September 22, 1916.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

565

poisoning and boils that he had to lie off. He claimed that
the condition was the result of the accident on May 17. The
claim was allowed. There was no point of interest in the
other cases.

Cumberland.

Boring operations for coal have been commenced at
Blaithwaite, near Mealsgate, and the work is being carried
out by the Diamond Boring Company.

After a lapse of about 60 years it is expected once again
to raise coal out of an old working on the Uldale Hall estate,
the rights of which have been acquired by Mr. David, of
Yorkshire, who is at present working the lime kilns at
Bothel) from Mr. J. Pattinson. The working is in close
proximity to the church, and it is believed that sufficient coal
will be procured to keep the lime kiln fires burning.

Yorkshire.

The sinking of a new shaft has been completed at the
Sw.anwick collieries at a depth of 430 yds. The shaft has
been sunk as part of a large scheme of improved working,
which will increase the output, reduce working costs, and
dispense with the old shafts for coal turning. The coal from
five seams, it is expected, will be brought to the same
bottom and turned up the new shaft. Much work remains to
be done, both on the surface and the bottom, and turning will
not be begun for some time, but new machinery is being
installed as rapidly as possible.

Cruelty to pit ponies seems to be on the increase in some
districts. At Doncaster last Saturday, the magistrates had
before them Lawrence Dodd, pony driver, Denaby, charged
with this offence. It was stated defendant was in charge of
a pony, when, another one getting in the way, he kicked it
in the leg with a clog, inflicting a wound which kept the
animal off work for four days. This is only one of several
cases of recent date, rhe magistrates at the previous sitting
having sent John Woodward, a pit hand, of Thurnscoe, to
prison for 14 days, without the option of a fine, for cruelty
to a pony in Hickleton Colliery. He struck the animal with
a piece of wood that had nails in it, causing five punctured
wounds, and injuring it so badly it was off work several
weeks.

The depths at which coal has been reached m the various
new coal pits around Doncaster are :—Brodsworth, 595 yds.;
Bentley, 625 yds.; Askern, 568 yds.; Bullcroft, 662 yds.;
Yorkshire Main, at Edlington, 905 yds.; Bossington, 872 yds.;
and Hatfield, 852 yds.

Lancashire and Cheshire.

New Electrical Plant-—Progress at Cronton—A 0^ operative
Forecast—Arley Mine Developme’"' .

Plans for the installation of electrical plant are now being
prepared by various colliery firms in the Manchester and
Bolton districts.

It is expected that the Hulton Colliery Company’s new
pits at Cronton, near Bainhill, will be turning out coal in
fairly large quantities at an early date. Some delay has been
caused in the delivery of electrical plant owing to the war.

A trade correspondent says, if an amalgamation of the
English Co-operative Wholesale Society (Manchester) and the
Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society, which have jointly
three millions of members, is effected, big developments in
the way of acquiring colliery undertakings will be witnessed
in the near future. If collieries cannot be purchased at a
reasonable cost, new ones may be sunk.

It was stated at the beginning of this week that further
developments with a view to increasing output are to be
initiated at the Bradford Colliery Company’s pits, Bradford,
Manchester (Fine Cotton Spinners’ Association).

At the end of this month considerable numbers of men
who have gone to work in coal mines in the Wigan, Leigh,
Atherton, Tyldesley, Bolton, Walkden, Pendlebury, and
Pendleton areas will be brought out for military service.

The Hulton Colliery Company Limited are opening out
the Arley mine at their Chequerbent, Westhoughton, col-
lieries, and having new roads made.

Notts and Derbyshire.

Three minutes after the roof of a stall in the Mapperley
Company’s Kilburn pit had been examined and found appar-
ently safe, it collapsed, and nearly a ton of bind pinned a
loader, named Frank Down (20) to the floor. He died a few
hours later in the Derby Infirmary. Deceased’s two brothers
were working with him in the stall, and their opinion, given
at the inquest on Tuesday, was that the accident was due
to “ an invisible slip.” The only warning was a single heavy
bump, the fall occurring almost simultaneously. A verdict
of ‘‘Accidental death ” was returned.

The Midlands.

Twelve more miners employed at the Stockingford
Colliery were summoned at Nuneaton for neglecting their
work, and damages were claimed from each. Several
of the cases were defended by Mr. W. H. Nownail on
behalf of the Warwickshire Miners’ Association. Mr. W.
Johnson, M.P. (miners’ agent) stated that he wished it to
be distinctly understood that the association did not in any
way countenance absenteeism from work. The officials of
the association had given every consideration to the cases,
and it was not until they had done so that they decided to
defend .a few of them. Some of the c^ses which had been
brought were very harsh indeed, and ought not to have been
brought. They wished the miners to understand, however,
that they would not be encouraged in ^absenteeism. He also
wished to warn the masters. Most of the men were ordered
to pay the damages claimed, and two cases were withdrawn.

Cannock Chase coal owners are complaining of the high
prices which are still being charged for pit timber and of the
considerable inconvenience which continues to be experi-
enced in the carrying on of the pits from the extreme
shortage of supplies. Coal masters state that they are now
having to pay from three to four times as much for Baltic
timber as they paid before the war, and they substantiate
their statements by actual figures. Pit props of 6 in.
diameter formerly costing 16s. per 100 linear ft. are now
costing 55s. to 60s., and even this is said to be not the
highest point which prices have recently touched. Not long
ago sellers were demanding as much as 62s. 6d. per 100 ft.
Timber from Norway, which is of a larger size than Baltic
material, being generally 10 ft. and upwards in length, com-
pared with 9 ft., the maximum length of Baltic pit props, is
costing the Cannock Chase coal owners 3s. 3d. per cu.ft.,
as against Is. to Is. l|d. before the war.

Kent.

The deep sinking in the No. 2 pit at Snowdown Colliery
is still proceeding through hard sandstone with regular black
partings, but is now slightly better sinking ground than it
has been for some weeks past. Last week the distance sunk
was 15 ft., from 2,558 ft. to 2,573 ft.

In recognition of bravery displayed at Snowdown Colliery
on the occasion of the fatal accident there last December,
presentations of gold medals are to be made at Dover Town
Hall to Mr. M. W. Hardwick, the under-manager, and
Messrs. A. Spain, B..Herbert, E. Sutton, J. T. Tipple, T.
Poole, and J. George, employees of the colliery.

Dover Electricity Committee, at their last meeting, accepted
a recommendation of their engineer to order 1,50'0 tons of
Snowdown washed nuts. He has been testing this coal and
Derbyshire coal, and reported that he found the Snowdown
the better. It is also 3s. 9d. per ton cheaper.

Scotland.

Valuation Appeal—Progress at Greenbank—Electric Power
Arrangements.

At a valuation appeal court held in Hamilton for certain
parishes of the Middle Ward, the Garngavil Coal Company
appealed against the coke ovens at Swinhill Colliery, Dalserf,
being entered at £140. The .appellants, in claiming that no
value should, be entered, said this was simply a question of
the treatment of tne product of the colliery. The ovens were
part and parcel of tne whole colliery, in the same way as
screening plant was erected to make the coal marketable,
and they mignt as well argue that the pltnead buildings
should also be assessed. The ovens were required for the
running oi tne colliery and for the disposal of small material.
The Court sustained the appeal, as they considered there
would be a loss if the small coal was not so treated. The
assessor formally expressed dissatisfaction with the decision,
and was given authority to appeal if he considered this
necessary.

Mr. Robr. Spalding, who has been manager at Dundonald
Colliery, Fife, for the past five years, and is leaving to take
up similar duties at Prestwick, Ayrshire, was made the
recipient of a handsome present by the officials and employees
at Dundonald Colliery.

Good progress is being made at the new colliery at Green-
bank, Stirlingshire, and there is every prospect that the out-
put of coal from this field will be very considerable at no
distant date. The intention of the company is, in addition
to the two mines which .are now working, to sink a pit in
the western portion of the field. The company here is
handicapped in not having full railway facilities, but, once
the war is ended, this difficulty will be overcome.

The Banknock Coal Company have decided to generate
their own electric power, and to this end preparations are
being rapidly pushed forward.

To draw up mineral and then send it underground again
is the unique experience of John Boss and Company at
their Philpstoun oilfield. The mine in question is situated
at White Quarries, on the Earl of Hopetoun’s estate, a dis-
tance of about three miles from their oil works. The
superior of the ground would not allow the shale to be trans-
ported over the surface of the ground, which left the com-
pany with the question of underground haulage in some
form. The new mine lies at a point much below the surface
level of their works, but fortunately at a point in the out-
crop of some of their seams worked by their other mines a
haulage road was constructed through the outcrop to the
mouth of the new mine, and the output from this new mine,
after being hauled up by an electric motor, is attached to
this underground haulage and conveyed to the bottom of
another mine adjacent to retorts used for the distillation of
their oil shale.

OBITUARY.

Mr. G. M. Steinson, for many years a valued member
of the staff of Messrs. T. H. Catcheside and Company, ship
brokers and coal exporters, Newcastle Quayside, has died at
the age of 53 years. He was a son of the late Capt. Steinson,
who was an inspector of coal for the British Admiralty and
the P. & 0. Company on the north-east coast for a consider-
able period. In his early manhood Mr. Steinson assisted his
father in his work. He was very highly esteemed on New-
castle Quayside.

Mr. Frank Sadler, chief draughtsman of the Horden
Collieries Limited, died recently. He had been an official of
the company for 14 years, and carried out much important
drawing and designing work in connection with Horden,
Shotton, and Blackball collieries. He leaves a widow and
two children.

Capt. Hugh R. Wilson, M.C., of the Durham Light
Infantry, who has been killed in action, was associated with
his father’s firm, Messrs. WT. Stabler and Company, coal
and coke merchants, of Darlington and Newcastle, after
having served his apprenticeship with Messrs. Lindsay,
Grade and Company, ship brokers and coal exporters, New-
castle. He was 38' years of age, and leaves a widow and
twro children.

We regret to announce the death on Monday of Mr. Bed-
ford McNeill, past-president (1913-14) of the Institution of
Mining and Metallurgy. Shortly after his graduation from
the Royal School of Mines, Mr/ McNeill was appointed, in
1880, assistant to the late Mr. John Darlington. He had a
wide experience of mining in Europe and America. His
cable codes, the first edition of which was published in 1893,
are of world-wide fame. Mr. McNeill was aged 55. The
interment took place on Thursday at Hollington Church in
the Wood, West St. Leonards.

Mr. George H. Light, general manager of the Ellistown
Collieries, Leicestershire, died suddenly on Wednesday even-
ing at his residence at Leicester. Mr. Light, who was 60
vears of age, had been general manager at Ellistown for 39
vears. He enjoyed a great reputation professionally, and
was highly esteemed by the miners.

The death has occurred, at the age of 62. of Mr. Albert
Akerovd, coal merchant, of Birstall. Yorkshire. The business
he conducted was founded by his father, the late Mr. James
Akeroyd.

The death took place at St. Helens on Monday of Mr.
J. J. Tickle, land and mine surveyor. Mr. Tickle, who was
68 years of age, had been in business in St. Helens for
nearly 20 years, and had previously berm surveyor for the
Whiston and Prescot collieries.

LABOUR AND WAGES.

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

At the Raven Colliery, Amman Valley, a dispute which
lias prevailed for nearly two years has at last been settled,
and engagement of men to a large number is expected.

Swansea coal trimmers have finally come to agreement, the
last outstanding point of difference having been settled—
that as to extras for work on vessels of special build. After
the temporary stoppage of six or seven weeks ago the men
resumed work pending negotiations, the extra payments in
question being handed over to the president of the Trimming
Board, to hold pending decision. It is said that the sum
reached close upon £300, and that the men will now receive
under the settlement about three-fourths of the accumulation.

The Ebbw Vale miners met on Saturday, when complaint
was made as to strangers getting opportunities in the collieries
where new work was developing, whilst old employees had to
wait their turn on a list at a colliery where no new work was
developed. After discussion, the question being regarded as
a complicated and a difficult one, it w’as decided to appoint a
committee which should investigate and submit a report to
the next meeting.

North of England.

In his monthly circular to the Durham miners, Mr. Cann
complains of the failure on the part of many branches to send
in returns asked for and says : ” Just recently, wTe had reason
to issue two returns that were of the utmost importance,
having a direct bearing upon the welfare of the members
generally. In neither case did more than 50 per cent, of
lodges send in their returns, and, as a consequence, the value
of the same was largely discounted. The chief omission was
in the return relating to the minimum wage It has been
brought to my attention that, in some instances, a material
disability which local secretaries have suffered from is the
fact that at many of our collieries the taking of averages has
been discontinued and, as a consequence, they were unable to
give the detailed information avc sought. With all due defer-
ence to the opinion of others, I submit that this course of
action is an unadulterated mistake.”

At Morpeth on Wednesday, the Ashington Coal Company
claimed £3 5s. each from Joseph Reay and Robt. Chambers,
hewers, as damages for having absented themselves from
work. The claim was at the rate of 5s. per shift for 13
shifts. The magistrates ordered the amount to be paid at
the rate of £1 per week, and deducted from the men’s wages.
They w7ere also ordered to pay the costs. Damages were also
awarded to the company as follows : Wm. Moore, of Linton,
was directed to pay 30s.; Wm. Rolls, Linton, £3; and Henry
Clyde, Linton, £1 15s. In the cases of Bolls and Clyde, the
prosecution was recommended by the Collieries Absenteeism
Committee.

At Wednesday’s meeting of the members of the comic 1 of
the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Dalgleish raised
the question of delay caused to steamers at Blyth through
the men refusing to work after 5 p.m. at loading, and said
that, while the North-Eastern Railway and Blyth Harbour
Commissioners were trying to get them to work until 8 p.m.,
it would assist if the council would pass a resolution sug-
gesting it, as it would bring pressure on the Port Transit
Committee. Another member stated that there was similar
trouble at How’don Dock, and it was added that these delays
had caused short time to be worked at several collieries Last
week. It was decided to pass ,a resolution as suggested,
Howdon Dock being included with Blyth. It was pointed out
by one member that the men would work overtime at night
if they were paid Saturday rates, but he regarded it as scan-
dalous that men should ask these rates for ordinary week day
overtime.

Representatives of the Northumberland Miners’ Associa-
tion interviewed the coal owners in Newcastle, and submitted
a number of ‘‘ requests ” passed at the last council meeting
of the Association, and subsequently endorsed by the
county. These were discussed at length, and the owners inti-
mated that they would communicate their decisions in due
course. The' owners were then asked to agree to a scale of
basis wages in proportion to age for datal lads. The men
pointed out, with the present high county percentage, these
lads’ wages were below the minimum wage fixed by Lord
Mersey, and that it had always been very difficult to find out
what were the original basis wages for the different grades of
this kind of labour. The want of system had led to numerous
disputes at the collieries. The men suggested that a scale of
basis wages, according to age, should be fixed, the scale to be
equal to three-fourths of the minimum wage as fixed by rule,
to which the county percentage should be added. The owners
objected to a “ wage for age " basis on the ground that pay-
ment on individual merit was more equitable. The men
replied that if the basis suggested were agreed to. there would
be nothing to prevent the owmers paying more to boys of
special ability. In this matter also the owners intimated
that they would take time to consider the question.

Members of the National Union of General Workers
employed by pit prop merchants in the Hartlepools have
received another wages advance of Id. per hour. Their pre-
war rate was 6^d. per hour, or £1 9s. 9d. per week. In
February 1915. they received an advance of Id. per hour,
followed by another similar advance in November last. The
latest rise leaves them with 9|d. per hour, or £2 0s. lOd.
weekly.

The stoppage which occurred at St. Helens Colliery, near
Workington. last week, as a result of two of the pony drivers
receiving 14 days' notice for ceasing work prematurely, lasted
three days. Work was resumed on the understanding that
the question in dispute would be referred to the Joint Com-
mittee of the Cumberland Conciliation Board.

A special meeting of the Cumberland Miners’ Association
was held at Workington, on Friday, Mr. J. Dickinson pre-
siding. The Home Office wrote asking for particulars of the
work done by the committees dealing with absenteeism at the
collieries, and whether there had been any improvement. Mr.
Cape stated that in July and August the loss of time w’as
between 14 and 15 per cent., and that, considering that Bank
Holiday had occurred in this period, there was some slight
improvement. It was agreed to try to get the men who were
working irregularly to improve their attendance.

The notice given which the miners engaged at Messrs.
Pease and Partners’ Loftus mine to terminate work, on
account of three miners who are engaged in the pit refusing
to contribute to the Miners’ Association, was withdrawn. The
whole of the men now employed in the mine are within the
union, and the trouble is satisfactorily disposed of.

With reference to the decision of the Executive Committee
of the Northumberland Miners’ Association to permit the
SeRiill miners to take a strike ballot in respect to the quality
of fire coal supplied Io them, we learn that Mr. C. C. Leach,
agent for the owners of the colliery, has promised an improve-