January 25, 1918.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

187

MINERS’ WAGES IN 1917.

Official statistics relating to employment in 1917
show that 1,000,000 workpeople connected with coal
mining, received an increase of wages. The net
increase was £473,200, compared with £227,000 (for
865,000 workpeople) in 1916. In iron and other
mining the net increase of wages £15,100, affected
27,000 workpeople, compared with £8,000 (affecting
22,000 workers) in 1916. These increases relate to
wages paid to men, boys, women and girls.

In the coal mining industry the principal feature of
the year was the grant, by direction of the Controller
of Coal Mines, of a way wage to colliery workers gene-
rally throughout Great Britain of Is. 6d. per day in
the case of workpeople 16 years of age and over, and of
9d. per day to those under 16, to date from September
17. In Durham, South Wales, and Scotland this
was the only general change in wages during the year.
In Northumberland, however, a decrease of 11 per
cent, on the basis rates of both underground and sur-
face workers took effect in January 1917, under the
operation of the sliding scale, leaving wages 120 per
cent, above the standard of 1879. In the Federated
area, and in Cumberland, South Staffordshire and
East Worcestershire, an existing war bonus equivalent
to 13*8 per cent, on current wages was increased in
February to 18 per cent.

In the iron mining industry, increases aggregating
23 per cent, on the basis rates of 1879 were granted in
January, April, and July to ironstone miners in Cleve-
land, making wages 105 per cent, above the standard.
In addition, a war wage of Is. 6d. per day for men,
and 9d; per day for boys under 16, corresponding with
that given to coal miners, was granted to these work-
people from September. Increases and bonuses of
varying amounts were also given to iron miners and
quarrymen in North Lincolnshire, Cumberland, North-
amptonshire, and other districts, shale miners in
Scotland, and fireclay miners in the Midlands.

During the year 116 disputes occurred in the coal
mining industry, and 267,045 workpeople were affected
over a total period of 1,098,400 working days. In the
previous year the disputes numbered 67, the work-
people affected 61,611, and the period represented by
the disputes 310,600 working days. These figures are
provisional.

The industries most seriously affected in this country
by disputes were coal mining and engineering. Tn
these industries two disputes accounted for more than
half the total number of workpeople involved, but
apart from these disputes, the number still showed an
increase on the previous year.

LABOUR AND WAGES.

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

The Rhymney Valley district of miners held their annual
meeting on Saturday. Mr. John Hawkins, chairman of the
Bargoed workmen, was chosen president for the ensuing
year; with Mr. W. M English, of New Tredegar, vice-
president. Councillor E. Jones, J.P. of Bargoed, will
continue treasurer. It was reported by the agent, (Mr.
Walter Lewis) that there was a dispute outstanding in the
district as to the night men’s “fifths,” and also on the
Sunday night question. His report stated that “the
employers are trying to make the Sunday night shift
compulsory and to this neither the agents of the district
nor the executive council will submit. At the time the
concession of six turns for five was granted by the
Government, the workmen put forward that the men should
be relieved of the Sunday night shift in order to attend
religious services. They are not going back to allow the
shift to be made compulsory.” Meetings will be held
throughout the district in opposition, and the executive will
be asked for leave to tender notices on the question if
necessary.

The executive of the South Wales Miners’ Federation at
their meeting in Cardiff resolved to draw Sir George
Askwith’s attention so the case of certain workmen at
Tirydail Colliery who refused to join the Federation. A
complaint was submitted from the Rhondda district as to
the introduction of double-gauze safety lamps. These had
been brought in to comply with the Mines Act, but the
workmen contended that they seriously interfered with
their work, and the executive decided to approach the
Home Office and to suggest the introduction of electric
lamps. Owing to a refusal of employers to pay war wage
at Crumlin Navigation Collie y during temporary stoppage
by irruption < f water, the aid of the executive was sought
by the workmen and the matter will be brought to the
Coal Controller’s notice. After hearing a report from
Mr. T. Richards (the secretary), as to what had taken place
when a deputation interviewed Sir Richard Redmayne
concerning disputes at Oakwood and Cilely, discussion of
the matter was adjourned till the next meeting.

The employees at the Crown Preserved Coal Co.’s Works,
Cardiff, have been awarded an increase of 5s. per week to
date from November 1.

The executive council of the Iron and Steel Works
Association in South Wales and Monmouthshire met on
Saturday and passed a resolution desiring the Committee
on Production to arbitrate immediately upon a demand for
a general advance of 20 per cent, in wages for those
workers where materials of war are manufactured. They
protested against paying income-tax on overtime earnings,
and asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to receive a
deputation who would represent their view that taxation
upon earnings above six days per week wage is unfair
because the overtime work is under compulsion.

The crane men at Cardiff Docks and Barry Docks have
made a demand for Is. 6d. per day increase of wages—
making a wage of 10s. per day; whilst the night workers
ask for 2s. 3d. per night increase—making their rate 15s.
per night. The Committee on Production dealt with this
application on Monday, Mr. R. Williams and Mr. J.
Donovan presenting the men’s claim; but the award has
not yet been made.

North of England.

The council of the Durham Miners’ Association decided
to impose a levy of 6d. per fortnight per full member and
3d. per half-member of the Association to assist members
who, through loss of time owing to slackness of trade, come
on the relief fund. It was further agreed to appoint a
deputation to meet the Coal Controller with a view to the
county getting a fair share of the coal trade.

With reference to the trouble in Durham County
regarding the minimum wage question, it is interesting to
note that there has been a somewhat similar delay in the
settlement of the new minimum wage rates for Northum-
berland. These rates, which have been agreed upon by
the owners’ and men’s representatives, were communicated
to the Coal Controller on January 5 and January 28 was
suggested as the date upon which they should come into
operation. Beyond sending an acknowledgment of receipt
of the letter, the Coal Controller has, up to the time of
writing, done nothing.

On Wednesday, Mr. J. Robson, president of the Durham
Miners’ Association, received a letter from the Coal
Controller intimating that he had approved of the new
minimum wage scale. There will, therefore, be no strike.

The members of the Hamsteels lodge of the Durham
Miners’ Association have decided to appoint a vigilance
committee to enquire into the unequal distribution of food-
stuffs in the district, to report of the local Food Committee
and to the Food Controller, with a view to having all food
brought to one centre and rationed according to numbers
in families.

The unsatisfactory condition of colliery employment in
Durham County may be gauged from a statement which
Mr. T. H. Cann, general secretary of the Durham Miners’
Association, has just made. He says that 375 miners, who
have been working short time at the collieries in the
Sunderland district, are now employed part time in the
local shipyards and that every effort is being made to
obtain full time employment for them there. It is hoped
to make similar arrangements with Tyneside shipyards,
etc., in respect of miners who are employed short time at
collieries in Low Fell and Ouston districts.

A meeting of the council of the Durham Miners’ Asso-
ciation, held on Saturday last, called upon the Government
to put into operation at once some scheme for the more
equitable distribution of the more essential foodstuffs,
regardless of the social status or income of the people. A
second resolution affirmed that the miners viewed with
apprehension the demands made for men from the mines for
the Army and Navy, and that the agents and committees
should seek, through the Miners’ Federation, the conscrip-
tion of wealth on the basis of the demand upon life and
sound guarantees for the restoration of all civil, social
and trade union liberties immediately at the conclusion of
the war. The president (Mr. James Robson) then made a
statement with reference to the position of the minimum
wages negotiations. He stated that, on December 3, the
executive committee agreed with the owners to accept 65
per cent, calculated on all the various basis wages except-
ing those of hewers and fillers, which percentage was to be
added to the minimum rate as fixed by Sir Robert Romer,
to form a new minimum. Hewers were to be paid a
minimum of 8s. 8d. per shift, and fillers 9s. The Coal
Controller had not yet consented to these new rates, which
were to date from December 10 or such date as he might
fix. The executive had agreed that, having regard to the
time that had elapsed since the agreement with the owners,
and to the fact that these new rates were still less than
those paid in any other district, and that there was a large
number of men on the minimum wage, coupled, in
numerous cases, with very slack working, the time had
arrived when they had no alternative but to recommend
the lodges in the county to vote in favour of ceasing work
after Saturday, January 26, and to remain idle until the
new minima were sanctioned. The executive requested the
lodges to meet to consider the following motion, “ That, in
the event of the Coal Controller not giving his instruction
for the new minimum rate to be paid as agreed upon
between the owners and our association on December 3,
1917, this meeting agrees to accept the advice of our
executive committee to cease work on Saturday, January 26,
and loyally to stand by this decision until the new
minimum rates are conceded.” The motion was adopted
by the council and was ordered to be sent out to the lodges.

Federated Area.

The men employed at the White Lee Colliery, Batley,
Yorks, came out last week. The cause of the trouble is the
demand of the men for a new price list of the black-bed.
seam. The miners at the Soothill Wood Colliery have made
a similar demand and gave in notice. The notices, by
agreement, have been extended for two weeks.

The miners at Glencraig Collieries are desirous of estab-
lishing a fortnightly idle day, but the management has
shown opposition to the proposal, The executive board of
the Fife Miners’ Union resolved to support the men.

As a number of the surface workers at Fife pits have not
joined the Miners’ Union it has been agreed to lodge notices
as a protest.

The underground fire which a few weeks ago broke out in
Donibristle Colliery has been got under control to such an
extent as to admit of the work of the colliery being
resumed. The fire has been built off.

Scotland.

At Thankerton Colliery, Lanarkshire, the manager has
indicated that the cost of carting the house coal of the
workers will be increased. The men are dissatisfied with
this.

Trouble has again cropped up at Cadder Colliery,
Bishopbriggs, owing to the arbiters having decided that
the hearths, where the char is burned, have now become
normal and that in consequence the char fillers should be
deprived of the extra allowance which they had been
awarded. The char fillers struck.

At Coursington Colliery, Motherwell, the manager sought
a reduction of Is. per ton from the men employed in the
Splint coal seam in No. 1 pit. As a result of negotiation
the reduction has been modified to 3|d. per ton.

At Dixon’s Colliery in the Blantyre district, Lanarkshire,
the firemen ask for a recognised eight hours day shift, instead
of one extending to nine and a half hours at present. The
miners are supporting this demand, and have agreed to
work only four days per week until the request of the fire-
men has been conceded.

Mr. James Hood, county agent, Ayrshire, has been
dealing with a dispute at Nethercraig Colliery, where in
the Ell coal machine section, the coal had become very thin
and it was complained that the miners were unable to earn
fair wages at present rates. The manager has admitted
the section is abnormal and has agreed to make concessions
accordingly.

The trouble reported at Grasshill Pit, Glenbuck, Ayrshire,
has been averted. Meanwhile, the section has been stopped,
and all the men thereby affected have found employment
in other parts of the colliery.

Several meetings have been held with the manager and
the underground firemen at the Crosshouse Pits of the
Caprington Collieries Company, Ayrshire. The complaint
is in relation to the long working day of the firemen. Idle

time is threatened unless a modified working day is
agreed to.

There is complaint in Ayrshire regarding the length of
time taken to pay compensation to injured miners. The
miners are threatening drastic action unless there is a
reform in this direction.

Mr. John Robertson, miners’ agent, Hamilton, has
reported to the executive of the Scottish Miners’ Union that
the Raasay islanders on strike have now returned to work
pending arbitration on their claim for an advance of wages,
and that the German prisoners who were performing work
formerly carried out by the islanders have been removed.

Notes from the Coal Fields.

[Local Correspondence.]

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

b'ood Shortage : Protest by Miners—(Jolliers' Candidates
for Parliament—Lady Director's New Post—Housing
at Ebbw Vale—Freights for Sailing Vessels—Retailers
“ On Strike "—Medical Certificates.

The South Wales Federation executive council received
on Saturday a deputation from the Pontypridd and
Rhondda area, who informed them that the shortage of
food was so serious that the miners were unable to get
sufficient to take with them to work. From other parts
of the coalfield similar representations were also made; and
it was decided that the general secretary (Mr. T. Richards,
M.P.) should ask Lord Rhondda to grant an interview
with the executive one day during the following week,
either at Cardiff or any other place convenient to him.
The council also made arrangements for the conference
which will be held on the 28th, to discuss the question.

Mr. Owen, of Llangennech, who for eight years has been
chairman of the 1'a-rish Council, has been elected
chairman of the Western Miners’ Association. He has
held the chief position in the Morlais lodge of the
federation for two years.

The miners in the Bedwellty division have decided to
submit four names to ballot, with a view to selection for
a Labour candidate for their new Parliamentary division.
Captain Edward Gill, of Abertillery, at one time a miners’-
agent, who has been seriously wounded, is one; and the
others are Mr. Charles Edwards, J.P. (miners’ agent), of
Blackwood ; Mr. W. Jones, of Pengam; and Mr. A.
Thomas (assistant miners' agent at New Tredegar).

In the new Abertillery Parliamentary division only two
candidates now remain—Messrs. W. Harries and J. Mann-
ing having withdrawn their names. The two are Mr. W.
Brace (under secretary at the Home Office), and Mr. Geo.
Barker (miners' agent). The Ogmore Valley Miners’ Joint
Committee decided to recommend the nomination of
Mr. V. Hartshorn.

Lady Mackworth (daughter of Lord Rhondda), who
holds the position of director of the Gwaun-cae-gurwen
Colliery Company, also of D. Davis and Sons (Ferndale)
Collieries, the Consolidated Cambrian, and other under-
takings, has become chief controller of women’s recruiting
at the National Service Ministry.

All over the district, meetings of the miners, as well
as of other workmen, have been held to deal with the
question of food supply.. At the executive council of
the Federation, a deputation was received from the
Pontypridd area, and on Sunday the Rhondda miners to
the number of some thousands held a mass meeting, when
the chairman said that if the men did not get more
food before long they were likely to say that somebody
would have to go short of coal. The meeting was
addressed by the executive officer of the Rhondda Food
Control Committee, who, he said, desired authority to
commandeer foodstuffs at the local railway stations and
to ensure that none of the rationed commodities should
leave the railways without their assent. Explanation was
given as to a milk priority scheme, and a resolution was
passed desiring the Government to take control of all im-
ported foodstuffs and distributing agencies.

The Labour Party at Caerphilly also summoned a public
meeting, this taking place on Saturday evening, when a
resolution was submitted in favour of compulsory ration-
ing. At Bargoed and the Rhymney Valley, at Neath
and Pontardawe, at Tredegar, Swansea, and other centres
the matter was also discussed ; and at Maesteg, Mr. V.
Hartshorn appealed to miners to exercise restraint in these
trying times, for, bad as conditions are, they would become
infinitely worse if mob law developed. There was an
inevitable shortage to face, and they must be prepared
for hardship, in order to help the armies at the front.
The meeting was adjourned till next Sunday, so that
the various organisations represented at the meeting might
separately discuss the position.

It was stated, at a meeting in Ebbw Vale, dealing with
the food and housing questions, that the total number of
employees of the Ebbw Vale Company, in the collieries
and iron and steel works, had risen since war broke out
from 9,100 to 11,250, an increase of 2,150; and this, not:
withstanding that about 6,000 of the employees had joined
the Army. Owing to the general increase of the popula-
tion, which during the past eighteen months had exceeded
4,000, there is a great lack of houses, and the medical
officer estimates that no fewer than 2,000 new dwelling-
houses will be required to accommodate the people.

Notification has been forwarded to the coal exporters of
Cardiff that the French Government authorities have fixed
maximum rates of freight on sailing vessels, and these
rates are to include one-third of 5 per cent, brokerage;
also war risk insurance, with advance of freight. The
rate will be 90s. for all French ports, Brest included ; 120s.
for 1’Orient, to the Loire ports included; 130s. for the
Loire, to the Charente ports included ; and 140s. for the
Gironde ports, Arcachon and Bayonne.

The Dowlais miners met on Tuesday and again discussed
the shortage of food. They determined to write to the
Controller desiring that he would commandeer the whole
of the food supplies of the country, bring in a rationing
scheme immediately, and make distribution proportionate
to population.

The Merthyr Stipendiary has imposed a fine of £4, with
the alternative of six weeks’ imprisonment, upon an assis-
tant fireman who was summoned under the Explosives and
Coal Mines Order, for taking explosives into the mine
not enclosed or kept in a secure case or canister; also for
having in use more than one case containing 5 lbs. of
explosives. The magistrate declared that the defendant
had been “ guilty of gross recklessness, which might have
been attended with very disastrous results.” Proceedings
were initiated by one of the inspectors of mines who went
down in the cage with defendant and noticed that he
carried a box of explosives.

Mr. H. C. Jones, who has been partner in the firm of
Messrs. W. A. & H. C. Jones, has been appointed to