January 26, 1917.	THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

187

Notes from the Coal Fields.

[Local Correspondence.]

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

Growing Difficulties of Shipping1 Coal—Shipbrokers Protest
Against Establishment of Government Bureau — The
Distribution of Colliery Profits and Assets—The Ques-
tion of Despatch at Swansea—Mobilising Port Labour
at Cardiff—Valuable Tables on Output and Absenteeism
—Effect on Tonnage Supply of the Acquisition of Greek
Ships.	, '

■ Mr. T. E. Watson, president of the Cardiff Chamber of
Commerce, took the chair at a largely-attended meeting of
shipbrokers on Friday of last week. Concerning 'the charter-
ing of foreign vessels, he pointed out the grave difficulties of
the present situation, stating that there were consumers over
the water needing coal; Collieries, ready to supply it; but
there were not the necessary ships, to carry it. There were
collieries out of work, whilst consumers were clamouring for
the coal. It was upon neutral vessels that they bad to rely
for trade with France and Italy; yet they were informed by
foreign brokers that neutral vessels were going across to
America, and there taking time charter's which would keep
them but of our trade for months. . He was told that that
evil was likely to increase, -because, owing to the high rates
of war insurance for Scandinavian vessels, it would not pay
them to run at the present schedule rates of freight. The
committee of the Chamber of Commerce, therefore, proposed .
certain increases in the rates of freight, which they were
assured by the Scandinavian brokers would stop the leakage,
and attract neutral tonnage to our trade; and those proposals
have been put before the Board of Trade. Apparently the
advisers of the Board of Trade came to the conclusion that
the best way of dealing with the difficulty was to create a ■
single chartering bureau in Landon, and an Order in Council
was issued for carrying that into effect. This, however, was
a stoppage of their'business as shipbrokersand the setting
up of a committee in London to act as shipbrokers, for it
would deal with all chartering, not merely the chartering of
coal alone. The Order in Council had been framed to deal
only with neutral vessels, because the Government thought
existing regulations gave them. control enough over British
vessels. It was, in effect, taking away from shipbrokers
their means of livelihood. A counter-proposal had been put
forward that the central chartering bureau should delegate to
the local committees at present existing the work in connec-
tion with coal chartering; and Mr. Hip wood, of the Board
of Trade, agreed to that portion of the proposal relating to
voyage charters, but not in'regard to time chartering. It .
was agreed -that all coal voyage charters to France and Italy
could be. done without reference to the bureau—provided the
local committee approved and the schedule rates were
adopted. Promise had been made, however, to consider
representations which had been made on the subject of time
charters.; He moved that a memorial be presented to the
Board of Trade, urging that all coal chartering should be
done through the local committee by means of a special wire
to the central bureau in London; and this was carried.

A second resolution urged upon the Government the need
for co-ordinating various committees which deal with the
chartering and shipment of coal—the object being to avoid
delay. This resolution was also adopted. Further, it was
agreed to ask for appointment of a local representative upon
the central chartering bureau; and also that in all charter-
ing there should be no commission naid to the bureau.

Exporters have been notified that they must submit to the
Board of Trade for approval any arrangements they make
for stemming the steamers owned by neutrals. Usually the
fixture of f.o.b. business with neutrals is made outside the
United. Kingdom, but the merchant who has to .coal the
vessel in this country, whether he undertakes loading Obli-
gations or not under the charter, has to make arrangements
for stemming the steamer ; and the new Order brings this
practice under the supervision of the Board of Trade.

The secretary of the Swansea Coal Exports Committee,
Mr. Marshall, received a telegram from the London Com-
mittee Which deals with supplies of coal for France and
Italy, giving an explanation of the Board of Trade’s Order
as to chartering.- The telegram read as follows : “ All coal
voyage charters for neutral vessels to France and Italy can
be completed without previous reference to authorities, pro-
vided approved by the local committee at schedule rates.”

Lack of despatch at Swansea has been alleged as one of
the reasons.for the failure of vessels to visit that port. It is
asserted that merchants require longer loading time than at
other ports of the Bristol Channel. This is the opinion of
the local -secretary of the Labourers’ Union.

The executive committee of the South Wales and Mon-
mouthshire Iron and Steel Workers’ Association applied to
the Minister of Labour that he would receive a deputation
to -set before him their case and the wages question. Mr.
Hodge desired that before the deputation went to London
they should send him in writing a full statement; but the
executive committee, at their meeting in Newport, insisted
that their .deputation should be received without delay, as
they would not accept responsibility for what might happen
if the deputation were not received. The-deputation also
passed a resolution protesting against the action of the War
Office in de-badging men in the steel trade. The resolution
pointed out that, if it be necessary to de-badge any, the first
should be those who had come into the works since the out-
break of war.

It is stated that the Order of the Board of Trade restrict-
ing colliery companies from distributing assets' will not inter-
fere with the ordinary reasonable distribution. The instruc-
tion was that they were not to pay dividends or redeem loans
without the authority of the.Board of Trade; and the ques-
tion has arisen whether this instruction is to be taken, in
conjunction with the control the Board of Trade is exercising
over colliery working; and, if so, whether it foreshadows
something of guaranteed dividends similar to the guarantee
given -in respect of the railways.	It was at the end of

November that collieries came under control, but as yet no
clear statement-has .been made showing what “ control ”
means; and certainly this is a. matter which should be
promptly dealt, with, and settled, seeing, the great difference
which exists between collieries and :railways. In .the case of
collieries, it is not a.mere matter of working on.normal lines,
but (in the national interest) .of,-increasing production. Not- .
withstanding that representatives' of the colliery proprietors
have had several interviews with the Departmental officials,
no permanent arrangement has been .arrived .at. . Seeing that
in. conjunction with its assumption ,of. control the Govern-
ment; granted 15 per,cent, increase of wages, and having
regard also to the continuous increase in. the cost of all
requirements, the circumstances of colliery proprietors are

rendered very.difficult, and will not be made less so by vhis
indefinite order, notwithstanding the explanation vouchsafed.
It is to be borne in mind that some of the collieries are unre-
munerative, .and., that .the heavier wage rate tells so seriously
upon them, as to involve risk of closure, which,'of course,
would be contrary to the national interest, because of . the
reduction in supffiv that would be thereby brought about.
The effect upon colliery share values has, of course, .been
disconcerting, for in the uncertainty market transactions are
very difficult.

The local committee at Cardiff dealing with the supply of
coal to France and Italy, has announced that the Chamber
of Shipping cannot give- approval to the proposed increase in
demurrage rates at ports of discharge—the Italian merchants
being willing only to increase provided the ship owners give
despatch money. The Chamber has also approved the recom-
mendation of the Central Executive Committee that freights
from all ports in this country to the Mediterranean shall be
increased by 2s. 6d. per ton on cargoes up to 2,000 tons.

The Merthyr Assessment Committee on Saturday had
before it a number of appeals, and amongst them one from
the Powell Duffryn Company against the valuation of Lletty-
shenkin. This was formerly rated at £39, and has now been
increased to £53 10s. Mr. C. Kenshole, of Aberdare, 'Who
appeared for the company, said that out of 70 acres 50 were
suitable for agricultural purposes, and the remainder were
used as tipping ground. Half of the agricultural area was
only mountain land, and he suggested that a fair gross assess-
able value would be £43 15s. This appeal was adjourned,
and also some others in which the Powell Duffryn Company
were concerned.	•

, The Port Labour Committee of Cardiff met at the Exchange
last week. Col. E. S. Denniss, general manager of . the
Cardiff Bailway and Docks, presided. Representatives were
present of the principal employers at both the Cardiff and
Penarth docks, also representatives of the Labour trade
unions, as well as the Board of Trade representative. The
scheme which had been prepared by a sub-committee for
better regulation of transport labour was explained, and after
some discussion it was unanimously adopted — the general
opinion being that it would improve the quality of the labour
at the docks by inducing men to work full weeks. The
success of the scheme is believed to depend upon the Board
of Trade appointing an inspector to visit the wharves and
vessels concerned, so as to ensure that matters are carried
out in due course; and a promise was made that this sugges-
tion should be taken to the Board of Trade. Each employer
will be asked by the .labour committee to make it a condi-
tion that every man seeking employment who is of military
age shall produce a certificate of exemption, and also a
registration card from his trade union.

The South Wales and Monmouthshire Freighters’ Asso-
ciation has elected Mr. T. P. Saunders, of the Rhymney Iron
Company, as chairman, in‘succession to Mr. T. J. Callaghan.

In a return prepared by Mr. Gibson, secretary of the Coal
Owners’ Association for Monmouthshire and South Wales, it
is shown that during 11 months of . 1916 the output in this
district was 48,163,000 tons, and this compares with
50,333,000 tons in the full year of 1915; so that it would
appear that the full returns for 1916 will show material
increase. Mr. Gibson has also analysed the statistics, and
shows the quantity exported each month from 1913, excluding
Admiralty shipments; and he deals with the United Kingdom
and the separate sections of the country, showing also the
destinations of the different cargoes. His return deals not
alone with coal, but also with coke and patent fuel; and the
compilation, which has been copyrighted, makes an admir-
able addition to the valuable statistical returns of the British
coal trade.

Mr. Gibson has also made a further return—bringing up to
date the figures relating to absenteeism in the coal field. He
shows that the weekly range was from 58,400 to 161,455,
these being percentages of 7-77 to 20-16. The unavoidable
percentages were 2-03 lowest and 3-39 highest, whilst the
avoidable absentees range from 5-15 to 16-77 per cent, of
the men employed. The number of associated collieries dealt
with was 275 out of the total of 308, and the Sunday night
shift is not included in the summary. The percentages
which are here given relate to the possible number of attend-
ances. There has been an improvement in the fourth quarter
of the year as compared with the third, which is only natural,
considering the holiday season of the warmer months. Several
excellent diagrams accompany the tables, and these show
immediately in graphic form the range of the figures. The
number of attendances lost through strikes is dealt with;
and a significant feature of these singularly valuable tables •
is their disclosure that the absenteeism is in the main due
to individual action rather than to strikes. Partly, no
doubt, this slackness on the part of the men is attributable
to the fact that they are able to earn good wages by working
only part weeks; and it is unfortunate that the miners’
organisation does not aid, as it might do, in bringing to book
men who thus fail in probably the most important industry
in the country, for -the joint committees which were decided
upon between the coal owners and the Federation exist in
only about one-third of the associated collieries.

Discussion on Cardiff Exchange as to the British Govern-
ment’s action concerning Greek tonnage leads to the con-
clusion that this may very easily be over-estimated in its
effect upon the coal trade. Whilst statements have been
in circulation, and, indeed, blazoned forth by part of the
London Press, that 700,000 tons of Greek shipping becomes
available, no credence should be given to such a statement.
The whole tonnage of Greece is only 717,000. Part of this
has already been sunk, and other ordinary accidents of the
sea have reduced it. Part is at wonk in America; and if as
much as half a million tons now comes under British control,
this is the highest total that can be assumed. Then, again,
even this does not add to British facilities, for the bulk of it
has been already at the service of our charterers. What the
new acquisition ensures is that in future Greek	will

be available, not at competitive prices, but. at a fixed rate;
and, moreover, that Greek vessels will be prevented from
crossing the Atlantic and entering American service because
of the higher rates over there. They will not, in future, be
able to escape the British limitation, and they will be secured
for British service. The point to be emphasised is that,
whilst these ends be attained, we are not getting any material
addition to the tonnage which hitherto has been available.

Owing to the shortage of coal, Cardiff Schools, which have
a -consumption of 50 tons per week, have been insufficiently
supplied, and certain of the schools have had to be closed this
week on this account. For some weeks past the supplies
have been difficult to obtain, but the root of the matter
appears to be a question of renewing contracts at higher
prices.	.	. ,	.	•

The Cardiff shipbrokers and chartering clerk® met in Cardiff
on Monday, and decided tq form an organisation to be called

the Cardiff Shipbrokers’ Association. Mr. Hansen/ was
chosen as chairman, with Mr. Allgood as honorary secretary,
and a committee was appointed to draw up rules for submis-
sion to a later meetin? for approval. The meeting discussed
the serious position in which shipbrokers are placed: under
the new chartering scheme, and a deputation was appointed
to meet Mr. Hipwood, of the Board of Trade,: with /repre-
sentatives of the London shipbrokers, in order to put their
case before the authorities.	•	;

It is announced that the Ebbw Vale , Company, who
recently took over Powell’s Tillery Colliery, near Abertillery,
have decided to.provide that district with a hospital at. a cost
of £25,000 to £30,000, and to sustain half-the cost of main-
tenance. The intimation of this magnificent gift wais made
on Tuesday to the Abertillery Trades and Labour Council,
Mr. Falcon, on behalf of the company,. suggesting a com-
mittee made up of 1-5 representatives of the. workmen and nine
of the company. The institution is to be “ one of the best;
in Wales,” and will be available for outside contributors as
well as the company’s employees, who agreed ,to provide Id.
in the £ of. their, earnings towards a hospital. The suggested
site is Aberbeeg, where.the upper Ebbw Valley joins the
valley from Abertillery. Aberbeeg, is a railway junction;
and the Ebbw Vale Company, have been credited with the
intention of sinking two pits and carrying, through a housing
scheme there.

•The Board of Trade requires application to, be made for
an authorisation for payment of dividends or the repayment
of loans, and this application must be in a prescribed form
which shows that dividends for 1915 and 1916 are to be
declared; also the profits for each financial period in respect
of which the dividend is proposed; the liabilities of the com-
pany; the cash balances; . and statements as to the name
of lenders to whom it is desired to repay loans... An assur-
ance is given that the Board of Trade does not. desire; arbi-
trarily to interfere with decision as to dividends, but is
anxious to prevent such distribution of profits as may injure
the future financial position of the different, undertakings.
Some of the particulars required by the Board of Trade are
such as will amount to new disclosures, for they will.be
facts not hitherto revealed ordinarily in some balance-sheets. ,
It should be noted that when the application form is filled
up, it has to be sent to the Board of Trade, and not. to . the
Coal Owners’ Association.

Northumberland and Durham.

Sanitation of Miners' Cottages—Two Unusual Fatalities—
Compensation Cases.	. / < !

Thos. Robinson, 51, miner,, has been committed by the
Castle Eden magistrates fbr trial on the charge of the
larceny, as bailee, of £45 odd, the property of the-Blackball
Colliery War Relief Fund, of which he was treasurer. r He
informed the magistrates that his house had been broken
into, and £68 stolen. Bail was allowed.

In these days, when so much is said as to the insanitary
condition of many colliery villages, it is refreshing to find
one .of the oldest mining villages in Northumberland with
such a good record as is the case with Seghill. At Seghill
the death rate in December was only 0-4 per 1,000 per
annum. For the whole of 1916 the mortality was at the rate
of 8-7 per 1,000 per annum, as against 18-69 for 1915. The
birth rate last year was 22-9 per 1,000 per annum, as against
22-93 in the previous year. During the whole of 1916 only
one case of zymotic disease was notified.

Two extraordinary fatalities were reported last week. In
one case, Wm. Bousfield,.night foreman of the coal working
plant at Messrs. Bolckow, 'Vaughan and Company’s by-pro-
duct works at Auckland Bark Colliery, was on a round of
inspection in the night hours, when he suddenly disappeared.
His lamp was found near the top of the huge hoppers, and it
was discovered that he had fallen into one of these, sustaining
fatal injuries.' In the other case, whilst Geo. McMahon was
engaged at the shaft at Tanfield Moor Colliery, he pushed a
full tube of coal into that part'd the shaft where he believed
the cage to be. The cage, however, was at the bottom of .
the shaft, and the “ gate ” had not fallen. Both man and
tub were precipitated to the bottom of the shaft, a distance
of 24 ft., alighting on top of the cage. McMahon was
killed.	‘	'	■

In his report for the quarter ended December, Mr. Wm.
Weir, compensation agent to the Northumberland Miners’
Association, detailed the negotiations in respect of 17 fatali-
ties, seven non-fatal cases of medical reference, and 14 non- ■
fatal cases in which the claims for compensation were dis-
puted by the owners. Five of the fatalities had reference to
the Woodhorn explosion of August 13 last. In the case of
Edward Walon, 47, stoneman, who left a widow and nine
children, £300 was granted; Geo. Blair, 41, stoneman,
leaving a widow and five children, £300; Walter Hughes,
38, stoneman, widow and four children, £300; Jois. Harro-
gate, 30, single, shifter, owners offered £23, and ultimately
Conceded £40; and J. G. Patterson, 21, single, putter, owners
offered £78, and ultimately conceded £115. Eight other
fatalities were resultant from falls of stone or coal at Dudley,
Ashington, Bebside, Seghill, West Denton, Netherton
Howard, Crofton, and NewDelaval. In seven cases full
liability was admitted, and full compensation agreed upon.
In the eighth case, in which an unmarried hewer was killedp
leaving a widowed mother and a grown-up sister who was
earning 14s. weekly, the owners contended that the daughter
was assisting to maintain the mother. Deceased had received
£32 in weekly payments, and owners offered £200, but
agreed to £250. In the case of an onsetter at Hazlerigg, who
fell from .the top of the cage down the shaft, full liability
was admitted, as was done also in the case of a chargeman,
who was suffocated by fumes from, a fire down the pit at
Broomhill. A pony putter, 16, at Shilbottle, died from
septic poisoning last September. Although no accident, had
been reported, the miners learned that he had hurt his leg
by pulling a tub over on to the rails. The owners refused to
admit liability, contending that no accident had been
reported. Ultimately they agreed to pay £20. In the case
of a rope lad, 18, at Seghill, who died last September from
injuries the. cause of which was unknown, he was found in
the “tightener hole,” into which no one but the rolleywayman
is allowed to go. The owners refused to admit liability,
contending that the accident did not arise out of and" in the1
course of deceased’s employment. The men dropped the.,
case. In two of the cases of medical reference, the doctor
found that the men’s incapacity for work was not due; to' the
accident alleged, and compensation was stopped. ‘ In the;
case of a stoneman at Pegs wood, who sustained injury
through a shot being fired on him, the owners refused com-’;
pensation on the ground that they had been informed that he '
was told when the shot was lit up. Their informant refused
to attend -the committee meeting, however, and the owners
agreed to pay. A Pegswood hewer was burnt about/the face;
whilst shot-firing. He and another man were working