' January 19, 1917. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN, 139 LABOUR AND WAGES. South Wales and Monmouthshire. The council of the Western Valley .miners met at Aber- tillery on Monday, and a resolution was passed protesting against non-inclusion of workmen’s representatives on the magisterial bench; also casing upon the advisory board to submit names of such representatives to the Lord Chancellor. In the course of an address, the men’s agent stated that the Government, having taken over the control of mines in South Wales, the workmen would hold them responsible for seeing that wages were not in any way prejudicially affected. The exact nature of the control had not been revealed, but the workmen had been assured that their trade union and civil status would not be interfered with. A further resolu- tion was passed protesting against any importation of coloured labour. The Eastern Valley district men held their meeting at Pontypool on Monday, when their agent (Mr. J. Winstone, president of the Federation) stated that attention, was being given to oases where increased compensation should be paid to disabled workmen. There were also cases where certain employers had refused to give (light work to men on account of the high rate of wages they would have to pay; tand these cases were also being dealt with. For the Tredegar district, the monthly meeting was held at Blackwood on Monday, and it was .stated that, with the exception of a couple of instances, the district was free from sub-contracting. In one place, however, it prevailed very largely, and steps were being taken to deal with it. Dis- putes at Markham Colliery as to double shift and cutting bottom were still unsettled, and arbitrators were dealing with the disputes. Notices terminating contracts wou,d expire on Saturday unless a settlement were effected in the meantime. A demand of the main haulage men at Risca for maximum rates under the engineers’ claim had been settled, and a maximum rate would be paid to men attending engines which served separate and important districts. Others would be paid from 5s. 6d. upward.—With regard to the condi-. tiorrof men engaged on by-product work, it was stated that, in view of the probable development of this branch, the Federation would insist upon all employees connected with by-product plant being members of the Federation. The Dow'lais district .miners held their, meeting on Saturday, and, in addition to dealing with one or two purely local questions, they discussed the late running of cdlliers’ trains to and.from Bedlinog to Dowlais,,and also the unsatis- factory running of the trains to and from the South Tunnel pits. Delegates of the South Wales and Monmouthshire steel works met in Cardiff on Saturday, and discussed the de-badging of men in the steel industry which has taken place under the recent order from the War Office. A resolu- tion of strong protest was passed, it being asserted that de-badging woufid be injurious to the national interest at a time like this, when steel is so urgently needed. The meet- ing represented several thousands of men. North of England. The enginemen employed at the Waldridge, Chester Moor, Pelton Fed, and South Pela.w collieries have formed a branch—the Chester-le-Street branch—of the Durham County Colliery Enginemen’s Association. The branch which existed at South Pelaw has been merged into the hew branch. ' At the quarterly council meeting of Cleveland and Durham Blast Furnacemen and Cokemen’s Association, FL delegates, representing 28 lodges, were present. The president, Conn. A. Cafiaghan, said that the executive committee had had borne in upon them with great weight the general dissatis- faction of the members at many works regarding the injustice of the basis rates being much 'below the average paid in the district. The bonus system generally was not fair, in so far as at many works the men received less per ton over the standard make than they received up to the standard make. This was inequitable, and the sense of injustice was increased at these works in particular where the complaint arose that the sliding scale percentage did not Operate upon the bonus earnings. The executive committee would be compelled to bring about a readjustment at the earliest opportunity. The joint committee during the past 12 months had not given the usual satisfaction. The employers were so much concerned in the matter of checking any wage improvement, that every petty wage claim made at a works was sent to 'the joint com- mittee. The machinery was becoming clogged, and there was a consequent delay in dealing with the legitimate .claims of the men. In some instances, months elapsed between a claim being formulated and settlement. Thus, while the holiday payment that had been conceded for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day at time and a quarter was unsatisfac- tory, it had taken up an enormous amount of the time of the officials of the association. The erection of officials for the ensuing year resulted as follows : President, Coun. A. Callaghan; treasurer, Mr. A. Marquis; executive members, Messrs. J. Doyle, G. W. Allinson, and W. Graham; scruti- neers, Messrs. W. Butterfield and G. HiLl; auditor, Mr. G. Hilx; trustees, Messrs. B. McCulloch, Coun. W. Thiford, and R. Farmery. The secretary, Mr. T. McKenna, reported that they had had a very successful year as far as organisa- tion was concerned. During the past 12 months the mem- bership had increased by 1,125. The worth of the associa- tion had increased by nearly T5,000. The membership at present stood at 7,920. All these figures were records for the society. In his quarterly circular to the members of the Durham Deputy Overmen’s Association, Mr. Jas. Clark, general secretary, remarks :—“ Our duties in the mine are serious and responsible, and can only.be realised and understood by those who have to fill these places. The Miners’ Association is doing all it can by legislation to give better protection to the lives and limbs of their members, and we say ‘ God speed ’ to them, and are prepared to help them to the utter- most in their noble work. But such legislation, when got, brings with it increased duties and responsibilities for the deputy, without any attempt to increase the facilities for carrying out the same. Thus, if a fatal accident occurs under the charge of a deputy, a most seairching enquiry is made to see if he has carried out his duty, without anyone to defend him at the enquiry, unless he is either a member of the Deputies’ Association or provide defence at his own expense. And yet the trend of the times is for the Miners’ Federation to compel all deputies to. become members of the Miners’ Federation. Such a pouicy will be sternly resisted by the members of our association. In Northumberland, the miners’ agents regard the Deputies’ Association as the proper place for deputies to be in, and advise them to go there. In other southern counties, the deputies are flocking into their own associations, and are flourishing. Surely, the deputies in SHIPMENTS OF COAL AND COKE COASTWISE AND FOREIGN DURING 1915 AND 1916.* Shipped from Total quantities of coal and coke sent to London and other ports in the United Kingdom from the undermentioned ports. Total quantities of coal and coke to foreign ports from the under- • mentioned ports. 1915. 1916. 1915. 1916. Coals. Coke. Coals. Coke. Coals. Coke; Coals. Coke. Tons. Tons. Tons. / Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Newcastle. 1,456,744 544 1,180,094 225 4,053,9 ;4 236,193 3,691,925 363,013 North. Shields 138,310 2,603 25,274 — 644,117 10,580 302,176 3,9b6 South Shields 2,119,607 1,680 2,032,674 12,720 3,693,154 117,732 3,709,133. 290,953 Blyth 364,668 — 304,055 — 2,044,563 9,260 1,817,394 8,121 Amble 22,749 — 17,397 — 290,228 —- ■ 2- 0,567 148 Sunderland 1,190,179 — . 1,012,261 — 1,895,524 36,920 1,810,624 26,112 Seaham 1,019,774 — 780,080 — 525,410 1,139 545,208 1,766 Hartlepool .. 514,535 5 500,205 — 893,427 . 9,226 934,202 6,180 Stockton • — 320 .. — -— — • — . — Middlesbrough 650 594 1,500 96 23,798 13,851 7 (25 32,366 Hull 588,807 1,052 318,896 2,539 2,333,807 52,097 1,062^939 73,856 Goole 895,47 6 -— 455,485 — 621,613 18,616 378,202 12,997 Swansea 193,812 139 135,828 220 3,139,919 7,179 2,501,210 6,152 Cardiff 569,426 1,478 370,989 400 11,357,079 74,864 9,643,263 58,151 Llanelly 35,501 — 32,675 .— 119,171 49 138,354 — Newport 610,956 237 498,606 545 3,308,864 17,519 3,236,628 13,610 Troon ... 148,892 — 150,907 . 113,696 31 78,316 — Ardrossan 227,285 6 303,083 ICO 101,525 8,350 108,963 . 6,158 Ayr 836,169 1,255 767,235 169 153,754 — 193,213 . — Irvine ; 88,705 770 44,562 -— 4,575 ' — 5,552 . — Alloa — — — • — — — Whitehaven 207,800 480 201,589 20 — — — — Liverpool 1,464,279 9,658 1,501,255 11,420 306,524 15,916 331,168 10,166 Grimsby 28,038 — 85,094 210 484,807 7,409 224,351 2,076 Granton 134,977 410 75,963 1,200 151,769 19,607 72,003 3,888 Borrowstoness ..;. — — . — — — — . — — Kirkcaldy 14,873 — 5,926 — 84,230 121 69,427 79 Burntisland 154,5*5 — 139,920 — 893,157 6,831 639,749 4,513 Methil 203,3 5 -— 215,416 — 1,445,199 16,698 1,149,339 6,842 Glasgow 394,505 8,090 330,118 8,672 2,327,780 58,444 1,877,811 67,142 Grangemouth... — —- — . — • —- • — Greenock 30,784 137 18,176 168 35,396 350 30,945 • — Port Talbot 89,579 723 14,496 514 1,648,878 24,120 2,087,013 17,911 Leith 27,547 57 79,342 112 1,163,160 36,072 1,040,815 12,856 Immingham 28,851 — ■ 2,151 — 360,881 1,368 29,875 — Note.—Admiralty and certain other shipments are not included in the above. * From Browne’s Export List. Durham ought to do likewise.” Mr. Clark goes on to report on the result of certain requests to owners, as follow :— “ The owners are unable to agree that deputies should be paid face wage for aill shifts; the owners are prepared to agree that, when a deputy is required by the management to make an examination at the week-end, and to make a written report thereon, he shall be paid face wage for that shift; the owners will do all they can to prevent excessive overtime, whilst desiring It to be understood that overtime is essential in many cases.” He ends with a congratuLatory note that, for the second successive quarter, no fatail accidents have occurred to the members. 1 The decisions arrived at by the haJlf-yearly council meet- ing of the Northumbeifand Miners’ Association in November and December last have all received the endorsement of the county, and those “ requests ” which have received a majority of votes will be sent to the Northumberland Coal Owners’ Association. The new requests wih include :—A scale of basis wages for data! lads according to age, .the ages in the scale to be the same as those in Lord Mersey’s award under the Minimum Wage. Act for boys under 21 years of age, and the basis wage corresponding to such ages to be equal to three-fourths of the minimum wage as fixed in that award; all stonemen, from the time of starting at a codiery, to have colliery houses, or rent allowance, and fire coal; and a six hours’ shift to be allowed to all men and boys working wet, with time and a quarter to those who have to stay eight hours in an emergency. The county has endorsed the council’s decisions : (1) To protest strongly against the re-introduction at any colliery of the three-shift system; (2) to seek to elimi- nate from clause 1 of the Eight Hours Act agreement the words, ‘‘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”; (3) to place on the agenda of the annual conference of the Miners’ Federation a motion in favour of the merging in the Labour Party conference and its National Committee of the Trades Union Congress and its Parliamentary Committee; and (4) to adopt the draft consti- tution of a new federation of Northumberland mine workers’ trades unions. These comprise all the motions finally adopted by the county, excepting that—which, was carried unanimously both at the council meeting and by the county —protesting ‘‘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.” The West Wylam peace motion has been negatived by the county by 316 proxy votes (each of which counts 50) to 156. Federated Area. Addressing a meeting of the Walkden and District Miners’ Association at Walkden last week, Mr. T. Greenall, presi- dent of the Lancashire and Cheshire Miners’ Federation, said he would , do all he could to influence the Lancashire and Cheshire Miners’ Federation against working under the Summer Time Act again. A scheme to reduce absenteeism, and thus improve the output of coal, is being put into operation under an agree- ment entered into between the West Yorkshire Coal Owners’ Association and the Yorkshire Miners’ • Association. The provisions of the agreement include the following Men pre- vented from getting to their work at the proper time owing to trains or tramcars being late shad, on their arrival, be allowed to go to work. Alli persons shall attend every day on which the pit is working unless prevented by illness or other reasonable cause. A local committee is to be formed at each pit to consist of not more than four from each side. To this committee the management shall supply a “ time lost sheet,” showing the names of men against, whom there are complaints. If a man against Whom a complaint is made fails to,appear when summoned before the local committee, the committee shall deal with the case in his absence, and shall be empowered to impose fines varying from 2s. 6d. to 20s. If the men consider they have a case where the manage- ment have been the cause of men losing time, they shall have the right to bring the case before the local committee, who will deal with it under the rules. A centra^ committee appointed to deal with disputes referred to them by the-local committees consist of six representatives each of owners and workmen. The central committee agree that where a:man persistently ‘‘plays” without a just, cause, they will endeavour to have his exemption certificate withdrawn. If after a man has been fined he attends to his work regulany for a month after the infliction of the first fine, and two months after the second fine, the fines shall be remitted. If a man fails to pay a fine, the case may be sent to the local bench of magistrates. The miners’ agent (Mr. Samuel Edwards) has issued an important notice to the members of the Old Hill Miners’ Association regarding the scheme for the establishment of pit committees within the South Staffordshire and East Worcestershire mining area, for dealing with absenteeism. Committees are given the power to inflict fines in all flagrant cases, not to exceed 5s. in any case, this to be redeemable by the offender’s attendance at work for 24 consecutive shifts; but if not redeemed all such fines .are to be given to chari- table institutions. The committees have powers to. investi- gate complaints made against the management. Mr. John Hodge, the Minister of Labour, has intervened in the wages dispute between the colliery firemen and the federated coal owners of Lancashire and Cheshire, and the dispute has been settled, the coal owners granting conces- sions and expressing the hope that the men will appreciate the advance by doing everything possible to improve , the coal output. . At meetings of colliery firemen held on Monday in Man- chester district, it was announced that the wages dispute between the Lancashire and Cheshire Colliery Firemen’s Association and the Lancashire and Cheshire Coal Owners’ Association had been amicably settled on terms which would be disclosed later. In granting concessions to the firemen, the federated coal owners bad expressed the hope that the men would do everything possible to increase the output. : At' meetings of foremen held on Tuesday in the Bolton and Leigh districts, satisfaction was expressed at the termina- tion of the dispute which had been on foot for some weeks past. Iron, Steel and Engineering Trades. The introduction of business men of military age into engi- neering establishments and munition works is causing a good deal of dissatisfaction and resentment in the ranks of skilled workers on Tees-side. The matter has bean discussed by the Middlesbrough and District Committee of the Amal- gamated Society of Engineers, and a resolution passed. A joint deputation comprising representatives of the Boiler- makers’ Society and the Shipbuilding Employers’ Federa- tion met the Government Committee on Production at West- minster. The men’s leaders supported a ;.request which has been put forward in Newcastle for a 10 per cent, advance in the rate of pay for .shipyard pieceworkers, to enable them to meet the higher cost of living. Sir George Askwith, with whom were Sir David Harrel and Sir George Gibb, received the deputation, and intimated that the award of the Com- mittee would be communicated to the parties interested in due course. Coal Scarcity in Rome.—The coal question continues acute in Rome. A cessation of the gas supply has been threatened, owing to the declaration by the State Railway Department, which has been furnishing coal, that no further supply could be spared. The decision of the Department has been over- ridden by superior authority,, and a certain amount of coal will continue to be supplied, but the situation remains serious. Of late years gas has been very widely used for cooking in Rome, and the cessation of the supply would have grave results.