134 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN January 18, 1918. MIMING EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS. The Labour Gazette states that employment in coal mining during December continued good except in the districts affected by the falling off in the exports to Northern Europe. Compared with November there was a decrease of 784 (or 0'1 per cent.) in the number of workpeople employed at collieries making returns, and an increase of 11,217 (or 2T per cent.) on a year ago. Of the 549,886 workpeople included in the returns for December, 236,830 (or 431 per cent.) were employed at pits working 12 days during the fortnight to which the returns relate, while a further 163,690 (or 29’8 per cent.) were employed at pits working 11, but less than 12 days. Districts. Work- people em- ployed in Dec. 1917* Average No. of days worked per week by the collieries in fort- night ended Inc. ( +) or dec. (—) in Dec. 1917, on a England Wales. Northumberland ... Durham ........ Cumberland ..... South Yorkshire ... West Yorkshire... Lancs. & Cheshire... Derbyshire ...... Notts and Leicester Staffordshire ..... W arwick, W orcester and Salop...... Glo’ster & Somerset North Wales ..... South Wales & Mon. Dec. Nov. Dee.' 1917. 1917. 1916. ag0' ag0’ Days. Days. Days. Days. Days. 36.828.. .4'65...5'00...4'92...—0'35...— 0’27 91.226.. .4’95...4'83...5'27...+0'12...-0'32 6,752...5'85...5'65...5’88...+0'20...-0'03 62.117.. .5'89...5 81...5'74... +0'08... +0'15 22.368.. .5'87...5'82...5'82,.. +0'05 ..+0'05 51.722.. .5’91...5'86...5'70...+0'05...+0'21 32.927.. .5'82...5'82...5'69... — ... +0'13 33.867.. .5'67...5'66...5'56... +0'01... +0'11 30.266.. .5'91...5'92...5'81...-0'01... i-0'10 8.213.. .5'83...5'82...5'81...+0'01... + 0'02 5.931.. .5'95...5'97...5’89...-0'02... + 0'06 9.460.. 5'91...5'85...5'96 . +0'06...-0'05 110,068...5'28..,5'45...5'39... -0T7... -0'11 number of shifts worked during the week ended December 22 was 687,369, an increase of 0'4 per cent, on a month ago, and 6'7 per cent, on a year ago. Engineering.—These trades continued to be extremely busy during December, and a great amount of overtime was worked. Trade unions with 303,451 members (mostly in skilled occupations) reported 0'2 per cent, unemployed at the end of December, compared with 0'1 per cent, in each of the previous four months, and 0'2 per cent, a year ago. Tin-plate.—The number of tin-plate mills working in the week ended December 22 showed an increase of two as compared with the previous month, and a decrease of two on a year ago. Tubes.—Employment remained good at Birmingham, Wednesbury, South Wales and Monmouthshire. Wire.—Employment good and labour scarce. Wage Increases.—Plain time-workers employed in direct connection with the production of iron and steel received a bonus of 12J per cent, in the case of those who had not received more than 20s. per week war advance. Workers who have received over 20s. per week war advance to be paid a bonus sufficient to produce an equivalent to 20s. plus the 12J per cent, on earnings. Tin plate workers in South Wales and Monmouthshire received increases of war bonus. Disputes.—In mining and quarrying three disputes began during the month. These affected 610 persons. A dispute near Mansfield, lasting 29 working days, resulted in a decision that only trade unionists be employed in the colliery during the war. Fatalities.—In December, 119 mine workers were killed, an increase of nine on the corresponding month in 1916. PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE. HOUSE OF LORDS.—January 16. Coal Mines Control Agreement (Confirmation) Bill. On the motion of the Lord Chancellor, the Bill was read the third time and passed. _______ HOUSE OF COMMONS.—January 14. Petroleum Bill. Mr. Bonar Law, replying to Mr. Pringle, said it had been decided not to proceed with the Petroleum Production Bill, as it had been found that the action necessary could be taken without special legislation. In reply to further questions, as to whether the Government would be able to make arrangements for the payment of royalties witBbut legislation, Mr. Law replied that the Government had power to get what was necessary for the war. There was no intention of going behind the direct vote of the House of Commons. Total ...... 501,745...5'48...5'49...5'52...-0'01...-0'04 Scotland. West Scotland .... 20,900...5'29...5'25...5'36... +0'04...-0'07 The Lothians ...... 2,360 . 5'41...5'53...5'67...-0'12...-0'26 Fife ............... 24,412.4’94...4'96...5'55...-0'02...-0'61 Total ....... 47,672...5'12...5'12...5'48... — ...-0'36 Ireland ............ 469...6'00...5'48...5'92... +0'52... +0'08 _______ _______ _______ , Total, U.K_____ 549,886...5'45...5'46...5'51...-0'01...-0'06 * At the collieries included in the table. The following table shows the numbers employed and the average number of days worked, distributed accord- ing to the principal kind of coal raised at pits at which the workpeople were engaged. Inc. ( + ) or dec. ( —) in Dec. 1917 on a Average No. of days worked per Work- week by the pits _______ ______ ployed .-------<-------1 in Dec. Dec. Nov. Dec. 1917 * 22, 24, 16, 1917. 1917. 1916. Days. Days. Days. __________ Month Year ago. ago. Days. Days. Anthracite ......... 4,962...5'50...5'58...4'83...-0'08... +0'67 Coking ............. 26,943...5'67...5'58...5 69... +0'09...-0'02 Gas...............:... 36,339...4'69...4'47...5'15...+0'22...-0'46 House................ 49,928...5'69...5'59...5'66... 4-010... +0'03 Steam................ 196,193...5'37...5'47...5 45...-0'10...-0'08 Mixed................ 235,521...5'55...5'57...5'59...-0'02...-0'04 All descriptions... 549,886...5'45...5'46...5'51...-0'01... -0'06 * At the collieries included in the table. Iron Mining.—Employment continued very good at iron, shale and lead mines. Returns received for each of the three periods named below, relating to the same iron mines and open works in each case, show that 18,972 workpeople were employed at mines included in these returns in December 1917, an increase of 258 (or 1'4 per cent.) compared with November 1917, and an increase of 2,244 (or 13'4 per cent.) on a year ago. Districts. Average No. of days worked per Work- week by mines people in fortnight em- ended ployed (--------A-------' in Dec. Dec. Nov. Dec. 1917 * 22, 24, 16, 1917. 1917. 1916. Inc. (+) or dec. (—) in Dec. 1917 on a __________ Month Year ago. ago. Days. Days. Days. Days. Days. Cleveland........... 7,618 ...5'89,..5'99...5'83...-0’10... +0'06 Cumberland and Lancashire ....... 6,192 ...5'96...5 94...5'92... + 0'02... +0'04 Scotland ........... 701 ...6'00...6'00...5'34... — ...+0'66 Other districts .... 4,431 ...5'98.. 5'92...5'78...+0'06...+0'20 Total ...... 18,972 ...5'94...5'96...5'82...-0'02...+0'12 * At mines included in the returns. Shale.—The returns show that 8,621 workpeople were employed in the fortnight ended December 22, 1917, at mines which worked on an average 6'13 days per week, compared with 3,517 workpeople in November at mines which worked six days, and with 3,230 workpeople in December 1916 at mines which worked 6'03 days per week. Pig Iron Industry.—Employment continued good; it showed a decline as compared with the previous month, but was better than a year ago. Shortages of labour and of material were reported from most districts. District. No. of furnaces, included in the return^ in blast at end of Inc. ( + ) or dec. (-) in Dec. 1917 on a Dec. Nov. Dec. Month Year England <8f Wales: 1917. 1917. 1916. ago. ago. Cleveland 76 ... 76 ... 76 — — Cumberland & Lancs. 32 ... 35 ... 33 - 3*” -1 S. and S. W. Yorks ... 13 ... 13 ... 12 ... —... +i Derby & Nottingham... 33 ... 33 ... 27 ... — ... +6 Leicester, Lincoln and Northampton 30 ... 30 ... 28 ... — ... + 2 Staffs and Worcester... 30 ... 31 ... 30 ... - 1... — S. Wales & Monmouth 13 ... 12 ... 12 ... + 1... + 1 Other districts 4 ... 4 ... 5 ... — ... - 1 ■II U. *i !l ■1 .1 II. - 231 ... 234 ... 223 ... - 3... + 8 Scotland ................., 64 ... 65 ... 66 ... - 1... - 2 ■ • ■— ■II ■ ■ ■ II ■ — - Total 295 ... 299 ... 289 ... - 4... + 6 Iron and Steel Works.—Employment continued very good, showing an improvement on a year ago. According to the returns relating to 119,602 workpeople, the _______________________ MINE EXPLOSION IN STAFFORDSHIRE. An explosion occurred on Saturday morning last in the Minnie Pit, in the neighbourhood of the villages of Haimer End and Audley, North-West Staffordshire. There were 247 men in the pit at the time, and only 87 have been rescued alive. So great was the explosion that some of the roads were obliterated, and the search operations now in progress are made hazardous by falls of roof. H. Doorbar, captain of the Birchenwood rescue brigade, died from gas poisoning while perform- ing rescue work 2,000 yds. from the pit bottom. The Mayor of Newcastle-under-Lyme has opened a relief fund. As a result of explorations, hope has now been aban- doned of finding alive any of the 160 men and boys who were in the workings. Search parties are still at work. __________________________ OBITUARY. Mr. W. R. Champness, colliery manager, Cinderford, Gloucester, died suddenly on December 11, owing to heart trouble. He was aged 42. The proprietor of the oldest iron foundry in Retford, Mr. William Leger, died rather suddenly at his residence, at the age of 78. Mr. Geo. Morton, engineer to all the pits of the Cram- lington Coal Company Limited, has suffered bereavement by the death of his wife. ____________________________ Potash Recovery in Pig Iron Manufacture.—At a meet- ing of the Cleveland Institution of Engineers on Tuesday, Mr. Kenneth M. Chance, M.A., lectured on “ The Com- mercial Aspect of the Recovery of Potash in the Manufac- ture of Pig Iron.” He stated that he based his remarks upon a careful investigation made under the auspices of the Controller of Potash. In normal times, for each 1,000 tons of pig iron produced in this country, there was fed into the blast furnaces, with the ore and coke, sufficient raw material to produce from 15 to 30 tons of potash. On the basis of present production of pig iron, that meant that not less than 200,000 tons of potash were being annually fed into the furnaces. Of this potential potash, 150,000 tons passed into the slag, and was lost; the other 50,000 tons was carried away in the furnace gas; and it was chiefly to the recovery of this quantity that Mr. Chance’s remarks were addressed. A simple method advocated for its recovery was to add to the charge a quantity of common salt. He was convinced that potash' could be produced in this country from raw materials, which was a by-product, and manufactured into a commercial article of better quality than the commercial chloride of potash hitherto pro- duced by Germany, and at a lower cost than the latter. Cleaning blast Furnace Gas.—The importance, from the point of view of the national scheme for cheap power and fuel economy, of the cleaning of blast furnace gas for boilers and stoves, was brought before the'members of the Cleveland Institution of Engineers at their meeting on Tuesday, by Mr. A. Lennox • Leigh, B.Sc., who remarked that at a large number of blast furnaces the economy of cleaning furnace gas was under consideration. He desired to show that saving had been effected on boilers and stoves by the use of cleaned gas. Whilst results might vary according to the nature of the plant and equipment, every plant must benefit. The use of clean gas with gas engines, and the economies obtained thereby, had been studied with some thoroughness, but important economies could be effected with boilers and stoves without large capital expenditure involved in a gas engine installation. He described in detail the wet cleaning process, and stated that a process of dry cleaning by electric precipitation had been taken up in Cleveland, where a plant had been installed, the results of which were awaited with much interest. As an example of the saving effect by the clean- ing process, Mr. Leigh stated that at one works, owing to the reduction in the number of stoves required with clean gas, they had been able to blow in a third furnace without any increased stove power. To obtain full advantage from gas cleaning, however, use must be made of the spare gas by sending it over to a steel works, power station, or fac- tory. He estimated that a furnace of moderate size would produce 1,000,000 cu. ft. of gas per hour, and would have 300,000 cu. ft. to spare, which, at the low rate of |d. per 1,000 cu. ft., meant a potential source of income of £5,250 per annum. In that connection, the considerable number of blast furnaces in the country should be remembered. ________ Miners and Man Power Sir Auckland Geddes (Minister of National Service) introduced the Military Service Bill, which proposes to “ comb out ” young and fit men employed in certified occu- pations. In the course of his speech, he stated that on the east coast he was trying to arrange for miners, who were only partially employed in getting coal, to obtain employ- ment in local shipyards within reach of their home, but in all such cases there must necessarily remain a compara- tively large body of labour which could not be absorbed locally. Mr. C. Edwards expressed disappointment that the Bill did not do away entirely with local tribunals, through whose meshes a large number of men of military age had been allowed to pass. The colliery courts had not been a successful piece of recruiting machinery, and it would have been much better if rigid lines were laid down as to age within which men would be “ combed out.” If the Govern- ment would appeal direct to the rank and file of labour they could snap their fingers at shop stewards, delegates, Sinn Feiners, and pacifists. Mr. C. Duncan believed that when members of the trade unions realised the urgent necessity for men, any oppo- sition that now existed would cease, and the people would rally to the support of the Government until the war was brought to a victorious conclusion. (The second reading of the Bill was passed on Thursday.) ________ January 15. Non-Ferrous Metal Industry Bill. The House went into Committee on the Non-Ferrous Metal Industry Bill. Two amendments were agreed to. The first excluded from the provisions of the Bill operations carried on wholly outside the United Kingdom. The other prevents any German controlled company setting up and carrying on operations through a subsidiary company. The House negatived an amendment entitling any firm or individual coming within the schedule to a licence, unless* the Board of Trade deems the grant of a licence inex- pedient. _______ January 16. Non-Ferrous Metal Industry Bill. Several amendments were accepted. These give the Board of Trade power to require anyone connected with a company to give information he possesses relative to the business. The penalty of two years’ imprisonment was deleted from clause 3. Amendments to exclude copper and tin from the provisions of the Bill were negatived. The Bill passed through Committee, and was reported to the House. ________ Royalties. Mr. Keating asked whether the 2s. 6d. per ton allowed to coal owners benefited royalty owners, in some cases, as much as 2^d. per ton extra; whether this was intended by the Government; and whether steps would be taken to divert these increased royalties to the Treasury. Mr. Wardle replied that there were cases in which the royalty depended on the selling price of coal, but the Board of Trade had no power to interfere with the terms of the leases or agreements. The last part of the question should be addressed to the’Treasury. ____________________________ Frost and heavy snow this week have interfered with output, transport, and local distribution. Domestic incon- venience was lessened in consequence of many house- holders having laid in stocks. Partnership Dissolved.—The London Gazette announces dissolution of the partnership of S. H. Aizlewood and H. Taylor, trading as Aizlewood and Taylor, iron and steel merchants, Imperial Buildings, Rotherham. Imports of Pitwood.— The imports of pitwood in December amounted to 53,862 loads, valued at £275,663, compared with 101,919 loads, valued at £367,207, a year ago. In December 1915 the imports aggregated 140,192 loads, valued at £461,632. The total during last year fell greatly below the figure for 1916, namely—1,049,150 loads, compared with 2,232,834 loads. Ireland's Coal Supply.—A deputation from the Dublin Trades Council waited on the Corporation last week, with reference to the shortage of coal in the city. It was sug- gested that municipal coal depots should be established, and that the collieries in Ireland should be further developed if sufficient coal could not be procured from across the water. The Dublin Municipal Council, at a recent meeting, considered a motion protesting against the continued increased price of coal, and, in view of the scar- city, requesting the Chief Secretary to take immediate steps to grant facilities for the opening up and working of Irish coal mines. The Chief Secretary, accompanied by the Irish Traffic Controller, last week visited the Castlecomer Collieries, the visit referring, it is understood, to the pro- jected railway line to link up the collieries with the main line near Kilkenny.