416

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

September 1, 1916.

and others who are named in this connection, is a further
source of gratification; the more so as it is said that other
developments are under consideration which will further
widen the scope of the concern.

When the chairman of Pontypool Council brought up the
question of the 2s. 6d. increase permitted in the price of
South Wales coal, one of the members declared that a large
number of collieries supplying house coal had been working
for 18 months at an absolute loss, even in some instances oi
Is. 6d. per ton.

Judge Bryn Roberts, at Bridgend County Court, dealt
further with the claim for compensation in which a very
important point had been raised, and had caused adjourn-
ment from a previous sitting of the Court. Fifteen years ago
the claimant met with an 'accident, and had since received
compensation under an agreement between himself and the
Ocean Colliery Company. Under that agreement he was
given light employment. Recently, however, he had been
working as a rope changer underground; but his wages being
less than the 5s. per day minimum for underground workers
as provided by the 1915 agreement, he claimed to be paid
at this rate. The company, however, contended that the
agreement entered into 15 years ago determined the condi-
tions of his present employment. In answer to this the
claimant submitted that his individual agreement of 1901
had been terminated at the time of the strike last year, and
tile Court had granted an adjournment in order that evi-
dence might be produced as to claimant’s position at the
time of the strike. This evidence was now tendered showing
that he was absent owing to illness when the strike took
place. The judge held that the agreement of 1901 had not
been determined, and he therefore gave judgment for the
Ocean Company, with costs.

It has been decided by the Evening Schools Committee of
Merthyr that the appointment of a mining lecturer for the
borough is desirable, and formal recommendation to that
effect is being made to the superior authority, a sub-com-
mittee being nominated to deal with the matter. The
“ borough ” includes not only Merthyr and Dowlais’, but a
long stretch of mining territory extending for several miles
southward as far as Treharris.

The firm of Ryman, Watson and Company, coal shippers,
etc., of Cardiff, have agreed to purchase the fleet of the
London and Northern Steamships Company (Ryman
Brothers), taking either 90 per cent, or the whole of the
shares. Sixteen vessels, totalling nearly 100,000 tons, form
the fleet, and the company has a nominal capital of £500,000,
but this is not all fully paid up. It has been estimated that
the purchase involves a sum of two millions sterling.

The offices of the London and Northern Company are now
in London, but are likely to be removed to Cardiff later on.
Mr. J. Ryman, of the purchasing firm, has interests in the
Efaldau collieries, and also in the Cardiff and Newport Ratent
Fuel Company, as well as other South Wales undertakings;
and Mr. T. E. Watson, his partner, who is president of
Cardiff Chamber of Commerce, and has been particularly
active in dealing with the serious questions raised by the war,
is a director of the Port Talbot Railway and Docks, as well
as of the Efaldau and other concerns. A circular issued to
the shareholders of the steamship company states that the
price offered will allow £56 for each £10 paid share; and
30s. for each £1 preference share. The purchasers pay
Ryman Brothers £250,000 in consideration of release from
liability under management agreement, for indemnity
against claims for compensation by employees, and as com-
pensation to directors for loss of office.

The retirement is announced of Mr. Eustace Richards, who
for over forty years has been connected with the firm of
Messrs. D. Davis and Sons. Mr. Richards relinquishes the
position of sales agent to the firm, and it is interesting to
recall the fact that his father was one of the earliest leaders
in the coal trade of this district, having been part purchaser
of the Lliwydcoed Colliery, and associated with the late Mr.
Rhys in that enterprise.

Bold action by the miners’ agent in the Avon Valley
deserves notice because of the desirability that it should be
imitated elsewhere. He addressed a meeting of the men and
strongly censured the action of recalcitrants who had endea-
voured to call meetings at the collieries. His protest was
that these men should be loyal to the Federation, and should
confoTm to the rules, not taking any course that would tend
to disruption.

At the funeral of the late Mr. Henry Lewis (Tynant),
which took place on Saturday, there was a representative
attendance of gentlemen with whom the deceased had been
associated in the coal trade, among them Mr. Herbert Cory,
M.P., Mr. T. Evans (Ocean), Mr. H. W. Martin, Mr.
Gascoyne Dalziel (representing the Employers’ Indemnity
Society, of which Mr. Lewis had been chairman), and Mr.
I). Ellis (Albion).

Because the Federation executive seeks to raise the contri-
bution per member from Is. to 2s. per month, opposition is
being organised in the same way as was done in respect of
the Parliamentary levy. In that instance legal action was
taken, and the levy shown to be unconstitutional.

The coal merchants supplying Cardiff Board of Guardians
applied for assent to an increase of 2s. 6d. on the contract
price of coal, seeing that the Board of Trade had allowed
colliery companies to make this increase; but the clerk to the
Guardians advised that there was no legal authority for
paying more than the contract price. The chairman added
that the Guardians had nothing to do with the arrange-
ments between merchants and colliery proprietors, and the
application was rejected.

A levy of 4s. per man is being made upon miners in the
anthracite area, the money to go to convalescent homes for
soldiers in South Wales.

The movement against allowing 2s. 6d. per ton extra to
South Wales coal owners continues in full force, and it is
probable that a combined deputation representing local
authorities, gas companies, as well as household consumers,
will wait upon the Board of Trade to enter reasoned protest,
submitting facts and figures in support of their opposition.
Mr. Runciman, it is understood, is not unwilling to receive
such a deputation, which would have also the support of
trade-union organisations.

Members of Abersychan tribunal have protested against a
slur cast upon them by a military representative on account
of alleged hesitation in releasing men for military service.
Their protest is based upon the fact that so many men in
their district are employed either in collieries or in munition
works, and (as one of them put it) if too many men of the
civil population be taken, it will result in dislocation. A
return submitted by the clerk showed that in cases where the
military had appealed, the decisions of the tribunal had been
generally upheld.

Newport docks have suffered from a shortage of labour, so
much so that a circular has been issued calling attention to
the need, it is asserted that men, though unemployed, keep
away from the docks, thereby creating an artificial shortage ;
and they are reminded that where an insufficient supply of
labour exists, help must be obtained from the Transport
Workers’ Battalion. The circular adds : “ This practice of
taking holiday when work is waiting, being prejudicial to
the interest of the nation and the port, cannot be permitted to
continue, and if an improvement is not shown, will leave no
alternative but to supplement the supply of labour from the
battalion. ”

The Cardiff Chamber of Commerce dealt on Wednesday
with the question of limiting coal prices and rates of freight,
their action following a meeting of the Central Executive
which had taken place in London on Tuesday. Mr. T. E.
Watson, who presided in Cardiff, stated that, although the
market quotation was 40s., colliery owners wrould reduce
the figure to 30s. for French and Italian ports; but he was
sorry to say that the Chamber of Shipping had not yet come
into line. In addition to stipulating that there should be
similar sacrifice on the part of the ship owners, the colliery
proprietors had stipulated that our Government should, in
concert with that of Italy, take steps to ensure that the con-
cessions would benefit Italian consumers and not go into the
pockets of middlemen.—Mr. Sanderson, chairman of the
local ship owners, informed the Chamber that they had
suggested 20s. for Rouen as a standard upon which the
rates for all the French “ Bay ” ports should be based, but
the Board of Trade itself had raised the basis to 24s. 6d.,
because it was felt that neutral owners would not take 20s.,
but would go elsewhere.—Mr. Watson agreed that the
Cardiff ship owners had done their best to meet the situation
regarding French and Italian buyers, and he said also that a
further stipulation by the colliery proprietors was that the
limitation as to freights should be strictly applied to all
Italian ships as well as British.

In the Aberdare Folice Court on> Wednesday, a haulier was
summoned for having a match in his pocket in the colliery.
The manager deposed that he personally made a search of
men in the district where defendant worked, and found the
match in his coat, which was hanging some distance away
from him. The search had been made in consequence of
complaints.—Defendant swore that he had searched his
clothes in the lamp station before descending, and was sure
no match was in his pocket. It was easy enough for someone
to have put a match into his pocket unknown to him.—It was
submitted by the solicitor defending that the search must
take place before the men began work, and not two or three
hours afterwards; also that the manager had no right to
search, this being the duty of the fireman.—On the other
hand, it was contended by the prosecution that if the
manager could give authority to search, he could himself
search.—The stipendiary considered that the manager had
not conformed to the Mines Act : he had not caused the
search to be made before the defendant commenced work,
and the search was not made by the authorised person (the
fireman). Therefore defendant could not be convicted.—It
was agreed that a case should be stated.

Northumberlajid and Durham.

Old-Age Pensions—Compensation Cases—Memorial Service
at Dawdon—Forecast of British Association Proceed-
ings—Cottages for Aged Miners.

In his circular to the members of the Durham Miners’
Association, Mr. T. H. Cann, general secretary, states that
the Miners’ Federation is not disposed to allow the question
of the inadequacy of the old-age pension of 5s. per week to be
quietly relegated to oblivion. He appeals to his readers
to supply him with examples of pensioners who have found
it impossible to make ends meet, and have, in consequence,
been either compelled to appeal for relief or go to the work-
house. He states that he will see these examples are trans-
mitted to a source where they can be used in obtaining
justice for old people. He contrasts the favourable treat-
ment meted out by the Government to the Welsh coal owners
in the matter of their being permitted to raise prices by
2s. 6d. per ton, with that accorded to the pensioners.

Mr. Geo. Beck, of Oakenshaw, who last week celebrated
his golden wedding, has worked for 64 years for Messrs.
Strakers and Love, and, at the age of 75 years, is still
following his employment as a miner.

Thirteen claims are reported upon by Aid. House, com-
pensation agent to the Durham Miners’ Association, in his
recent statement. In the case of Sydney Dent, 17, timber
attendant and assistant at the flat at West Auckland, who
was killed on June 15 through having been caught in some
moving machinery whilst oiling a spindle, the Arbitration
Committee awarded £70 compensation, the men proving
that, although Dent was guilty of serious and wilful miscon-
duct, the accident arose out of and in the course of his
employment. Of the 12 non-fatal cases dealt with the follow-
ing are of special interest : Richard Newton, 44, hewer, at
Houghton, alleged that he sprained his abdomen whilst
lifting a tub. He was off work 19 days. The claim was
successfully resisted on the ground that the manager had
not received any report, and that Newton could not prove his
case.—Wm. Skellett, 15, off-hand lad at Sleekburn, went
to help a man who was working a shearing machine, and,
when turning the handle, fell and broke his leg. The claim
was resisted on the ground that Skellett was not at his
employment when the accident happened, but compensation
was awarded.—John Walker, 65, shifter, stated that, on
April 27 last, he sprained himself whilst lifting a large stone.
He reported the accident next day to the master shifter, but
the claim was resisted on the ground that the accident was
not reported on the day on which it was alleged to have
occurred.—In the case of Jos. Dawson, 58, hewer, at Lumley,
who had been in receipt of compensation since March la-st,
having sustained an accident to his left eye, the amount of
compensation was reduced from 20s. weekly to 15s., a
medical report showing that his incapacity was only partially
due to accident and partially to a cataract of prior origin.—
Similarly, in the case of John David Saul, 34, stoneman at
Axwell, who claimed in respect of strangulated hernia,
caused by an accident, the doctor expressed the view that the
hernia must have been presentever since birth, but that work
would be an important factor in the actual strangula-
tion. It was proved that an accident disabling Saul had
occurred and compensation was awarded.

A memorial service was held last Sunday, at Dawdon
Parish Church, for 33 members and five sons of members
of the Dawdon Lodge of the Durham Miners’ Association
who have lost their lives in the war. The Dawdon Colliery
Band, assisted by six players from the Murton Prize Band,
accompanied the hymns. The attendance was fully represen-

tative of all sections of those connected with the mining
industry. Amongst those present were the Dowager
Marchioness of Londonderry, Mr. Malcolm Dillon (agent to
Lord Londonderry), Mr. J. S. Cowell (manager of Dawdon
Colliery), Mr. T. W. Liddell (under-manager), and Mr. E.
H. Gulliver (chairman of the lodge). The service was con-
ducted by the vicar (the Rev. E. W. Bolland), and a collec-
tion was taken in aid of the funds of the Durham Aged Mine
Workers' Homes Assoication. The Dowrager Marchioness
has asked the officials of the lodge to express to the bereaved
families the sympathy of the Londonderry family.

The programme of the meeting, at Newcastle next week,
of the British Association for the Advancement of Science
is rich in matters of interest to the coal mining com-
munity. Mining engineers will be most interested in the
proceedings of the ,Geological section, over which Prof. W.
S. Boulton, D.Sc., F.G.S., is to preside. From a forecast
of his presidential address with which we have been favoured,
we learn that, on Wednesday next, Prof. Boulton will deal
with the present outlook of economic geology, more especially
in Britain. After a brief reference to the work of the
Geological Survey, lines along which the functions of the
Survey might be profitably extended, will be indicated, and
the danger of overlapping of the work of the Survey and that
of the Imperial Institute will be pointed out. Reference will
be made also to the loss of efficiency resultant from the
official severance of the Survey from the Mines Department
of the Home Office. Some considerable time will be devoted
to the geology of concealed coal fields, particularly in south
central England, and the importance of an intensive study
of exposed Midland coal fields will be explained and empha-
sised. A new interpretation will be given of the strati-
graphical break which is said to exist in Coalbrookdale and
other coal fields between the middle and upper coal
measures and the probability that some of the coal fields in
the Midlands were originally separate areas of deposit will
be demonstrated. The need for a national survey by deep
borings, with a view to the exploration of coal fields hidden
under newTer strata, will be strongly urged, and also the
need for systematic chemical and microscopical investigation
of coal seams in our British coal fields, in order that we may
make most efficient use of them, both as fuel and for the
extraction of by-products. The mode of origin and geological
distribution of petroleum will be dealt with, and a genetic
connection between coal and petroleum will be suggested,
whilst the relative importance of the production of coal and
petroleum at the present time and in the immediate future
will be discussed. Geology as affecting civil engineers will
be reviewed, chiefly with reference to underground water
and the waste of public time and money in engineering
works such as water supply, due to a want of exact
knowledge of geological conditions and of reliable data upon
such matters as “ run off,” percolation, and so forth, will be
dealt with. . Finally, the need for the organisation of expert
knowledge in geology in relation to engineering and mining
will be strongly insisted upon.

So much for the presidential address. The work of the
section will include the following : On Wednesday there will
be a description, by Mr. W. Wickham King, of a plexo-
graphic model of the South Staffordshire thick coal, on 6-in.
scale. On Thursday, there will be a joint meeting
with the Chemistry section, on “ The Investigation of the
Chemical and Microscopical Characters of Different Varieties
of Coal, with a View to their Most Effective Utilisation as
Fuel and to the Extraction of By-products.” This discussion
is to be opened by Prof. G. A. Lebour, to be followed by
Prof. Bone, Dr. Strahan, Dr. Walcot Gibson, Dr. W. T.
Gordon, Dr. C. Hickling, and Dr. Watson. It is hoped that
Prof. Bedson, Dr. Dunn, Prof. P. F. Kendall, Dr. Wheeler
and others will also speak. On the same day, Dr. W. T.
Gordon will present the report of a committee appointed to
investigate the flora of lower carboniferous times as exem-
plified at a newly-discovered locality at Gullane, Hadding-
tonshire. On Friday, Prof. E. J. Garwood, F.R.S., will
deal with “ The Carboniferous Succession in North Cumber-
land.” In the Botany section, on Thursday, Dr. Marie C.
Stopes will deal with “ The Botanical Study of Coal.” Prof.
Wm. A. Bone, F.R.S., is to deliver an evening discourse on
“ Flame and Flameless Combustion.” One of the series of
Citizens’ Lectures will deal with ” Gas, Oil, and Petrol
Engines,” and will be delivered by Dr. Dugald Clerk,
F.R.S. The work of the Committee on Fuel Economy and
Smoke Prevention is referred to in another paragraph. The
members of this committee, it is interesting to note, include
Dr. J. E. Stead, F.R.S., of Middlesbrough; Mr. T. Y.
Greener, immediate past-president of the North of England
Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers; Sir Richard
Redmayne, the Hon. Sir Charles Parsons, Mr. Grevill
Jones, Dr. R. V. Wheeler, and Sir Hugh Bell.

piemises given by the Easington Coal Company
Limited, a colliery officials’ club has been opened at
Easington Colliery. Mr. T. A. Lishman, manager of the
colliery, has taken^ an active part in the realisation of the
project, and Mr. W. B. Forster, the engineer, has had charo-e
of the work of adapting the premises for club purposes. &
Mr. John M. Gillians, who for nearly twenty years was
president of the Northern Colliery Mechanics’ Union, and has
since held the position of treasurer to that society, besides
being president to the Northumberland Mine Workers’
Federation Board, has been co-opted as a member of the
Ashington Urban District Council.

Mr. James Iley, a hewer at Swalwell Colliery, has just
been presented with the Royal Humane Society’s certificate
for having saved persons from drowning. He has also been
the recipient of a silver watch from the collierv officials and
fellow-workmen. Mr. Iley has already effecte'd half-a-dozen
rescues.

Tiie Tag Day held on Saturday by the Throckley, Maria,
Blucher, Heddon, Montague, anil North Walbottle collieries
in aid of the Northumberland Aged Mine Workers’ Homes
Association, resulted in £60 being realised, as against £30
last year, and, what was even more important, in two very
fine offers of help to the. association from local gentlemen.
Mr. James Knott, of Close House, whose name has been
much before the public recently, both because of the tragedy
which has befallen him in the loss of all three sons at the
front and because of the transfer of his line of steamers, the
Prince Line, to Messrs. Furness Withy, has intimated his
intention of giving a weekly pension of 5s. to each of the
occupants of tlie ten aged liiiners’ cottages at Throckley.
The gift has been made retrospective to the extent of four
weeks, so that each aged mine worker in the cottages has
received the sum of £1. A leading resident in the Newburn
district has intimated to the miners’ agents that he is pre-
pared to build a group of cottages for aged mine workers.
To-morrow (Saturday) a similar Tag Day is to be held at
Micklev and Wylam. It would be a very happy event if
that Tag Day resulted in similar benevolent gifts*