.224

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

August 4, 1916.

station, with artificial respiration promoting apparatus,
tendered valuable assistance, descending into the burning
hold. No lives were in danger, but the heat was so intense
that plates in the hold became red-hot. The fire was extin-
guished in the afternoon,- and the ship is apparently
undamaged.	—

Northumberland and Durham.

Opening a New Seam—Change of, Management—Helping
Belgian Unionists—Losses through Negligence—Com-
pensation Cases—Reducing an Overdraft.

The late Mr. Thos. Bailes, mining engineer and colliery
surveyor, of ^Newcastle, left estate valued at £3,762 gross.

Arthur Sproat, 19, putter, was charged at Chester-le-Street
with having hewed coal from the waliside to the danger of
those in the pit at South Pelaw. Defendant informed the
magistrates that he saw the coal lying about, so filled it
into a tub. He was fined 20s.

Steps are being taken to drive a drift into a virgin royalty
of coal in the neighbourhood of Wear Valley Junction. The
royalty has been acquired by Messrs. Henry Stobart and Com-
pany Limited, who own five collieries in the Bishop Auckland
district, and the seam is reported to be 6 ft. thick.

Mr. J. P. Hall, who for some years has managed the
Bewicke Main, Mill Drift, Ouston E, and Riding Drift
collieries for Messrs. Chas. Perkins and Partners, has been
appointed manager of Shotton Colliery for the Horden
Collieries Limited. He will be succeeded at Birtley by Mr.
W. H. Welsh, at present manager of the Willington
(Sunnybrow) Colliery of Messrs. Strakers and Love.

Mr. J. Lawson, who is relinquishing the position of under-
manager at South Garesfield Colliery to take over the manage-
ment of East Tanfield Colliery, has been presented by the
officials and workmen at the former colliery with a hand-
some gold watch. A similar presentation has been made to
Mrs. Law’son. Mr. Lawson has gained first-class honours,
and was King’s medallist in mining. He is a mining teacher
under the Durham County Council.

For some time the Northumberland Miners’ Association
has had a considerable sum of money in hand on behalf of
distressed Belgian trades unionists, but has been unable to
forward it with the certainty that it would come into the
intended hands. The association has received a message
from Mr. Ashton, secretary of the Miners’ Federation, advis-
ing that the money shall be retained for a little longer, whilst
efforts are being made to ensure that, if forwarded, it will
not fall into German hands.

A question of amount was the issue discussed at Hexham
County Court last week, when Geo. Carrick, 67, applied for
a continuance of compensation from the Settlingstones Mines
Company. It appeared that Carrick was descending the
shaft in January of last year, when his arm caught the top
of the shaft as the cage was being lowered, with a result
that he sustained a compound fracture. Compensation at the
rate of Ils. 3d. per week was paid up to May 5 last. He
was then offered 5s. per week, but refused the offer. Eventu-
ally a settlement by consent was arrived at, Carrick to receive
50 gs. and 5s. per week from May up to the date of the hear-
ing. No order was made as to costs.

Although John Meggison, 17, was only charged at Stanley
with having failed to report injuries received by a pony of
which he had charge in East Stanley Pit, there was a strong
presumption, said Mr. Hargreaves, prosecuting, that he had
himself ill-treated the animal. The pony was badly bruised,
with a bare patch at the top of the tail, a swelling under the
belly, and considerable swelling at its hind quarters. A
veterinary surgeon expressed the opinion that the animal had
been kicked in the belly and flogged. Defendant explained
that the pony had had extra heavy work. It might have
slipped and .strained itself. As to the bit off its tail, the
pony might have fallen on rough stones. He was not wuth
the animal all the time. He w7as ordered to pay 20s. 6d.

The Bishop Auckland magistrates were informed last week
that, in consequence of two boiler attendants a't Shildon
Lodge Colliery sleeping at their work at the time the fore-
shift miners should have gone down, there was an insuffi-
ciency of steam to work the cage, and the miners declining to
wait, the pit was laid idle and £300 lost in wages, besides
the loss to the firm (Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan and Company
Limited). There was, it appears only 441b. of steam up,
instead of at least 65 lb. For the defence, it was submitted
that Jas. Wm. Smith, one of the defendants, was only a
labourer, and not in charge of the boilers, and therefore could
not be proceeded against under the Coal Mines Act, 1911.
As to the other defendant, Fredk. Cross, he was only a fire-
man, and not a boiler minder, nor was he paid the wages as a
boiler minder. Therefore, it was argued, a case did not lie
against him. Mr. Proud, for the owners, contended that
these men were in charge of the boiler for the time being.
The magistrates fined Cross 40s. and Smith 20s., with the
option of 14 days’ imprisonment in each case.

Aid. William House’s report of the most recent meeting
of the Durham Goal Trade Arbitration Committee on com-
pensation cases shows that ten claims in respect of deaths
were made, of which eight were sustained. These cases
included that of Robt. Carter, an off-hand lad, who died at
Netley Hospital, last March, from epilepsy alleged to be
due to injury to his head caused by a key falling down the
Spen Colliery shaft and striking him on the head in April
1910. He was off wrnrk about five months, during wdiich
time he received compensation. He got a silver plate to
wear over the fractured part of the skull, but was subject to
fits, which, however, were not sufficient to stop him
working. He was putting when he enlisted last
year. There was no evidence of recent injury. This
claim was sustained. In the case of J. W.
Christer, pony putter, of Louisa new pit, South
Moor, who died last March, it was alleged that death
was due to an accident in the pit on the day of his decease.
After hearing medical evidence, the miners withdrew the
claim. The owners resisted the claim resultant from- the
death of Robt. Glendinning, jun., pony, driver on the
surface at East Pontop, who was caught by the cage whilst
looking over the fencing at the top of the shaft on May 15
and was killed. Resistance was on the grounds that the
accident did not 'arise out of the lad’s employment, and the
men 'acquiesced in this view. In five out of 13 claims in
respect of non-fat al accidents, the men failed to make out
their case. The claims disallowed included that of Robt.
Rothery, hewer, »at Tudhoe, who alleged that, on May 3 last
he was struck on the right eye by a piece of coal that flew
from the pick point. He worked five days afterwards, but
did not report the accident until May 23. Another such
claim was that of Richard C. Carrol, driver at Horden, who
alleged that he had his right leg fractured by a kick from a

pony on April 27. The manager successfully argued that
the accident did not take place in the mine.—A contested
claim which was allowed w7as that by Wm. Hughes, putter
at Shildon Lodge, who, whilst hewing for the day, fired a
shot which went off before he could get out of the way, with
the result that he sustained a compound fracture of the leg.
The manager contended that Hughes had no authority to
fire a shot.—The claim of Chas. Varah, hewer, at Stargate,
who had his leg broken by a fall of coal, was disallowed as
Varah had had been fined by the Gateshead magistrates for
having hewed under the bottom coal without any jud props
in at the time of the accident. He averred that he was
hewing the top coal according to the deputies’ instructions
when the fall occurred.—Jas. Burns, hewer, at Usworth,
who was injured in February 1911, commenced light work
in August of that year, and received light work rate until
January of last year, when he enlisted. He was discharged
last March, and again commenced light work. He claimed
light work rate for the period he was in the Army, as he
contended that he was not able to do the drills and was, in
fact, employed on “ fatigue,duty ” only. The claim was
allowed.

Although the Northumberland' miners decided that, in
view of circumstances arising out of the war, the annual
picnic should be abandoned so far as this year was con-
cerned, there was quite an important gathering of miners
held, on similar lines to the county “ annual,” at Ashington
on Saturday last, on the occasion of the unfurling, by Mr.
Wm. Straker, corresponding secretary to the county associa-*
tion, of a new banner which had been purchased by the
Ashington group of collieries. Resolutions were adopted (1)
denouncing Mr. Harcourt’s decision to allow the Welsh coal
owners to increase the price of coal for home consumption by
2s. 6d. per ton, and suggesting that the Labour Party in the
House of Commons should move the adjournment of the
House with a view to having the matter discussed; (2)
calling on all non-unionists to join their ranks; and (3)
urging the Government to increase the old-age pension by
2s. 6d. per week.

As a result of the decision to double the contributions to
the Northumberland Miners’ Association, the union’s over-
draft is being steadily reduced. At the beginning of 1916,
the contribution of full-members was increased from 3d. to
6d. per week, and that of half-members from l|d. to 3d. At
that time the overdraft stood at £13,500. At the end of the
half-year it had fallen to £6,137. As a result of the war,
there is a steady call upon the association’s funds for death
‘‘ legacies,” in respect of members killed in action. During
the quarter ended June 30 these “ legacies ” were paid in
r&psct of 179 full- and nine half-members, to the amount of
£550, as compared with £249 similarly disbursed during the
corresponding quarter of last year.

Mr. Hogg, treasurer of the Northumberland Miners’
Association, has received, per Mr. R. J. Weeks, agent for
the Bedlington Coal Company Limited, a cheque for £600
from the officials, deputies, miners, mechanics, enginemen,
etc., employed at the Bedlington collieries towards the fund
for the provision of motor ambulances at the front. The
cheque raises the total Mr. Hogg has received for this pur-
pose from Northumbrian collieries to about £3,000—an
amount which, however, does not include certain sums raised
and administered for a like purpose by individual collieries.

Cumberland.

A special meeting of the executive of the Cumberland Iron
Ore Miners’ Association was held on Monday evening, when
it was unanimously decided to ask the men to do without
holidays owing to the urgent necessity there was for muni-
tions. The question of extra pay was left in the hands of
the general secretary, who was instructed to treat with the
Minister of Munitions on the question

The quarterly meeting of tlie Cumberland Miners’ Associa-
tion was held at Workington, on Tuesday, Mr. J. Dickinson,
chairman, presiding. The balance sheet showed that the
association was in a good financial position : there had been
a gain on the quarter’s working of £1,900, and the association
was now worth about £15,000.

Yorkshire.

Second Lieut. Herbert Dawson, R.F.A., who has died of
wounds, was 29 years of age, and an assistant mining
engineer with Messrs. Marriott, White and Kay, of Albion-
place, Leeds, with whom he served his articles.

Sergt. Arthur Swallow, Yorkshire Light Infantry, killed
in France, was a deputy at Crigglestone Colliery before the
war.

Lancashire and Cheshire.

The opening out of the Roger mine and the carrying out
of other improvements at the New Moss Colliery Company’s
pits at Audenshaw is to be pushed forward as expeditiously
as possible.

A number of colliery surveyors, colliery firemen, and retired
colliers left the Manchester district to work in the Kentish
coal fields.

The opening out of new seams at the Scot-lane Colliery
Company’s Blackrod collieries is now in progress. Follow-
ing the example of Lord Ellesmere, it is announced that
other leading colliery owners in the Leigh, Tyldesley,
Bolton, and Manchester districts are abolishing charter-
masters, or middlemen, and engaging the whole of the
miners direct. This system is working more satisfactorily
than the old one.

Numbers of colliers who joined the Army at the beginning
of last year and have been doing garrison duty in this
country have returned home and resumed work in the mines
in the Manchester district, this week.

The coal merchants of Oldham and district announce an
advance of Id. per cwt. in the price of house coal..

A correspondent learns from officials of the Lancashire and
Cheshire Coal Owners’ Association that important develop-
ments are pending in various parts of the South Lancashire
coal fields with regard to the more general adoption of elec-
trical and compressed air coal-cutting 'machines. These and
other labour-saving devices are to be tried by many leading
firms in the Leigh, Tyldesley, Hindley, Bolton, Manchester,
and Ashton areas.

The Midlands.

The monthly reports of the engineers to the South
Staffordshire Mines Drainage Commission state that the
rainfall during the last four weeks had been 3-02 in. The
pumping had been 12,430,800 gals, per 21 hours, as compared
with 12,904,800 gals, last month and 11,304,800 gals. in the

corresponding period last year The Gospel Oak Mond gas-
driven plant and Moat old engine were being worked full
time, to assist the Moat new engine. The water at Tibbing-
ton Bye. pit of the Empire Colliery has sunk a few feet. The
water at Deepfields had decreased.

A large number* of Midland, Lancashire, and Cheshire
gas engineers inspected the crude benzol recovery plant
which has been laid down at the Etruria Works of the
British Gaslight Company, under the direction of Mr. Harold
E. Copp, the engineer and manager. Mr. F. L. Halford
and Mr. Doig Gibbs, of the Ministry of Munitions, were also
present.

Kent.

During the week ending July 29, tlie deep sinking in No. 2
pit at Snowdown Colliery was carried down 21 ft. further—
from 2,467J ft. to 2,488| ft. Some work on this shaft was
also done. The ground has again changed to hard sandstone,
which, however, works a little better than the sandstone
recently sunk through.

Although the audited accounts of the five allied companies
of Kent Coal Concessions could not be presented at last
week’s meeting, owing to shortage of auditors’ staffs, the
officials had prepared accounts in each case showing the posi-
tion, and they are to be submitted at the adjourned meeting.
—As regards the South Eastern Coal Field Extension
Limited, the accounts showed that from July 22, 1914, to
March 31, 1916, the total expenditure was £9,291. There
has been recovered for calls and debts £1,850, and for rents
£342. The company’s proportion of the deep sinking at
Snowdown Colliery is £5,000, secured by prior lien bonds.
—The expenditure of Extended Extension Limited was about
£5,500, including interest to the bank on loans £2,720,
repayment of advances £389, general expenses £907. The
receipts have been £507 for calls and debts repaid. The
company’s proportion for the Snowdown deep sinking is
£3,995, for which they are receiving prior lien bonds.—
The general expenses of Deal and Walmer Coal Field
Limited to June 1915 were £539, interest on loans amounted
to £240, salaries to £202, and repayment of advances £194.
Receipts for calls and debts ow7ed to the company had been
£796. This company’s share of the Snowdown sinking was
£475, secured by prior lien bonds of the colliery to that amount.
—Guilford Colliery Syndicate Limited owes £5,000 or £6,000
in trade debts and £40,000 to the East Kent Contract and
Financial Company. The syndicate’s ordinary capital is
£40,000 and debentures £80,000. There is an agreement for
the sale of this colliery and an area of the Concessions Com-
pany’s land to a French company, the Forges de Chatillon,
but owing to the war this has not been completed. The sum
agreed fcr the sale is not sufficient, the chairman stated, to
pay the share and debenture holders in full.—Intermediate
Equipments Limited,, which was formed for the purpose
of equipping collieries, had raised £94,000 from debentures
and other sources from March 1913 to December 31, 1914.
Payments made during the same period totalled £92,000,
being £24,000 for the right to select two colliery areas; loan
to East Kent Contract Company £29,000, loan to Extended
Extension Limited £3,000, debenture interest £10,000, expen-
diture on Woodnesboro’ Colliery £2,500, expenditure on
Wingham Colliery £21,000. The expenditure since the new
board took charge has been £2,019, and they have received
£2,252 debts owing to the company.

Scotland.

Presentations—Boring at Reddingmuir—Fewer Exports—
Explosion at Hamilton.

Mr. George Paterson, who is retiring from the manage-
ment of South Longrigg Colliery, Lanarkshire, has been
presented by the officials and workmen with upwards of £30.

Mr. James Aitken, who has been in charge of the Summer-
lee Colliery at West Benhar, Lanarkshire, has been "made
the recipient of several gifts on the occasion of his leaving
to take up a similar appointment at Netherburn.

The Redding Colliery Company are conducting deep boring
operations at Reddingmuir, to discover if possible the
Bo'ness coals in the lower measures known as the carboni-
ferous limestone; the coals already worked in this district
are the upper series, a thick bed of millstone grit inter-
vening.

There has been a poor demand for export at the Fife ports
during the past week. Enquiry for the cheaper sorts is
maintained, but for the better class of coal the market is
dull. Methil shipments amounted to 34,015 tons, wThile at
Burntisland the total dropped from 21,010 for the previous
week to 13,400 tons At the minor harbours the shipments
were nominal, and the aggregate total for all ports was under
48,000 tons, against 73,643 tons for the same week last year.

Mr. J. M. Martin has succeeded his father, Mr. Robt.
Martin, in the general managership of Chapel collieries. The
two gentlemen were at one time associated in the manage-
ment of Niddrie and Benhar Coal Company, Portobello. Mr.
Martin, jun., has had an extensive practice in all classes of
mining.

An explosion of gas took place at No. 3 pit, Earnock
Colliery, Hamilton, belonging to John Watsons Limited.
Two workmen were severely burned.

A contingent of soldiers, formerly following the occupation
of miners, lias been sent home from various military centres
to undertake work in several mines in the Lothians. These
men are not permanently discharged, but are simply trans-
ferred, the stipulation being that they must return to wrnrk
in the same mine as they were employed in previous to enlist-
ment.

The shipments of Scotch coal for the week ending July 29
amounted to 185,510 tons, a decrease of 46,945 tons compared
with the previous week. For the year to date the shipments
aggregate 5.899.176 tons, a decrease of 760.673 tons, as com-
pared with the corresponding period of 1915. The districts
represented m the shipments this vear are :—Clvde, 3,363,679
tons; Forth, 968,479 tons: Fife,‘1,567,018 tons.

Iron Ore Deposits.—The Acting British Consul at Santiago
(says the Board of Trade Journal) has forwarded an extract
from a Valparaiso journal, dealing generally with the world’s
stock of rich iron ores, and particularly Chile’s contribution
to the total. Of rich ores, graded at over 60 per cent.., the
world's stock is stated to be 2,521,000,000 tons. From this
total, the article maintains, must be eliminated 1,095,000,000
tons from Sweden (on account of’the prohibition of export of
pure ores) and 400,000,000 tons from Brazil (principally from
the State of Minas Geraes) on account of the distance from
the coast and consequent cost of transportation. Chile
possesses four-fifths of the rich iron ores existing in the
world, of which the most distant of the principal deposits is
but 36 kilo ms. (about 22 miles) from the coast.