September 29, 1916. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN 617 capital of £40,000, has made 4-81,734 profit in the year ended June 30. Upon the subject of the miners’ income-tax, Mr. T. J. Williams, M.P. for Swansea district, has received a letter from the Chancellor of the Exchequer (who represents North Monmouthshire in Parliament) stating that deduction will be permitted to miners in respect of the cost of railway travelling to and from work. The letter advises any weekly wage-earners who may be entitled to this reduction to get into early touch with the local surveyor of taxes. The western district men, at their monthly meeting on Saturday, passed a resolution desiring the South Wales Federation executive to call a conference with the object of getting repeal of the income-tax on wages. Several other district meetings have passed resolutions dealing with this matter, the opposition to the tax being general. It has been reported to the ‘anthracite colliers that, as to the collection of income-tax, arrangements have been made with the sur- veyors of taxes in Neath and Swansea districts to .allow an average of 19s. 6d. per quarter as deduction for cost of tools and explosives when making calculation of abatement from the total wages earned. Agreement has not yet been reached with regard to the Llanelly district.—The Avon Valley miners met at Port Talbot on Saturday and resolved to apply to the Federation executive that they would make every effort to raise the income-tax limit from £130 to the old standard of £160. The Pontypridd district men, at their monthly meeting, dealt with complaints as to certain colliers absenting them- selves from work on Saturdays, with the result that their young helpers had to be sent home. The agent (Mr. B. Davies) described this as a great hardship on the lads, many of whom were sons of widows, and pointed out that another serious aspect was that these lads were returned as absentees. Upon the same question of absenteeism Mr. Davies said that at a particular colliery it wTas contended that six shifts constituted the working week for afternoon and night men, although hundreds of men had never worked on a Sunday night, and never intended to do so, and these were marked as absentees. His opinion was that steps should be taken to keep the correct number of shifts recorded, otherwise the percentage of absenteeism would tell against the men.—To the Avon Valley miners, their agent (Mr. W. Jenkins) pointed out that at several collieries there was a minority of men who frequently absented themselves from work, and he said they ought to bring pressure upon these so as to induce them to work more regularly.—An appeal was made to Rhondda men by their agent that the lodges would forward the returns of absentees which had been obtained in the collieries, so that they might be in a position to check the figures of absenteeism sent out by the employers. At an inquest in Tredegar the question was raised as to the employment underground of a boy 13 years of age. He had been at work only iiiine days, when, owing to the firing of a shot, although he had been left in a safe place, he was buried under a stone. It was stated in the evidence that a large lump of coal had blown out the timber, which was therefore moved, and occasioned a fall, two posts being displaced. The witness said the boy did not stay in the place where he was put; he went back into the stall. The proprietor of the level in which the boy was working said he had engaged the boy as a favour to the family, he having come several times asking for work. The jury returned a verdict of death from misadventure, and censured the employer for engaging a boy under age. The coroner said he agreed with the views of the jury, for it was serious and contrary to law to employ boys under age. Notwithstanding the emergency of the present time, the law must not be broken. Swansea Harbour Trustees executive have recommended that the resignation of Mr. W. Law, hitherto general manager, shall take effect from the end of November, and that that gentleman be invited to accept the position of con- sultant at one-third his present salary. No new appoint- ment is likely to be made till after the war. At the Hook Colliery, in Pembrokeshire, on Friday, two men were drowned through cutting into the pocket of an old working from which water came, overwhelming them. A lad had his escape cut off, and was rescued only after several hours’ imprisonment. Colliery rescue stations will shortly be opened at Pontar- dawe and at Cross Hands. Mr. Vernon Hartshorn, one of the miners’ leaders, states ■that early in the war an offer wTas made to the coal owners that if they would limit their profits to pre-war rates the miners would refrain from making new wage claims; but, he says, the owners would not listen to the suggestion, and he adds, “the two years of practically unrestrained profit exploitation of the coal trade has left us with a wage claim still outstanding against the coal owners, and any scheme for the limitation of prices, at a time when the workmen still hope to prosecute that claim to a successful conclusion, must be very closely examined.’’ Seeing how the most important section of the coal—namely, that in the Admiralty pits—has been under a price limitation almost from the beginning, and that that limitation has since been extended in favour of the Allies, Mr. Hartshorn’s allegation of “ practically unrestrained exploitation ’’ has provoked criticism. With regard to the enquiry which was conducted by Lord Milner, it is now pointed out that his lordship had no scheme to submit to the Miners’ Federation or other parties interested, but that, having the duty of supervising the three committees which deal with the coal trade, Lord Milner thought it well to consult the different classes interested. Denial is given to the statement that there will be no further meetings with Lord Milner. On the contrary, as there is no scheme such as was suggested, his lordship will continue the consultations. The six-year-old strike at the Gelli pit, in the Rhondda, has once again come under consideration for settlement— four representatives of the employers and four of the men having met in order to arrive at agreement. Only a pre- liminary discussion among the newly-appointed referees has now taken place. Mr. D. Morgan, assistant manager of the Cambrian Com- bine, presided at the distribution of prizes to the ambulance brigade of Llwynypia Colliery, and he took occasion to express regret that more interest was not taken in the work. No matter how careful the management, he said, accidents were bound to happen in colliery districts, and he would like to see it made compulsory that before an official was appointed he should hold a certificate in ambulance work.— Presentations were made during the evening to Dr. Davies and to Messrs. G-. Payne and B. Lewis, the teachers. Northumberland and Durham. Motor Ambulances for France—Woodhorn Memorial Service—Old Pit Reopened—“ Burn Your Bonds ’’ Movement. The owners and workmen of the Cramlington collieries have subscribed the cost of three motor ambulances, which are now doing duty in France. The cars cost £1,650, of which the workmen contributed £938 7s. 4d., and the owners £711 12s. 8d. Mr. M. Fenwick, brother of Mr. C. Fenwick, M.P., has retired from the secretaryship of the Bebside Miners’ Lodge, owing to failing health. Mr. Mark Hudson, for many years a prominent official at Black Boy Colliery, who some time ago relinquished his position to take up the managing partnership of a colliery in West Durham, nas been oiiered and has accepted a posi- tion as assistant under-manager for the firm of Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan and Company. His duties will chiefly be at the Auckland Park and Black Boy collieries. An endeavour is being made to establish branches of the Durham and Northumberland Colliery Officials’ Association at Willington, Byers Green and Eldon. Capt. Artnur T. Wilson, King’s Royal Rifles, who resided at Bishopgarth, York, is officially reported wounded. Capt. Wilson is a colliery proprietor in co. Durham. A memorial service, addressed by Messrs. Charles Fenwick and Thomas Richardson, M.P.’s, was held at Ashington on Sunday, in connection with the Woodhorn pit disaster, in which 13 men lost their lives. Mr. Fenwick referred to the military rolls of honour to which we had become 'accustomed during the last two years, and suggested that there should be another roil of honour—a permanent record of the noble duties done by soldiers of industry. Last year he mentioned there were 1,219 miners killed and 158,541 injured in British collieries. Mr. Richardson averred that a goodly percentage of colliery accidents were preventable. It was for the miners to demand as an elemen- tary right that the maximum amount of good and useful- ness must be extracted from the Acts of Parliament in the interests of their lives and health. A movement has been inaugurated with a view to erecting a suitable memorial to the miners who died in Woodhorn Colliery on August 13. The effort of the Durham miners to raise, by means of their Rose Day sales, the sum of £1,000 in aid of the Aged Mine Workers’ Association, has been crowned with success, rather over the round £1,000 having been collected. The old pit shaft situated near the Walbottle Brick Works is being reopened by Messrs. M. Kirton and Sons, who have acquired the brick works. Plant has already been installed to aid in the winning of the Tilley and Three-quarter seams, which it is stated have not previously been worked there. Messrs. Kirton have also secured the lease of a ganister quarry, and will use the stone in the production of silica bricks. At the works themselves, by the way, very impor- tant extensions are being made. A continuous kiln, whereby tne output will be increased to 60,000 bricks per week, has been put in and other up-to-date machinery erected. The works adjoin excellent banks of shale clay. Joseph Gardner (37), who was killed in Bebside Colliery on Friday last by a huge stone weighing upwards of a ton, which came away from two “ slippery jacks,’’ was a nephew of the Right Hon. Charles Fenwick, M.P. East Heit-on colliery workmen have raised £1,151 by levies during the last 12 months. The money has been disbursed as follows :—Relatives of local soldiers killed in action, £440; relatives of members who have died natural deaths, £166; Red Cross Society, £365; Sunderland, Durham, and New- castle infirmaries, £118; and Aged Miners’ Homes, £62. The “ Burn your bonds ’’ movement, which has originated in Amble and Broomhill, appears to be finding many adherents amongst the mining population of Northumberland, despite the fact that the Broomhill miners’ lodge has some- what gratuitously disclaimed responsibility for it. The movement is one for making a free gift to the Govern- ment of amounts which people would otherwise have invested at interest in Exchequer bonds. Its title denotes the mode by which it is proposed to accomplish this, and Mr. Charles Harmer, who is acting as honorary secretary of the scheme, reports that the movement has already passed the confines of the district, and that many people in different parts of the country are contributing thereto. For having hewed and filled off the wallside at Sacriston Colliery, J. Henry Trow, Jos. Warne, and Jas. Emble- ton have each been fined 7s. 6d. by the Durham magis- trates. The same Bench fined Richard Siddle 20s. for having neglected to timber his working place at Bearpark Colliery properly. It was stated that it was a rule that a man must now hew more than 3 ft. without timbering. In this case, defendant had proceeded 6 ft. without timbering, and, in consequence, there was a fall of coal which, luckily, did not injure anyone. At the same court, John Burnip was fined 10s. for having omitted to change a switch in Bear- park Colliery. The omission resulted in a pony being killed, but as the boy's father was at the front, the owners did not press for a heavy penalty. Charged with having failed to remain in charge of his pony in the Silksworth Colliery during the whole of his working shift, Charles Gillespie, 20, putter, was fined 7s. 6d., with 5s. costs, by the Houghton-le-Spring magis- trates. It was stated that a hewer found defendant’s pony attached to three full tubs and jammed between the tubs and some timber, towards which there was a slight decline. The pony was lying on the ground, and the weight of the tubs had fastened it against the props. The result was that it was slowly strangling. Indeed, it would have been strangled had it not been released by some workmen. Defendant really committed another offence by having more than one tub attached to the pony. When Thos. Panting and Jas. Maysack, miners, were charged at Consett with having absented themselves wrong- fully from work at South Medomsley Colliery between August 7 and September 11, the representative of the Consett Iron Company expressed regret at having to prose- cute defendants, as the firm's workmen kept good time in a general way. Each was ordered to pay £2, the amount of damages claimed, and costs. Wm. Spence, miner, who was charged at Consett on Monday with having obtained £1 16s. 4d. by false pretences from Messrs. Thos. Hedley and Brothers, coal owners, of Craghead, was sent to prison for three months' hard labour. His wife, who was charged jointly with him, was dis- charged. It appeared that another man, named Wm. Spence, working at Craghead Colliery, had been injured, and was in receipt of compensation. In July last the male defendant persuaded his wife to visit the colliery offices and represent herself as the wife of the man who had been injured, whereby she received the compensation allowance. The male defendant, as a matter of fact, had never been employed at Craghead. Col. Weiss, chairman of the French Coal Imports Com- mittee, and other members of that committee paid a visit to Newcastle Exchange on Tuesday, and had a business con- ference with representative traders on the question of coal shipments to France. Yorkshire. The Doncaster West Riding magistrates are taking a more serious view of mining offences. On Saturday, two Denaby colliers, George Dodd and Wm. Wright, who it was said could earn £3 15s. to £4 a week, were fined £4 10s. each for a breach of the timbering regulations. On a face of 33 yds. Mr. H. W. Smith, the manager, found eleven props wrere short according to the rules. There was plenty of timber available, and Mr. Frank Allen, who prosecuted on behalf of the company, emphasised the dangers arising through breaches of these rules. The deputy, Alfred Bailey, who had the oversight of the men and their working place, was also proceeded against, and fined £4 10s. Two pony drivers, Kobt. Sargeant, Mexbro’, and Gladstone Plant, Denaby, were summoned for doing an act likely to endanger the safety of the pit. They interfered with a compressed air engine, with the result that the rope got off and jammed. Defendants pleaded guilty, and were fined 26s. each. Speaking at the meeting of the Staveley Coal and Iron Company Limited, Mr. A. Markham referred to several important extensions, and said that they had a considerable number of new sinkings coming on at Warsop, and they were going to put down another pit of the blackshale coal in the middle of the wTorks yard. This coal was within a reasonable depth and of excellent quality. Lancashire and Cheshire. Mining Diploma—Boys for Collieries--Veterans at Work —Presentation. The governing body of the Wigan and District Mining and Technical College have awarded the diploma in mining to J. W. Whitaker, B.Sc., the Knowles gold medal to John Lowe (evening mining course), the Percy Memorial silver medal to PI. Ashurst (part time day mining course), and the Governors’ silver medals to H. H. Winstanley (engineering department), J. S. V. Brown (electrical department), J. H. Dowswell (chemistry department), and R. A. Crispin (building trades department). By arrangement with the War Office the governing body of the college has recently made provision for instruction in fitting, turning, drawing, etc., for men enrolled in the Royal Flying Corps, who are required to qualify as assistant mechanics. The object of the course is to render men fit to undertake repairs to aeroplane engines and other machines, and the War Office have applied to a number of the larger technical colleges equipped with engineering machinery to assist in providing the necessary training. The governing body of the college has .also been invited by the Ministry of Munitions to resume the classes for the training of intending women munition workers, but, in view of the college machinery being now occupied for the purpose of the Royal Flying Corps, it is not possible to reopen the munition classes from which last session about eighty employees entered munition works. Considerable numbers of boys are now leaving mills and foundries in the Manchester and Bolton districts and obtain- ing work at local collieries. Bigger wages and shorter hours are the magnet. Hundreds of men verging on three score years and ten are working in the coal mines and earning good wages in the Walkden, Little Hulton, Atherton, Tyldesley, and Leigh districts of southern Lancashire. Rumours were current in Manchester coal trade circles at the beginning of this week to the effect that certain powerful shipping concerns in Liverpool intend taking over colliery properties, or acquiring a big interest in the same in the Manchester district. The officials and workmen of the Wharncliffe Silkstone Colliery Company presented the chairman of the company, Mr. G’. B. Walker, with his portrait in oils, in commemora- tion of his 42 years’ service as pit manager. The presen- tation was made at his residence, Tankersley Grange. Notts and Derbyshire. As a result of a train of 15 laden tubs breaking loose in the Shirebrook Colliery, a clipper named Kenneth "Ward, 16, of Church Hill, was fatally injured, and another clipper, George Brewster, 16, of Central Drive, was badly hurt. The lads were holding up some empty wagons, which the corporal was clipping up. On hearing an unusual noise, the corporal warned the lads to get from the front of the tubs, but before they could clear the runaways were on them. John Frederick Crindall, aged 38, of Antil-street, Staple- ford, employed as a banksman at the Trowell Moor pit, was working at the slack shoot on Thursday of last week with Wm. Starbuck, when both men got into a truck to ease the pan. In doing so, Crindall caught his head between the truck and the beam supporting the screen, and died almost immediately. The Midlands. Mining Education—Canal Traffic Possibilities. At the monthly meeting of the South Staffordshire and East Worcestershire Colliery Under-mana gers’ Association at Dudley on Saturday, Mr. Wm. Garratt (one of the secre- taries) led a discussion on “ Mining Education.’’ He pointed out that the best training for a mine official consisted of two brandies—the theoretical and the practical, and the mine official, who had obtained a judicious blending of these two, ought to be a better man than he who had too little of one, however much he had of the other. The young miner of to-day could be sure, by taking the necessary interest in his work, of that practical training from stage to stage of under- ground work at the hands of the officials of the mine and technical schools existed to provide the theoretical training. The official who acted honestly and firmly, with tact and judgment, would find his instructions carried out by the majority of them, and that they were most anxious to help him to secure greater safety and efficiency of the mine.