34

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

January 4, 1918.

service, he has provided them with canteens and other
institutions for their personal benefit.

Two representatives of the Italian Government waited on
Monday upon Mr. W. St. David Jenkins, Assistant Director
of Navy Contracts, and presented him with a letter from
the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs conferring upon
him the Cross of the Cavaliere of the Italian Crown. Mr.
Jenkins, since the outbreak of war, has been in charge at
Cardiff of the coal supplies to the British Admiralty and
the Allied Governments ; and the decoration has been con-
ferred in recognition of the services rendered by him to the
Italians.

A peculiar situation exists concerning coal shipments to
France—the applications for licences during the January-
March quarter having been coincident with a recommenda-
tion by the local committee that the permits should not
exceed one-third of the quantity authorised. It is stated
that the local committee desire to allocate excess quantities
in a particular way; but it is understood that the War
Trade Department are issuing the permits for full amounts
in each case.

The outlook of the tin-plate trade for 1918 is not regarded
as very favourable, owing to the complications which exist
and the difficulties under which the industry is at the
present time being carried on; more especially, however, in
regard to the position of the American output. * This has
grown during the war enormously, and the Americans are
now not only supplying their own market and largely the
Canadian, but threaten, owing to the development of their
productive power,to compete very seriously with South Wales
after the .war. The American output is more than 50 per
cent greater than it was before hostilities commenced; and
it is this condition, even more than the high rate of wages
and the greater cost of all material, which makes the
prospect so unsatisfactory. The South Wales export is at
least one-third less than it was in the preceding year.
There is a strong demand at home which manufacturers
cannot meet, partly because of inability to get the necessary
supply of steel to satisfy their requirements, bub chiefly
because the bulk of the output is going to our own Govern-
ment and the Allies. Of the general exports abour four-
tenths have been maintained, whilst as compared with about
450 mills at work in the latter part of 1914 there are at
present only about 300.

A boildr explosion occurred at the Cwmbran Colliery,
Cwmbran, Monmbuthshire. The surface workers, with the
exception of Samuel Sutton, who was injured slightly,
escaped injury. Fragments of the boiler were carried for
a distance of about a quarter of a mile, and the roads were
cut up in places. A wall forming part of the engine-house
also collapsed as a result of a portion of the boiler crushing
against it.

The coal retailers at Aberavon and Port Talbot (which
really form one community) practically went on strike
against prices fixed by the local Control Committee. They
had asked for 8s. to be allowed them above the cost of the
coal, but the committee would not allow more than 5s., and
therefore, on Saturday, the retailers declined to sell coal,
their action being in protest against the committee’s
decision. A suggestion was promptly forthcoming that
the Aberavon Corporation should open a municipal depot,
and that the Margam Committee, which acts for Port
Talbot, should take a similar course. The Control Com-
mittee met on Monday evening, no supplies having been
sold to the poorer classes since Friday, and considerable
distress having been occasioned. They decided that the
list of controlled prices should be suspended for a fortnight,
and this decision was reported to a meeting of the local
coal dealers held subsequently, with the result that they
agreed to sell coal on Tuesday at prices which ruled before
the publication of the committee’s terms. It is understood
that an enquiry by the Coal Controller will be asked for.

A fire of serious proportions broke out on Sunday at the
Prince of Wales Dock, Swansea, the Pacific Patent Fuel
Works which adjoins the dock being in flames. Owing to
the large amount of pitch and the dense volumes of smoke
thence proceeding, a large area of the town was covered by
a black pall of smoke, creating general consternation.
Although the borough fire brigade was summoned promptly
and reached the scene with the utmost expedition, they
found the pitch vault a roaring furnace, and the flames
were extending towards trucks of coal and other commodities
on adjacent railway sidings. Unable to approach the pitch
vault, which is about 25 ft. across, owing to the intense
heat of the flames and the smoke, tie firemen made eff rts
to prevent extension of the conflagration, especially as
valuable shipping was in the immediate vicinity. Fortu-
nately they were helped by the direction of the wind, which
blew the showers of sparks in the opposite direction.
Several laden trucks on the sidings to the north caught fire,
but these were extinguished. The firemen were, however,
at strenuous work for nearly eight hours, during which
time part of the buildings had been reduced to a mass of
wreckage, the store of pitch had been destroyed, and the
machinery seriously damaged. The power house, however,
and part of the engine-room with the gantry for loading,
were saved. An early estimate of the damage put. the sum
at <£15,000.

Once again the question of colliery rating in the Merthyr
Union has come up before the Board of Guardians. On
Saturday, a resolution was moved by Mr. H. Evans to the
effect that the Assessment Committee should request
colliery owners to agree to an increase in their ratable
values consistent with the amounts paid in adjoining
unions. Should this be refused, it was proposed that steps
should be taken to re-value all colliery properties, Mr.
Evans stating that since war broke out the Union have
received an increase of only 5* per cent, in the ratable value
of collieries, whereas, in Pontypridd Union, where re-valua-
tion had been undertaken, the increase had been <£56,000.
Mr. S. Morgan, who seconded the motion, said that extra-
ordinary profits were being realised by the collieries, and
this warranted the Assessment Committee in dealing with
the question. Another speaker remarked that the colliery
owners in the district were paying excess profits tax, and it
was an injustice to the ratepayers that re-assessment
should be delayed. On the other hand, another speaker,
Mr. D. Evans, said that coal was more heavily rated to-day
than it was 40 years ago. The resolution was agreed to.

A conference of miners’ delegates met in Cardiff on
Monday and dealt with matters of public concern, princi-
pally the food question, this conference being accompanied
by meetings in different’ parts of the coal field, which
emphasised very strongly the decisions arrived at. Nearly
130,000 members were represented at the conference by 237
delegates; and Mr. James Winstone, the acting president
of the Federation, who was in the chair, introducing the
resolution, said that if these were adopted and acted upon,
the result would be beneficial, not only to colliers, but also
to the poorer classes generally.

Mr. Vernon Hartshorn submitted four resolutions, one
of which declared strong determination to insist upon
raising the income-tax limit so that the tax could not be
levied “ except on incomes above the point assuring to the
workers a pre-war standard of living.” On the question of
food supplies, another resolution asserted that the present
control had proved a lamentable t failure and the
Government should take full and complete control,
apportioning food equally to the people. Further, with
regard to prices it was decided that the Government ought
to relieve primary articles of food of all increase in price
which was due to excess profits and war risks charges. A
fourth resolution called for the putting into general
operation of the “Provision of Meals Act” for school
children; and also that the authorities should be empowered
to supply boots and clothes to children who were in need.

These resolutions are not limited to the miners, but
all of them are to be sent to the triple alliance of the
miners with the railwaymen and transport workers, the
request being that the triple alliance shall take up the
matters referred to.

Another resolution was to the effect that soldiers’ and
sailors’ separation allowances for wives and dependants, as
also the scale of pensions, are “totally inadequate,” and
the demand, therefore, was made for “an immediate
increase of 100 per cent.”

A sixth resolution was to the effect that the conference
would “ press upon the Government to amend section 13 of
the Coal Mines Act so as to dispose of the owners’ right to
issue proceedings for the removal of checkweighers; ”
and with this was coupled a demand that the checkweigher
recently removed from his position at the Copper Pit, near
Swansea, should be “ reinstated immediately.”

A further resolution was one of protest against the
military authorities calling up men who had been exempted
by the colliery courts as bond fide miners.

It is announced that Major D. Watts Morgan, who for
many years served as miners’ agent in the Rhondda, has
been awarded the D.S.O. for service in the Army ; and a
vote of congratulation to him was passed b the conference.

The Gelligaer tribunal, dealing with men “ combed out ”
of the collieries, has had before it the enlistment of married
men, whilst single men are still employed in the pits.
Coun. B. Hughes, of Pontlottyn, observed that most of the
men who came before the tribunal, having been “ combed
out ” from the pits, were aged about 40 years and had
family responsibilities, and said he thought the military
authorities should try and get the unmarried men first. Mr.
A. Thomas, secretary of the Rhymney Valley district of
miners, who was appearing for several of the men, said :
‘ ‘ Surely we are not going to start with men 40 and 41 years
of age with families, and yet leave young chaps with no
responsibilities still in the collieries.” The difficulty in
this case, of course, is that the young men referred to were
working in the collieries before the outbreak of war.

The manager of Llanhilleth Colliery (Mr. Powell) is
informed that Arthur Morris, employed in that pit, has
been awarded the Edward Medal for rescuing anothei’
collier, Evan Dixon, from a perilous position. Dixon was
buried under a fall, and although there was danger of
further collapse in the roof, Morris went .immediately to
his help, and was successful in getting him into a place
of safety before another fall occurred.

Northumberland and Durham.

Fatal Fall of Stone—Manager’s New Appointment—
Exemption Certificates—Miner’s Narrow Escape—Fuel
for the Poor — Homes for Aged Miners

Indifference, which, we are glad to believe, is rare amongst
mine workers, appears to have been displayed by three
deputy overmen at the Dean and Chapter Colliery on the
occasion of a fatal fall of stone in the Brockwell Seam on
the Sunday before Christmas. The fall buried Thos. W.
Schollick, who was dead when extricated. It was stated
that the fall was discovered by a boy named Patterson,
who noticed also that a pony was standing by the side
unattended, and with its gear disarranged. He telephoned
to the shaft, and a wagonwayman named Armstrong came
and, with assistance, got the body out. The three deputies
passed the fall on coming outbye, but never inspected the
place to see if anyone was underneath. One of them did
report the fall when he got to bank, but that was all that
happened, so far as these minor officials were concerned.
Armstrong informed the coroner that it was possible for
the deputies to have found deceased if they had looked.
The coroner (Mr. J. T. Proud) remarked that what Arm-
strong had done it was possible for the deputies to have
done. As officials looking after the safety of the mine and
having charge of men, he could not understand why they
did not investigate the accident. Had they inspected the
place as they passed it, they might not have saved the
youth’s life, but they would have had the satisfaction of
having the body removed much earlier. The mines
inspector, the colliery manager and several of the jurymen
endorsed the coroner’s condemnation of the deputies’
inaction. A verdict of. “Accidental death” was returned.
Deceased was son of the assistant manager at the colliery.

Mr. R. W. Hall,, manager of Leasingthorne Colliery, who
has been appointed manager and agent of the South
Rhondda Colliery, South Wales, expects to take over
his new duties in February.

' Lieut. James Liddell, of the Durham Light Infantry, who
was mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig’s recent despatches,
was, prior to enlistment, in the Newcastle Quayside office
of the Seghill Coal Co., Ltd.

The executive committee of the Northumberland Miners’
Association has decided to appeal against the cancellation
of the exemption certificates of colliery ambulance workers
who volunteered to man the war hospitals in 1914. The
executive committee contends that these men are not
Territorials, and do not, therefore, come within the terms
of the recent Order.

A miner named Bunton had a narrow escape from death
in the Eccles Pit, Backworth, last week. He was pinned
down by a considerable fall of stone and, before he could
be extricated, it was necessary to remove a two-feet lift
and “ skirt ” across to the fall, it being found impossible to
clear away the stone direct from fear of bringing down many
tons of hanging debris. His rescue was effected after
efforts lasting over six hours. Bunton was little the
worse, although suffering much from shock.

C. S.-M. James William Morris, of the Northumberland
Fusiliers, who has been awarded the D.C.M., was a miner
in Whitburn Colliery before he joined the Army in
September 1914.

Lieut. N. Margrave Dillon, of the Tank Corps, who has
been mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig’s recent despatches for
gallant service on the Western Front, is the youngest son
of Mr. Malcolm Dillon, agent to Lord Londonderry at
Seaham Harbour.

Thanks mainly to the generosity of the Lambton
Collieries Limited, who have given 150 tons of coal, it has
been possible for the Hines Coal Fund to make the usual
distribution of fuel to the needy poor and aged of Sunder-
land this year. The Lambton and Hetton Collieries
Limited have given a special donation of <£100 towards the
Durham Aged Mineworkers’ Homes Association.

A district committee for the purpose of undertaking a
scheme for the erection of aged miners’ homes in the
Rowlands Gill area has been formed. Many miners’ lodges
and trades union branches have adop ed the committee’s
recommendation that members should pay Id. and half-
members >d. per week towards the fund. The Lambton
and Hetton Collieries Limited have sent a special donation
of <£100 to the Durham Aged Mineworkers’ Homes
Association.

Newcastle Retail Coal Prices Committee, after consulta-
tion with representative coal merchants as to their costs,
have fixed maximum prices for retail sales of coal for
domestic purposes in the city. These range from 22s. 6d.
per ton for small nuts to 32s. for treble nuts. Coals in
small quantities are to be sold at Is. 8d. per cwt. from
carts, Is. 9d. from shops and Is. 6d. from depots.

Hartford Colliery miners have expressed their willing-
ness to give <£100 to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, New-
castle, towards the military orthopaedic centre, provided
the management of the Cramlington Coal Company agree
to advance them the money, the miners to pay it back at
the rate of Id. per week each workman.

Mr. Thomas Andrews Bradford, colliery proprietor, of
Chester-le-Street, and Mr. Gervase Edward Marshain,
mining engineer, of Darlington, were nominated executors
under the will of Lieut. James Barker Bradford, steel
works manager, of Darlington, whose death occurred in
Flanders on active service. Testator left estate valued at
£9,663 16s. 7d., with net personalty <£8,442 19s. Ud. He
left £>100 per annum to his mother, and the residue to his
wife during widowhood, with the remainder to his children
equally. Lieut. J. B. Bradford was brother to Brig.-Gen.
R. B. Bradford, V.C., whose death occurred at the end of
last month, and son of the late Mr. George Bradford, for
many years mining engineer of the Stobart Collieries.

Lancashire and Cheshire.

Messrs. R. Evans and Company Limited, who have just
declared a dividend of 5 per cent., free of tax, intend
carrying out improvements and extensions in various direc-
tions at their collieries in Haydock and Golborne districts.

Lancashire coal owners are going in more extensively for
motor traction, many substantial orders having recently
been placed for lorries. As a result, their staffs of horses
are being reduced.

The Midlands.

Complaint is made by coal factors in Birmingham that
the special allocations of coal promised to the city by the
Coal Controller in the interests of the poorest class of
consumer are not by way of supplementing the city’s share,
but are being abstracted from other local channels of
supply.

The system of pit committees, in which representatives of
the miners have united with the Warwickshire coal owners
in an endeavour to stimulate output by preventing avoid-
able loss of working hours, is not yielding entirely success-
ful results. It is calculated that in Warwickshire the
number of shifts lost is about 10 per cent., of which 5 per
cent, is returned as due to sickness and non-preventable
causes. This leaves 5 per cent, avoidable loss of output.
The same holds good, roughly, of the Midland coal field
generally, and amongst the Warwickshire owners in par-
ticular there is a strong impression that if the margin of
lost time could be got rid of, the coal problem would
be solved.

Scotland.

Power Station Equipment — Agent Honoured — Brisk
“ Comb Out.”

Mr. John Brown, who has been manager at Bowhill
Colliery for some time, has received (it is reported) an
appointment in the East of Fife. He will be succeeded at
Bowhill by Mr. J. M'Farlane, who has been manager at
Leven Collieries for some years.

The year has closed with the Fife coal trade in a very
unsatisfactory state. For weeks past many of the large
coal pits have been laid off for one and two days per week.

At a meeting of the East of Scotland branch of the
Association of Mining Electrical Engineers held at
Buckhaven—Mr. Richard Kirkby, Wemyss Collieries
presiding—a practical and suggestive paper on “ Colliery
Power Station Equipment ” was read by Mr. Finley
McIntosh, power station superintendent, Wellesley Pit,
Wemyss Colliery, Fife.

Mr. John Robertson, one of the agents of the Lanarkshire
Miners’ Union, has been honoured by the King in being
.admitted a member of the Order of the British Empire.

The comb out is proceeding briskly at the mines through-
out Scotland. A large number of men, however, are taking
advantage of their right to appeal against misdirection of
occupation.

The question of payment of workmen’s compensation to
men who are sufficiently recovered from their injuries as to
be able to undertake light work, and who are receiving the
war wage, is causing a good deal of trouble throughout
Scotland. The Coal Controller gave a pledge that the war
wage granted as from September 17 last would not be
taken into account as wages in arriving at the amount of
partial compensation. This pledge was given with the idea
that it would be mutually accepted by both sides, but
several cases have cropped up in which such acceptance by
the employers has not taken place.

New Year Honours. — The New Year Honours include
several of interest to the coal industry. Lord Furness,
who is associated with shipping, shipbuilding, steel and
iron, and colliery undertakings, has been made a viscount.
Mr. Tom Richards, M.P., the general secretary of the South
Wales Miners’ Federation since 1887, and the Labour
member for West Monmouthshire, has become a Privy
Councillor. A baronetcy has been conferred upon Mr. T.
E. Watson, president of the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce
and of the South Wales District Committee for Home
Supplies of Coal and Coke, and of the Committee for the
Supply of Coal to France During the War. Mr. W. N.
Atkinson, who has been knighted, is an inspector of' coal
mines (retired). A leading mining engineer, he contributed
largely to a knowledge of the dangers of coal dust in mines,
and is a joint author of “ The Investigation of Colliery
Explosions.” Knighthoods have also been bestowed upon
Mr. G. Lunn, Lord Mayor of Newcastle for the third year
in succession, and Mr. Thomas Putman, managing director
of the Darlington Forge Company Limited.