September 8, 1916.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

465

LABOUR AND WAGES.

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

As reported last week, the independent chairman of the
South Wales Conciliation Board, Lord Justice Pickford,
gave his decision in respect to the alterations of the wage-
rate. The peculiar feature of the South Wales agreement is
that the independent chairman has no power to make an
award of his own, but can do no more than accept or reject
the specific proposition of either side. No further application
for altering the wages can be made before November 1, and
then it must have relation to the trade of the three months
ended September 30.

The men of Hill’s Plymouth Colliery have decided to with-
draw notices that had been tendered by them on account of
their dissatisfaction with existing arrangements, these
having been improved.

The tippers at the South Wales docks still persevere in
their demand for an increase in their wages, 25 per cent,
being suggested ; and their request has been under considera-
tion of the railway executive.

On Sunday two or three meetings of an important
character were held. The railway men of South Wales and
Monmouthshire, to the number of 13,000, were represented
in a conference at Cardiff, where they endorsed the demand
for 10s. per week increase in wages, declaring that they
would take nothing less as a satisfactory settlement, and that
the claim must be retrospective from July 1. Their resolu-
tion called upon the executive of the National Union of
Bailway Men to notify the railway companies and the
Government that unless their demand is conceded by Sept. 16
they will declare a national strike; or if their executive does
not carry through this demand, “ we decide that we shall
strike on our own responsibility and adjourn this conference
to September 17, to make.the necessary arrangements for
withholding our labour immediately.”

The railway men of Newport also held a meeting on
Sunday, wherein it was stated that if the Government failed
to control the prices of food and still allowed the purchasing
power of the sovereign to be reduced to Ils. 2d. they must
expect the workers to insist on an advance in wages. One
speaker said there were 100,000 railway men in the country
working at 22s. per week or less, exclusive of war bonus.
The resolution declared that unless the demand was conceded
within 14 days, another meeting should be held to take
common action with other railway men in South Wales in
withholding their labour.

The locomotive enginemen and firemen who are in the
Associated Society, meeting at Cardiff on Sunday, sent a
similar instruction to their executive committee and declared
that if their demand was not complied with “ they informed
the executive committee that the feeling of members in this
district is such that consideration will have to be given to
adopting drastic action in support of our claim.”

The award of Sir C. Doughty in respect of dockers wages
at Swansea has now been issued, and will become operative
as from the beginning of June last. The detail applies
mainly to import cargoes.

The workmen of the Bedwas Colliery, among whom was
considerable unrest on the non-unionist question, have with-
drawn their notices, which bad been tendered in violation of
the Conciliation Board agreement—before the matter m
dispute had come before that board. *

North of England.

During August the Northumberland steam coal pits
worked an average of 5*46 days per week, which was exactly
the average worked by these collieries during July. The
household coal pits averaged 5-359 days per week, slightly
worse than the 5-43 days per week in July. The total
average worked was 5-427 days per week.

During the last fortnight the munition workers of the
north-east coast have been receiving some measure of oppor-
tunity of recuperation, the works being closed for from four
to eight days, excepting insofar as was necessary for the
overhaul and repair of machinery. Mr. Wilson, Chief
Inspector of Mines for the Northern Division, communicated
with the Home Office as to whether it was intended that the
miners should participate in these holidays and, receiving a
negative answer, took steps to secure the support of the
miners’ officials in advising their members to remain at
work. As far as can be ascertained, the advice given has
been loyally carried out, and, although a few collieries have
been laid idle for want of wagons and collier tonnage, there
seems to have been no instance in which the miners have
taken 14 Drench leave ” because the rest of the district was
making holiday—a fact which should be accounted unto the
miners for righteousness.

Most of Mr. Wm. Straker’s September circular takes the
form of a recital of the negotiations for the establishment of
the Northumberland Mine Workers’ Federation, which,
should the members of the component societies assent to the
proposed constitution, will be composed of the Northumber-
land Miners’ Association, the Northumberland Colliery
Enginemen and Firemen’s Association, and the Northum-
berland Colliery Mechanics’ Association. Mr. Straker says
he regrets the withdrawal of Northumberland Deputies
Association.

Prosecuting five hewers at Easington Colliery for wrongful
absence from work, Mr. Edward Bell informed the Castle
Eden magistrates that, some three months ago, an absentee
committee was formed, at the colliery, of three representa-
tives of the management and three of the men. They had
had before them 165 cases. Mondays, said Mr. Bell, were
the worst days, and the days on which the largest percentage
of absences was found. On Monday, July 15, there were 131
absent out of 755. That represented 17-9 per cent. On the
following Monday there were 109, the next 119, the next 137,
the next 164, and the next 172, the latter representing 23-08
per cent, of hewers actually off work. On the Mondays they
had, in some instances, a loss of upwards of a thousand tons
of coal. The putters depended on the hewers for their work,
and he must admit, frankly, that the putters had been most
loyal during these times in attending to their work, but the
result to the putters of hewers being absent was that their
earnings were decreased. The amount of the claims was
assessed at 10s. per day per man, but he had to announce on
behalf of the company that, in future, it would be absolutely
necessary, at a time when coal must be obtained for national
purposes, that they would have to sue men for the full
amount of loss, even if it were to be £4 or £5 per day, and
they would not hesitate to do it. There were from this colliery
upwards of 800 men at the front. The defendants were
ordered to pay the following damages, at the rate of 10s. per
shift : Henry Thorpe, £7; John Usher, £2 10s.; Cornelius
Scollan, £1 10s.; Blackett Richardson, £1; and John Porter,

.£'2; and costs in addition. In imposing these penalties, the
chairman (Col. R. Burdon) said he wondered if the
defendants understood what they were doing. They were
doing their best to enable their enemies to win the war. The
one thing they could do—those over military age—was to get
coals for munitions and to help to pay for the war. One of
the men, as had been said, would, if this sort of thing con-
tinued, be taken by the military. If they neglected their
work it would be the duty of the Bench to bring it home to
them by every possible means in their power. Such conduct
had the effect of betraying the country, and he hoped there
would be no more of it.

The following very thorough-going motions are to be dis-
cussed at a conference convened by the Ashington group of
federated collieries, to be held at Newsham to-morrow
(Saturday) :—“ That this conference calls upon the executive
committee of our association to ask for a conference of the
Miners’ Federation of Great Britain to be held to demand
the abolition of the income-tax on wages.” “ That the
present high prices being charged for commodities is absolute
robbery, and we demand that the Government shall take
over the food supply in the interests of the nation.”

The drivers at St. Helen’s Colliery, Siddick, received a
substantial increase in their wages last week. Up to
recently they have been paid at the rate of 3s. 4d. per day,
but on Thursday of last week they put in a demand for an
advance. On Friday afternoon a meeting of the lads was
held in the pit yard, after which the colliery delegate met
the management, when a satisfactory ‘agreement was arrived
at. It was decided that in future the minimum rate for
drivers at this pit will be 4s. 8d. per shift, 3d. per score more,
and when the drivers are unable to work owing to a break
in the road, they will be paid at the rate of 6d. per hour.
Those engaged on Sunday duty will receive Is. extra. The
dippers also put in for an increase, and the management
have given them an advance of 7d. per day. The new
agreement also affects the drivers and clippers at the Old St.
Helen’s Colliery.

Iron, Steel and Engineering Trades.

With the sanction of the executive of the Cleveland Miners’
Association, workmen employed at Messrs. Pease and
Partners’ Loftus Mine on Saturday tendered notices to termi-
nate their employment as a protest against the refusal of
two or three non-unionists to join the association. Negotia-
tions for a settlement are in progress, and it is generally
believed that the notices will never become operative.

The Government Committee on Production gave a decision
in the Birmingham and Sheffield engineering and allied trade
unions’ wages dispute. The committee conceded an advance
of 3s. a week to time workers, but declined to grant any
increase on piecework rates. The men who participate in
the advance include engineers, machine workers, tool
makers, steam engine makers, blacksmiths, smiths’ strikers,
and electricians.

OBITUARY.

Mr. Elijah Moxon, who died recently at the age of 51,
was for four years manager at the Brodsworth Colliery, near
Doncaster. He was the inventor of a patent in respect to
opening out and ventilating coal mines for the prevention
of gob fires. He worked his way up from a pit lad.

Mr. George Fredk. Ollier, coal merchant, of Mobberley-
road, Grosstown, Knu'tsford (Cheshire), was found drowned
at Lower Peover, and at the inquest a verdict of “ Found
drowned ” was returned. Deceased was 35 years of age.

The death has occurred at Drighlington, near Bradford, of
Conn. Percy Garforth, who has for many years acted as
manager of the Drighlington Collieries of his father, Mr.
Fearnley Garforth. The deceased gentleman was well
known as an advocate of total abstinence, having been secre-
tary to the local temperance society for 30 years past.

Hull Coal Imports.—The Hull Corporation’s coal inspector
(Mr. W. H. Truman) reports that the quantity of coal
arriving at the port during August was 298,243 tons—
281,582 tons by rail, and 16,661 tons by river. In the
corresponding month last year the total was 434,608 tons.
The aggregate in eight months was 2,212,732 tons, as against
3,278,471 tons in the same period last year. Coastwise ship-
ments amounted to 33,679 tons, and the exports 98,919 tons.
In August 1915 the exports were 296,765 tons.

Pulverised Coal for Locomotives.—The committee of the
International Railway Fuel Association in charge of the sub-
ject summarises the advantages of pulverised coal in loco-
motive practice as follow :—(1) Smokeless, sparkless, and
cinderless operation; (2) maintenance of maximum boiler
pressure within a uniform average variation of 3 lb. without
popping; (3) an increase of from 7-5 to 15 per cent, in boiler
efficiency as compared with burning lump coal on grates ;
(4) saving of from 15 to 30 per cent, in fuel of equivalent
heat value fired; (5) enlarged exhaust nozzle area, result-
ing in greater drawbar pull and smoother working of loco-
motive ; (6) elimination of ashpit delays, facilities and expense
and reduction of time required for and ease in firing up; (7)
maintenance of a relatively high degree of superheated steam ;
(8) no accumulation of cinders, soot, or ashes in superheater
of boiler flues, smokebox, or on superheater elements; (9)
no punishment or overheating of firebox, new or old sheets,
rivets, patch bolts, stay or flue beads; (TO) elimination of
arduous manual labour for building, cleaning, and dumping
fires; (11) avoids expense and annoyance of providing various
sizes and kinds of fuel; (12) eliminates the necessity of front
end and ashpan inspection, and for special fuels, firing tools,
and appliances for building fires and for stoking and cleaning
fires; (13) equal provision with engineer for fireman to
observe signals and track, thus reducing liability of accident.
“ Your committee,” concludes a recent report on the subject,
“is of the opinion that the effectiveness and utility of the
use of fuel in pulverised form has been demonstrated from the
past year’s development, and that progress in the use of this
method of stoking and burning bituminous and anthracite
coals and lignites for generating power, heat, and light on
railways will be marked from now on.” It is stated that
railwavs in many countries are now seriously considering the
use of pulverised coal, and that some in the United States
are already installing pulverising plants.

DISTILLATION OF NON-COKING COALS
IN FRANCE.

Following the announcement of a Committee
appointed by the French Government to study this
question, the Echo des Mines gives some particulars
of what has been already done, by private enterprise,
in connection with the distillation of non-coking coals
in France. Several collieries, it appears, have put down
plant for the partial distillation of such coals as are con-
sidered unsuitable for use in gas works or cokerics by
reason of the spongy character of the coke they furnish,
the object being to obtain a usable coke, even though
distillation be not pushed as far as it could go.

Special attention has been devoted to small coal with
35 per cent, of volatiles, this coal being distilled in
special reotrts heated to not more than 500degs. Cent.
Under this treatment it has furnished 10 to 12 per cent,
of light and heavy oils, and a loose coke which contains
10 to 12 per cent, of volatiles, and is suitable for
making into ovoids and briquettes. Though the exact
results of the yield are not known, an approximate idea
may be easily gained from the fact that a ton of Maries
or Bruay bituminous coal yields, on complete distilla-
tion, 300 cu. m. of gas, 65 litres of ammonia liquor, and
72 kilogs. of tar. With regard to the slight change pro-
duced in the coal itself by incomplete decomposition, it
is pointed out that, as there is no progress without some
little inconvenience, the coal user will have to get
accustomed to the change. As an instance of what may
be termed habituation, it is mentioned that very few
have noticed the changes that have been introduced of
late in the class of coal used in French gas works, when,
owing to the scarcity of blast furnace coke, a mixture of
ordinary gas coal with crushed lean coal was introduced
for gas making, in order to obtain a coke more suitable
for metallurgical purposes.

TRADE AND THE WAR.

The Director of the War Trade Department announces
that applications to export tin-plates, tinned sheets, terne-
plates, lead-coated sheets or black-plates cannot in future be
considered unless the reference number of the permit to manu-
facture or to sell from stock, issued by the Ministry of Muni-
tions, is quoted on the form of application for an export
licence. Enquiries on the subject of such permits should be
addressed in writing to the Ministry of Munitions, Priority
Branch, Whitehall-place, London, S.W.; full particulars
should be given. In the case of Sweden, Norway, Denmark,
Holland, and Switzerland, applications for an export licence
should be made in the first instance to the War Trade Depart-
ment, who, if there is no immediate reason for refusal, will
communicate direct with the Ministry of Munitions in regard
to the issue of a manufacturing permit.

Approval has been given to a revised contract which enables
the Victoria-Minas Railway Company, Brazil, to construct
several lines. Imported railway material must pay a tax
of 12 per cent, ad valorem. The company has the right of
establishing a foundry capable of producing at least 1,000
metric tons of iron per month.

Mr. Wm. C. Bradley and his brother, Mr. Geo. Bradley,
intimate that they will trade as Wm. 0. Bradley and Sons,
colliery agents and coal and coke exporters, Pier-street, Hull,
in continuation of their late father’s business.

We are informed that the Coppee Company (Great Britain)
Limited, of King’s House, Kingsway, London, W.C., have
secured the contract for the coal washery and by-product coke
ovens to 'be installed by the Redbourn Hill Iron and Coal
Company Limited, at Frodingham. The plant comprises a
Coppee coal washery to wash 80 tons per hour, and 88 Coppee
regenerative by-product ovens. Tar, ammonia, and benzol
will be recovered, and sulphate of ammonia manufactured,
the benzol being rectified and pure products manufactured.
A gas holder of 700,000 cu. ft. capacity for the surplus coke
oven gas is also included.

Representatives of municipal and private gas undertakings
have waited upon Mr. Runciman at the Board of Trade
to protest against any Increased allowance to coal owners in
regard to prices of coal for home consumption. Mr. Runci-
man was able to reassure the deputation that there need be
no fear that prices of coal would be unduly raised to the con-
sumer without good reason being shown, and that the Board
of Trade had reserve powers under special legislation passed
since the outbreak of war to deal with the matter. He is
understood to have added that if necessary those powers
would be enforced.

According to the Aftonbladet (Copenhagen) of August 10.
borings for coal on the island of Bornholm have given
excellent results, several seams having been discovered. It
is reported that the working of these seams will be com-
menced in the near future.—Board of Trade Journal.

The Belgian Coal Industry. — According to advices via
Holland, the Belgian coal industry is very active, and six
new pits have been opened in the Hainaut basin alone. The
Charbonnages de la Louviere have commenced raising coal at
the new Saint-Vaas-t pit. wljich has two shafts and a very
fine washing and screening plant. The Maurage Colliery is
working two new shafts, Nos. 5 and 6, which serve a number
of fairly flat seams, the steepest dip being 22degs., whilst
the lower seams have a gradient of only lOdegs. The coal
is of very good quality, and the estimated output is about
1,500 tons per diem. The new Charbonnage de Bray is
raising 400 tons a day from the 410 m. level, and proposes to
continue the shaft down to 800 m. The Fontaine 1’Eveque
Colliery is beginning to raise coal from the new pit at
Leernes; and the Societe Charbonniere de Ressaix is sinking
two new pits, one at Houssu and the other at Peronnes-
Village, which are to be equipped with washing and
briquetting plants. The same company has purchased a
large tract of land bordering the Mons-Nivelle road, as the
site of a model village of 400 houses for the workers at the
new Sainte-Elisabeth pit.