November 10, 1916.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

915

LABOUR AND WAGES.

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

The workmen at Bedwas Colliery are objecting to the
employment of Spaniards; and some to whom objection is
taken were previously engaged in another South Wales
colliery, where also the men resisted their introduction. The
reasons adduced by the men are—first, the ordinary ones as
to the foreigners’ ignorance of the English language and
their inability to read rules and regulations under the Mines
Act; also that, at a time of national crisis, foreigners should
not be engaged in so important an industry. More particu-
larly, however, they object to foreigners taking the place of
those who have enlisted, their fear evidently being that the
employment will be continued after the war, and that not
only will the British workmen be displaced, but that the
Federation will be weakened by the presence of non-members.

A district meeting of Brynmawr and Blaina colliers
resolved to communicate with the chief constables of Mon-
mouthshire and Brecon, because of the difficulty created
owing to restriction of lighting, which occasions grave incon-
venience to the men when proceeding to work.—Mr. Win-
stone, president of the Federation, has also dealt with the
inadequate lighting of the streets, stating that the orders in
force bore heavily upon workmen. It meant, he said,
reducing the output of coal, because it interfered with the
miners coming and going. He has brought this matter before
the Monmouthshire County Council, and it was decided not
to pass a formal resolution, but to leave the matter with the
Chief Constable.

At a meeting of the Brynmawr and Blaina miners on
Saturday, a report was presented showing that, in respect of
colliers called up to the Army from Stone’s pit, the mili-
tary had cancelled the notices; further, that as a result of
Board of Trade intervention, and interviews with the manage-
ment, the whole of the men would be reinstated on the coal
or other work. The difficulty arose because of the suspected
victimisation of 21 workmen, upon which suspicion the whole
of the men had tendered notices, terminating last Saturday.
Fresh difficulty has since arisen, but it is understood that
this is being got over.

The South Wales Steel Workers, who are approaching the
Committee on Production in London upon the question of
increase of wages, also suggests that employees earning less
than £1 a week should be paid a bonus.

North of England.

Prosecuting, at Newcastle on Wednesday, several
absentee hewers in the employ of the Burradon and Cox-
lodge Coal Company Limited, Mr. Edward Clark sjtated that,
unless the miners very greatly improved their time-keeping,
drastic measures would be adopted by the Government, which
would be more serious than claims for damages. The
following hewers at Hazlerigg were ordered to pay damages
at the rate of 5s. per day, with costs :—Geo. Warburton, in
respect of seven days; John Corbeson, eight days; Thos.
Brown, three; Kalita Harrison, five; and Philip Parkin, six.
Burradon hewers were similarly penalised in respect of the
following absences :—John Dunn, Thos. Thurthwaite, Jas.
Todd, and John Stringer, three days; and Anthony Appleton,
two days. Mr. E. S. Dunford, magistrate, remarked that,
as one who was connected with the shipping of coal to France
and Italy, he could say how very serious it was if any
shortage was brought about through men absenting them-
selves from work.

The Northumberland coal owners consented, on Saturday
last, to a change in the basis on which the war bonus to
minimum wage workers is calculated, a change whereby these
workers will benefit very materially. Up to the present,
such men have been receiving the minimum wage, plus a
bonus equal to half the percentage by which the miners’
wages are higher than 50 per cent, above the basis of 1879.
Thus, with wages at the present height of 131 per cent, above
that basis, the minimum wage worker has received a bonus
of 40| per cent, on the 1879 wage of 4s. 9|d. per day, or,
roughly, a total wage of 6s. 8d. per day. By Saturday’s
arrangement, however, the war bonus is to be calculated on
the legal minimum wage of 5s. 8d. per day, not on the basis
of 1879, and this means practically 8s. per day, an advance
of Is. 4d.

On Friday of last week, the Durham Coal Trade Concilia-
tion Board agreed to the county miners being awarded a
further wages increase on the basis of 1879 of 5 per cent.,
making the county wage 107J per cent, above that basis.
Thus, this year, the Durham miners have received advances
totalling 32| per cent.

The Northumberland Coal Owners’ Association has
returned a negative reply to the following requests from the
Northumberland Miners’ Association :—That 6d. per shift
be paid for working wet; that Is. 6d. per hour be paid to
hewers when drawing timber; that all short shifts which
existed prior to the Eight Hours Act be restored to night
workers; that the basis wage for horsekeepers be 3s. Id.
per shift; that the basis wages for all classes of datal lads
be recognised as equal to three-fourths of the minimum wage
they are entitled to under Lord Mersey’s award; and that
a uniform basis wage be paid to all light work compensation
men. In reply to the requests, “ That county percentage be
added to rent allowance,” and “ that rent and coal allow-
ance be given to surface workers,” the owners state that they
are prepared to discuss the question of abolishing the custom
of providing free houses and coal (or rent allowance), with
an increase of wage in lieu thereof, but that so long as the
present practice of granting these continues, they are not
prepared to make any extension.

According to returns which have reached the Northumber-
land Miners’ Association, 37 steam coal pits in Northumber-
land worked an average of 5-44 days per week during last
month, as compared with 5-4 days in September, and 5*46
days in August. Eighteen household coal pits worked an
average of 5*4 days per wreek, as compared with 5-3 days
in September, and 5*35 days in August.

The Harton Coal Company Limited has increased the war
bonuses of employees at the Marsden Quarry, and the lime
kilns by 2s. per week, making the bonus 6s., and those of
the lads by Is., making the bonus 3s.; and, further, has
agreed to charge the men only the same rates for explosives
as that which prevailed before the war, a concession equiva-
lent to a further increase of 2s. per man per week.

The members of the St. Hilda lodge of the Durham Miners’
Association have passed the following resolution :—“ That,
having regard to recent advance in wages obtained by the
Northumberland miners, and the formula or method which
governs the questions of wages in the counties, we are of
the opinion that the recent advance of 5 per cent., accepted
by the Wages Board of the Durham Miners’ Association, is
not an adequate amount, and, therefore, we strongly con-
demn the action of the said Wages Board for accepting the

same without calling in the umpire to decide on this
important question.”

At a meeting of the executive committee of the Cleveland
Miners and Quarrymen’s Association at Saltburn, Mr. H.
Dack presiding, the question of wages and the high price of
the necessaries of life were referred to. It was pointed out
that a maximum price was fixed for pig iron, and as miners’
wages are settled on the basis of the selling price of pig
iron, these wage earners were at a disadvantage, inasmuch
as the price of food was continuously increasing, and there
was no corresponding increase of income. It was agreed
that the agent should communicate with the Ministry of
Munitions, asking that the embargo created by the existing
maximum price should be removed. Communications were
read on the subject of the liberty of the miners returning
from the Army. The question was referred to the Miners'
Federation of Great Britain.

The quarterly meeting of the Cumberland Miners’ Asso-
ciation was held last week at Workington. Mr. J. Dickinson
presided. Messrs. G. Todhunter, T. G. Keating, J. Barker,
and the president were selected to accompany Mr. Cape to a
meeting of the strikers, with the object of getting the men
back to work, and the dispute settled by a joint committee
of the Conciliation Board. The financial Secretary submitted
the financial statement, showing that there was a gain on
the quarter’s working of £1,681, and that the association was
now worth upwards of £17,000. It was resolved unani-
mously “ that the members of the Cumberland Miners’ Asso-
ciation trail no more than 100 yds., as we are of the opinion
that the work could be made easier by mechanical means.”
Several lodges sent in resolutions in favour of an application
for an increase in the minimum wage rate, and it was
decided to instruct Mr. Cape to call a meeting of the work-
men’s section of the Minimum Wage Board. The following
resolution was unanimously passed : “ That the Cumberland
miners take up the question of landlords raising house rents
during war time, and that in any cases in which it has
occurred the association endeavour to get the members their
money back.” It was also agreed that all colliery owners
should be requested to make out their employees’ pay-checks
complete, in accordance with the provisions of the Mines Act,
and that every delegate should supply Mr. Cape with a
copy of the pay-checks now in use at their respective
collieries. Strong protests were urged against the rise in
food prices.

The 19 motions for the consideration of the half-yearly
council meeting of the Northumberland Miners’ Associa-
tion, to be held on Saturday, November 18, comprise the
following :—1. A request that the coal owners will agree to
a scale of basis wage for datal lads according to age, and
that the ages in the scale be the same as those in Lord
Mersey’s award under the Minimum Wage Act for boys
under 21, and the basis wage corresponding with the ages
be equal to three-fourths of the minimum wage as fixed by
Lord Mersey’s award. (Wages and Executive Committees).
—2. A request for a uniform basis wage for boys starting
work at 14. (Netherton).—3. A request for an agreement
under which all county percentage over 50 shall be added to
boys’ wages. (Cramlington Ann).—4. That the whole of the
county percentage should be added to the minimum wage.
(Rising Sun).—5. That we seek such an arrangement as will
give a minimum wage to coal hewers not less at any time
than the gross wage of datal stonemen. (Wallsend).—
6. That we seek a revision of minimum wage rates and rules,
and, for this purpose, give the colliery owners three months’
notice under the Act. (Ashington).—7. That we strongly
protest against the re-introduction, at any colliery, of the
three-shift system. (South Benwell).—8. That we seek to
eliminate the following paragraph from Clause 1 of the Eight
Hours Act agreement : “ The selection of the scheme and the
number of shifts to be worked shall be at the option of the
management at any time without limitation, and to suit the
circumstances of the different collieries.” (South Benwell).
—9. That we give six months’ notice to terminate the com-
pensation agreement. (Newbiggin).—10. That we seek to
have the compensation agreement or Act amended so far as
it relates to boys. (Throckley).—11. A request for an increase
of wages of members in receipt of compensation, and, failing
an agreement, that a vote be taken as to whether notices to
terminate their hiring should be tendered. (Hartford).—
12. A request that all stonemen, from the time of starting at
a colliery, shall have colliery houses, or rent allowance, and
fire coal. (Netherton).—13. A request for a six-hour shift
for all men and boys working wet, and payment for overtime
at the rate of time-and-a-quarter in cases of emergency in
which they have to remain eight hours. (Cowpen).—14. To
send to the agenda of the annual conference of the Miners’
Federation a motion that the Trades Union Congress and its
Parliamentary Committee should be merged in the Labour
Party Conference and its National Committee, so as to hinder
the present overlapping of the two wings of the Labour
movement, and consolidate Labour’s national activities.
(Woodhorn).—15. To send to that agenda a motion that, on
any question of national importance, or on any proposal
agreed to by a national conference, the executive committee or
a national conference may call the members of the Federa-
tion out on strike without a ballot vote of the members.
(Linton).—16. That the absentee committees be abolished.
(Wallsend).—17. That the Miners’ Federation be asked to
agree “ that we do not send representatives to any future
conference in London convened by the Government unless the
Government agrees to pay all expenses in doing so” (Cram-
lington Ann).—18. A “ protest against what we regard as a
misuse of the Military Service Act by colliery managers who,
in our opinion, are using the Act to get clear of men who
have the courage to claim what is their due.” (Rising Sun).
—19. A request that the executive committee of the Miners’
Federation will draft proposals “ calculated to secure an
end of the present European war on honourable terms, so
that, at the earliest possible time, the terrible slaughter of
human lives, with all the consequent suffering by tens of
thousands of others, including women and children, may be
terminated,” such proposals to be laid before a special con-
ference of the Federation at an early date, and, if approved,
submitted to the Government. (West Wylam).

Federated Area.

The coal trimmers employed at the Partington tips on the
Manchester Ship Canal are dissatisfied with their rates of
pay for trimming certain classes of vessels. A deputation
has been appointed to wait upon the officials of the com-
pany to discuss the grievance.

A mass meeting of the mine workers in and around Shef-
field, organised by the Yorkshire Miners’ Association,
passed a resolution expressing alarm at the continued
increase in food prices, and asking the Government to take
full control to stop further exploitation.

The dispute at Bond’s Main Colliery, Derbyshire, which
arose through the dismissal of a workman, named Smith,
has been settled, the agreement between the Stavcley
Colliery Company and the Derbyshire Miners’ Association
providing that both Smith and the men on strike return to
work forthwith.

Scotland.

At a. meeting of the executive of the Scottish miners at
Glasgow, Mr. Smillie presiding, attention was called to
statements made at the Scottish branch of the National
Association of Colliery Managers in Edinburgh on Saturday,
at which a resolution was unanimously adopted protesting
against the reflection which Mr. Smillie had passed on
colliery managers generally, and pointing out that since the
commencement of the war, managers in Scotland had done
all they could not only to maintain, but to accelerate the
output of coal. The executive, in reply, adopted the views
expressed by Mr. Smillie, and, while admitting that most
colliery managers had given every facility for steady work,
declared that they had ample proof that in many cases steady
work was retarded through want of preparation for men turn-
ing out at the pits. Thus, not only were the men deprived
of wages, but the nation was robbed of that day’s supply of
coal from many miners. Mr. Smillie, in a supplementary
speech, contended that many managers were not giving faci-
lities to secure the best possible output. If that was not
admitted, he was prepared to meet them at any time and
prove his statements. It was reported to the executive that
the employers in Fifeshire refused to deduct weekly contri-
butions from the workmen for medical attendance in the
families of the miners, on the ground that the money was to
be handed over to a committee of the miners, for the forma-
tion, in future, of a central fund from which the doctors
would be paid for their attendance. The General Coal
Organisation Committee, it wras stated, had taken up the
question, and convened a joint meeting of the owners and
miners’ representatives, to be held at the Home Office,
London, this week.

A miners’ conference at Dalkeith reported that full-time
employment was being secured by the Lothian miners in
all districts. The railway arrangements are occasionally
proving unequal to the increased output.

As the result of a conference between representatives of
the Scottish Horse and Motormen’s Union and the coal mer-
chants of Edinburgh and Leith, the latter have conceded a
minimum wage of 38s. per week.

Iron, Steel and Engineering Trades.

With regard to the failure of the Wages Board of the
South Wales and Monmouthshire Iron and Steel Workers’
Association to agree with the employers on the question of
a further advance in wages, the Committee on Production
arranged to hear the case this week. The last quarterly
audit showed that the selling price of steel bars and rails
had increased by 14 per cent. The employers offered 6 per
cent, advance, which the men refused.

The demand of the engineers in the Manchester and South-
East Lancashire district for an advance of wages came before
the Committee on Production at Westminster on Friday of
last week. Sir George Askwith and Sir George Gibb met
representatives of the employers and delegates from the
Amalgamated Society of Engineers. The proceedings were
private. There were five groups of claims on behalf of the
engineers and allied trades, and the increases asked for
ranged from 5s. to 10s. per week. The Bolton engineers
demand 10s. a week.

Coal Supply Conferences.—Conferences were held art; the
Hotel Victoria, Northumberland-avenue, on November 3, to
discuss the question of the supply of coal to France, Italy,
and certain Mediterranean ports. In the morning represen-
tative coal owners met under the presidency of Sir Daniel
Stevenson to consider the details of the French scheme, and
they had the opportunity of conferring with representatives of
the French Committee in London. In the afternoon there
was an increased representation at the conference, for the
ship owners were called in to discuss with the coal owners
certain rates for the Italian siupplies. The Chamber of
Shipping was influentially represented, and among the coal
owners delegates w’ere present from Scotland, the North of
England, and the Bristol Channel ports. Introduced by Lord
Rhondda, a deputation of coal owners and exporters also
attended before Sir Francis Hop wood at the Admiralty, and
deliberated upon several questions relating to both the French
and Italian schemes. Later the conferences were resumed
at the Hotel Victoria, and continued until the evening. It
was stated at the close that the subject of the charter party
with the ship owners had been discussed, and that meanwhile
it had been arranged, without prejudice, that the charter as
printed is to be acted upon. Further consideration, however,
is to be given to the question of the payment of demurrage at
the port of discharge by the charterer. It was also agreed
that the one-third brokerage on freight -to the charterer shall
apply to Scotland as well as to ports in England.

Economy in Coal.—In a lecture on fuel economy, given
before the Spenborough Technical Institute, Cleckheaton, on
Saturday, Mr. W. H. Casmey, of Bradford, said from a
long practical experience he was satisfied that a saving Of
from 10 to 15 per cent, in coal could be quite easily effected
without adopting any drastic measures, and such an economy
would mean a saving of from 30 to 40 million tone a year, or,
say, 100,000 tons per working day. The cause of fuel
wastage was the neglect in the boiler house of the same
carerul attention as obtained in every other part of a works.
The primary cause of losses was to be found in giving either
too little or too much air, defective brickwork, furnaces too
large for the outlets from furnace flues, side and bottom flues
too small, stoking at the wrong time, and being guided by
the steam gauge instead of common sense, the final results
being furnace temperature too low for igniting the liberated
gases, which consequently passed away as black smoke. With
a mixture of 15 lb. of air to 1 lb. of coal the temperature was
2,500 degs., but as in general practice 25 to 301b. of air
per lb. of coal were supplied, and although the temperature
of combustion was the same as in the previous case, the excess
air reduced the furnace temperature to 1,800 degs. With
151b. of air per lb. of coal, the loss through excess air was
only 4 per cent. With 20 lb. of air it increased to 7 per cent.;
with 251b. of air, 12 per cent.; and with 301b. of air the
loss was a little over 15 per cent., the difference in tempera-
ture between the two extreme points being 1,350 degs. One
sq. ft. of fire surface when fed with air and coal at a ratio
of 15 to 1, did as much work as 3 ft. of fire sur'ace with a
ratio of 30 to 1.