl of potatoes and two slices of bread per day. . . . The last report I had from the same place was that they were compelling the Englishmen to work down the mines. They refused, and, after ill-treatment, were knocked senseless, put into the cage and taken down the pit to work. I have heard of people writing and saying how pleased they are the poor men are treated decently. That might apply to some who have never been to these camps and have got jobs at the post office, etc., but Avhat do they know about the treatment meted out in places miles away and which is never brought to light ? What about the Scotsman who was struck over the head with a pit lamp and knocked down the shaft, and, when found by his chums, was all smashed to pieces?” In addressing the shareholders in Messrs. Pease and Partners Limited, Mr. A. F. Pease, chairman, stated that the firm had been straining every nerve to obtain the largest possible output. They had also curtailed expenditure which in normal times Avould have been considered as ordinary repairs and maintenance, but the allocation of £45,000 towards renewals and reorganisation was recommended in order that arrears might be made up as soon as circum- stances permitted. The profit on coal and coke showed an advance in 1915, and a substantial improvement as com- pared with 1914. There had been a further fall in profits on by-products.' Tar was a drug in the market. Their benzol products had been commandeered by the Govern- ment at prices little in excess of those before the Avar, and the Government declined to pay more. As to the future, he thought they had reached high-water mark in the profit on coal. They would not get much more increase in price, and the cost of production would continue to advance. Our military success at an early date depended upon our increasing the supplies. If we could increase our output by 20 million tons per annum, it would mean the saving of thousands of lives, owing to the increase in munitions. We were bound to supply coal to our Allies, many of whose coal fields were in enemy hands; to the merchant ships Avhich brought us goods; to the Navy, and, in certain instances, to other countries in exchange for goods supplied. They hoped it would be possible to manufacture Cleveland iron cheaper there than at some of their other works. Dividends of 22s. per share, on both ordinary and deferred shares, were declared. Lancashire and Cheshire. Re-Starting After Fire—Coloured Miners—Shotfiring Offences—Question of “ Waste ” Coal. The Earl of Ellesmere’s Ashton Field Colliery, Walkden, Avas restarted this week, after having been idle through an underground fire. Various leading colliery firms in Manchester, Ashton, Bolton, and Leigh districts are overhauling their electrical installations with a view to having extensions and improve- ments carried out in the near future. Coloured men are now employed at Messrs. AndreAAT Knowles and. Sons’ Wheat Sheaf 'Collieries,. Pendlebury, near Manchester, and at certain other collieries in the Manchester area. Elderly men and females are also being engaged in increasing numbers on the surface at various pits in the same neighbourhood. Serious charges under the Coal Alines Regulation Act were preferred at the Wigan County Police Court last week against John Moore, a shot lighter at the Mess Hall Colliery. Four breaches were alleged against him : (1) that he alloAved an unauthorised person to fire a shot; (2) that he neglected to make a proper examination prior to a shot being fired ; (3) that he neglected to examine a place after the firing of a shot; and (4) that he failed to make a record of misfired shots. He admitted the offences, and the magistrates, declaring that the case was too serious to be met by payment of a fine, sentenced defendant to one month’s imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to run concurrently. At a meeting of the Kersley (near Bolton) Education Com- mittee it was stated that certain education committees had suggested that as a means of war saving colliery proprietors should be asked to sell at a cheap rate the coal waste from tips near the pitheads to poor people. This would enable a larger quantity of best coal to be used for Government purposes. The clerk (Mr. J. E. Billinge) said he had w-ritten to the colliery owners in theiir area asking if they Avould act upon the suggestion, and in every case he received