288

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

February 8, 1918.

Notes from the Coal Fields.

[Local Correspondence.]

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

Recklessness in the Pit.—New Traffic Superintendent on
the	T.V.R.—Miners'	Representation.—Senghenydd

Explosion Fund.—Lamp Question.

A boy of 16 has been sent to prison for 14 days for
unlocking a safety lamp in the Marine pit at Cwm, and
also for having in his possession a cigarette. He was seen
to force the bottom of his lamp off, to take out a cigarette
and light it at the lamp, also igniting a piece of paper. He
tried to cut the rivet of another lamp, but was caught in
the act, and told that he was endangering the lives of 800
men. The boy admitted in court at Ebbw Vale the truth
of the allegation, but said he did not think he was doing
any harm, as it was at the bottom of the pit where the
lamps were lighted. He had been working in the pit for
two years.

Special interest attaches to the appointment of a new
traffic superintendent on the Taff Vale Railway, owing to
the position of this company in regard to coal traffic. Mr.
T. E. Harland having retired, Mr. E. H. Dannett has been
elected for the position. He commenced his career on the
North-Eastern Railway, and has served in Hull, Darling-
ton, and Newcastle, later on joining the staff of the Cam-
brian Railways, and coming to Cardiff seven years ago as
chief assistant in the traffic department of the Taff Vale
Railway.

With regard to the unrepresentative character of men
chosen to speak in the name of the miners, attention is
drawn to a statement by a miner who said that on one
evening he attended a meeting summoned at a colliery
employing 2,500 men. There were 130 present, the
majority being pacifists, and therefore two pacifists were
chosen to speak in the name of the colliery at the miners’
conference in Cardiff. The meeting also discussed the
advisability of working five days a week, as recommended
by the executive; and in the meeting a six-hour working
day was advocated; and yet this colliery has lost only
about six days in two years. Resolutions for five days a
week were carried, and a further demand for six days’ pay
for five days’ work. The same meeting passed a resolu-
tion against the Government proposals in regard to the
Man-Power Bill; and with regard to the ballot throughout
the coal field on the subject of withdrawing men from the
mine, it was proposed (though not carried) to exclude from
the ballot those over military age and those under military
age; but the proviso was adopted that the ballot should
take place immediately after the conference, so that news-
papers should not “poison the minds” of the workers!

Some workmen sued the Ffaldau Company for a balance
of £14, which they alleged to be due to them for cutting
coal. Their claim was that they were entitled to be paid
at the through-and-through rate, and not upon large coal
only. The matter came before the Court of Appeal, follow-
ing judgment in the Divisional Court, which confirmed the
decision of the county court judge at Bridgend. In giving
the decision of the Appeal Court, Lord Justice Pickford
held that there was no evidence to sustain the contention
that the mode of working was sufficient in itself to deter-
mine what the rate of payment should be. The county
court judge had decided what was the proper amount to
pay the men, and, on the evidence, he could not dissent
from that finding. The appeal would be dismissed, but
without determining the question of principle — it being
open to the parties to negotiate as to their future actions.
The parties had come to an agreement as to what should be
the scale of payment for through-and-through and for large
coal; but there was no agreement as to which was to apply
to the particular work.

The Caerphilly magistrates had a special meeting in order
to deal with 17 summonses against the management of the
Llanbradach Colliery, prosecution having been instituted by
the Home Office. A former manager of the colliery was
summoned on seven counts, it being stated that he failed to
countersign a book kept at the mine in accordance with
section 34 of the Act. Another count was that a safety
lamp had been used without previous thorough examina-
tion ; other counts being that no record was made as to the
giving out of a lamp, and that there was failure to enforce
the provision of the section relating to safety lamps.
Another manager with two under-managers and a lamp-
man were summoned in respect of similar offences. Mr.
Kenshole, who represented the colliery company, informed
the Bench that proceedings had been instituted on behalf
of the workmen against the employers, it being stated that,
in consequence of alleged defective lamps, men had ceased
work, and had been idle for some days, and therefore were
not obliged to enter the mine. They had sent a state-
ment of claim, but this was delivered only on January 25.
The action against the company would, said Mr. Kenshole,
come on at the Assizes in March, and he therefore sug-
gested that further hearing of the summonses should be
postponed in order that the position of the company at the
hearing of the action might not be prejudiced. The magis-
trates, upon this statement, decided to postpone further
hearing until the action had been tried, the question of
costs to stand over.

The statement of accounts of the Senghenydd Explosion
Fund shows that during 1917, £8,539 was expended in
relief. The accumulated funds of the Trust now amount
to £95,100, yielding an income of £4,110. During the year
15 widows and dependants, with 28 children, were removed
from the fund owing to death, re-marriage, or the attain-
ment of age; and there remain on the fund 134 widows, 49
dependants, and 408 children.

A deputation has waited on Mr. Brace (Under-Secretary
of the Home Office), calling attention to the need for better
lamps in the South Wales mines, some of those in use not
giving sufficient light. This is a difficulty which has been
experienced in several directions; and Mr. T. Richards,
M.P., with Mr. Alfred Onions and other officials of the
Federation, put the case fully before Mr. Brace. There is
some difficulty in regard to the manufacture of good elec-
tric lamps such as are desired by the workmen, and this is
one of the matters as to which investigation is to be made
with a view to improvement. Mr. Brace gave a sympa-
thetic reply, promising attention to the representations
made him.

The miners of Tredegar district held a mass meeting on
Sunday to discuss the question of food shortage. A resolu-
tion deciding upon a stoppage was carried, and a sub-com-
mittee will undertake to carry it through “ if necessary.”

Action has been taken on behalf of workmen in the tin-
plate trade so that, whilst the requirements of National
Service are met, there will not be any undue interference
with production in the trade.

Swansea authorities are taking joint measures in order to
ensure that the docks at that town shall be brought under
Government control in a manner similar to the control of
other places on the Bristol Channel.

The Coal Controller has been consulted by Mr. J. Win-
stone (president of the South Wales Miners’ Federation)
on the question of distributing colliery labour; and, as a
result of the interview, Mr. Winstone will submit to the
Federation executive the recommendations which have been
made by the department. It is expected that these recom-
mendations will be favourably received.

The Federation executive met in Cardiff on Saturday,
and received intimation of nominees for the new Parlia-
mentary constituencies. Mr. W. Abraham, M.P.
(“ Mabon ”) is proposed for Rhondda West; Mr. T.
Richards, M.P., for the Ebbw Vale district; and Mr.
W. Jenkins (miners’ agent) for the Aberavon area.

Mr. T. Williams, of Troedyrhiw, has been elected chair-
man of the Merthyr district of miners, with Mr. D. Lewis
as vice-chairman.

In accordance with request from the Controller, a joint
meeting took place on Wednesday in the Engineers’ Insti-
tute, Cardiff, to deal with the proposed transfer of miners
from collieries on short time to pits producing household
and coking coals, which (with gas coal) are in deficient
supply. Part of the difficulty revealed during the discus-
sion centred in the lack of houses. It was shown clearly
that employment is available, but that dwelling accommo-
dation is most urgently required. Agreement was reached
in certain respects.

Northumberland and Durham.

Six out of 14 gentlemen whose names have been added to
the Commission of the Peace for Durham county are, or
have been, connected with the coal mining industry. They
are: Mr. W. J. Clasper, miner, Page Bank; Mr. J. C.
Baker Hendy, retired mining engineer, Etherley; Mr. J.
Errington, Northumberland and Durham Miners’ Perma-
nent Relief Fund; Mr. J. Hoy, checkweighman, New
Seaham; Mr. T. Hall, mining engineer, Ryhope; and Mr.
E. Cowell, colliery manager, Horden.

At Whitley, Douglas Potts, hewer at the C.D. Pit, Seaton
Delaval, was charged with having stemmed a shot with coal
instead of with clay. For the coal company, it was stated
that defendant had done what he knew quite well to be
wrong, in stemming with an inflammable substance, and
the Bench were asked to inflict such a penalty as would
deter him and others from following such a practice. Potts
stated that the clay at the bank was frozen, and that pro-
vided in the pit was full of “ brass,” which was more
dangerous and apt to cause ignition than coal itself. Mr.
J. S. Tweddell, colliery manager, stated that there had
been many complaints of such practices, but not recently.
In the event of a blown-out shot, the heat generated might
cause an explosion of coal dust, or a small amount of gas
which would not otherwise be ignited. Defendant said
there was no fear of an explosion in that mine. Mr.
Tweddell retorted that where there had been explosions
they had never been expected. Potts was fined £2.

A fire at Blackett Colliery last week resulted in the
screens and gangway being destroyed. The works at the
colliery were in process of being dismantled, but the screens
were still in use for the drift. The origin of the outbreak
is unknown.

Cleveland.

Messrs. Hanson, Brown and Company’s Middlesbrough
Monthly Circular for February states that :—“ The output
of pig iron during January has been increased by the blow-
ing-in of two furnaces on basic iron at Messrs. Dorman,
Long and Company’s works. This brings the total number
of furnaces in blast in the North of England, to 78, of which
32 are on Cleveland pig iron, 27 on haematite, and 19 on
other brands of iron, as compared with 76—32, 28, and 16
respectively—at the end of December. During the month
a furnace on haematite was transferred to special iron, and
at the end of January it was also reported that another
haematite furnace was to be changed to Cleveland iron,
these changes being due no doubt to the increased strin-
gtncy in the foreign ore situation.”

Yorkshire.

The Derbyshire and Notts Colliery Under-Managers’
Association (federated with the National Federation of
Colliery Under-Managers in Great Britain) have estab-
lished a branch of their association in Sheffield, and a fair
number of under-managers from the collieries around have
been elected members. At a recent meeting, the wages
question was considered, and the view was expressed that
it would require the early consideration of the coal owners.

At the meeting of the council of the Yorkshire Miners’
Association on Monday, the officials reported upon the
negotiations with the West and South Yorkshire coal
owners’ associations in regard to the demand for increased
wages, better conditions, and home coal for unskilled sur-
face workers. Mr. H. Smith said a settlement had been
reached with the South Yorkshire owners on the basis of
the arrangement at collieries in the Doncaster area, except
on the home coal question and tradesmen’s wages. In the
event of failure to settle these points locally, they are to be
referred to an, independent man. In West Yorkshire, no
settlement had been arrived at in regard to ordinary sur-
face workers and tradesmen, and 14 days’ notice would be
tendered next week at all collieries where an agreement
had not been arrived at. The officials reported that a satis-
factory settlement had been arrived at in the Doncaster dis-
pute. Men with two years’ experience at the coal face or
ripping work are to join equally in the wages earned in any
particular stall.

The annual meeting of the Coal Merchants’ Section of the
Bradford Chamber of Trade was held last week, under the
chairmanship of Mr. Ben Galloway. Reference was made
to forms which had been issued by the executive officer of
the local Coal Control Committee, asking for various par-
ticulars as to average depot prices, pre-war and present
colliery prices, yard costs, and particulars of men engaged
in the business, names of collieries supplying local mer-
chants, etc. Members objected to the trouble involved in
preparing all these particulars, but the letter of the execu-
tive officer stated that the information was necessary, in
order to settle the maximum retail price. The matter was
adjourned. Some discussion took place on the recent
national award of 20s. per week advance on pre-war wages
to carters, and it was agreed that the advance be paid. It
was, however, resolved that an increase in charges would
be necessary to cover this advance, and it was decided to
advise the local Control Committee that the charge for coal
would be immediately increased by 6d. per ton, with 6d.
for cartage, and ^d. per bag in cases where bags have to be
left with the customer. The following officers were elected
for the ensuing year : Chairman, Mr. Joshua Smith, vice-
chairmen, Mr. Ben Galloway and Mr. H. Triffitt; hon. con-
venor, Mr. A. Fletcher; committee, Messrs. J. Metcalfe,
M. W. Carter, H. Mosley, D. B. Clough, F. Holmes,
Edward Smith, J. Garnett, A. W. Broadbent, and F.
Hainsworth; representatives on council of the Chamber of
Trade, Messrs. H. Triffitt and E. Smith.

Notts and Derbyshire.

Mr. John Whyte, who has been with the Digby Colliery
Company Limited as agent and manager of their Digby
and New London collieries during the past 7£ years, has
been appointed to a similar position under the Cossall
Colliery Company Limited.

The Butterley Colliery Company’s war relief fund has
distributed since the outbreak of war £29,725, and has a
balance in hand of £4,904. The workers have contributed
£17,163, the company £17,424, and the checkweighmen £41.

At Chesterfield on Saturday, tlie council of the Derby-
shire Miners’ Association agreed to the formation of joint
boards and pit committees to assist in the selection of the
50,000 men required from the mines for the Army.

The Midlands.

A report of the London Conference on the further comb-
out of miners was submitted to the Cannock Chase Miners’
Council, on Friday, when it was decided to press for the
carrying out of the resolutions of the Blackpool meeting
of the Miners’ Federation, before the proposals of the
National Service Director were put into operation.

The death has occurred, at Dudley, of Mr. William
Davies, one of the oldest mining engineers in the county.
He was over 86 years of age, and for more than half a
century had been in the employ of Messrs. N. Hingley
and Son Limited.

Notwithstanding a phenomenally heavy fall of rain and
snow for the month, the pumping of the South Stafford-
shire Mines Drainage Commission for January shows a
slight decrease compared with the corresponding period
last year.

Consumers of certain classes of coal for manufacturing
purposes in Shropshire are experiencing much inconveni-
ence in respect of supplies as the result of the Minnie Pit
disaster. The source of supply has been changed owing
to the catastrophe, and deliveries are now considerably
below consumers’ requirements. This is particularly the
case in respect of gas coal, and it is stated that unless
increased supplies are forthcoming within the next three
or four weeks, some of the companies will be almost entirely
without coal. Since the Government took over the control
of the coal trade, matters in Shropshire have been adminis-
tered by a district committee, and this body has under
serious consideration the possibility of supplementing
deliveries from some other district than North Stafford-
shire if the present restrictions to consumers continue.
Previous to the Government control Shropshire gas coal
consumers chiefly bought from Ruabon and Wrexham and
the adjoining South Wales districts, which were found
to be exceedingly convenient sources of supply, but all
this has now been changed through the necessity of
shortening railway traffic distance and so economising
wagon freightage. Fortunately, the quality of the North
Staffordshire coal is found to compare satisfactorily with
the produce of the Welsh measures, so that there is little
complaint under this head, but there is a good deal of
complaining in some directions respecting the current high
prices. For minerals for gas producing purposes which,
prior to last September, consumers were getting in abund-
ance at 23s. 3d. per ton, the cost for North Staffordshire
is now 27s., delivered into the Gas Company’s yards, and
there seems to be no chance whatever of the figure being
reduced. In an interesting communication which has just
been made by certain of the Shropshire buyers, the charges
making up this aggregate of 27s. per ton are set out in this
manner : price of coal at the pit’s mouth 15s., Coal Con-
troller’s charges, 4s. ; additional tonnage cost by reason of
last increase in miners’ wages, 2s. 6d. ; middleman’s profit,
9d. ; railway wagon hire, Is. l^d. per ton; and railway
carriage 3s. 6|d—total, 26s. lid. These figures are
regarded as being as near as possibly correct to date.

Kent.

Nearly 6,000 tons of coal was raised at the Tilmanstone
and Snowdown collieries last week.

The Canterbury Town Council decided to support the
application of the Chislet Colliery Company, with the object
of obtaining the sanction of the Government authorities
to the continued sinking of this colliery. The following
facts, given by Mr. Kearton, the Chislet Colliery manager,
were reported in the course of the discussion. From the
bottom of the North Pit an advance boring had been
sunk to a depth of 294 ft., and that boring passed through
seven seams of coal. Of these, five were of workable
thickness, viz., 2 ft. 11 in., 2 ft. 6 in., 2 ft. 4 in., 2 ft. 1 in.,
and 4 ft. 9 in., the last-named being at 1,433 ft. Mr. Kearton
stated that the two shafts could be sunk to the 4 ft. 9 in.
seam within 12 months.

At the meetings of the Sondage and Foncage Syndicates
(formed in connection with Kent Coal Concessions and
allied companies) the accounts were presented and deferred
to a future meeting. A committee was appointed to go
into the question of the necessary alterations of the articles
of association, in order that boards of directors may be
appointed for the syndicates.

Scotland.

Mr. James Tripney, manager at Kinglassie Colliery,
Fife, belonging to the Fife Coal Company, has been
appointed manager of the mines belonging to the
Pumpherston Oil Company Limited.

At a meeting of the Scottish branch of the National
Association of Colliery Managers, held in Edinburgh, on
Saturday, Mr. James Watson, of Chapel Colliery, New-
mains, described his novel method of repairing worn
piston rods.

Addressing a representative meeting of mining men in
Edinburgh, on Saturday, on “ The Examination of
Methods and a Plea for Greater Efficiency in Mining,”
Mr. R. Wilson, of Keilerbrae, Alloa, suggested possible
economies and reforms in regard to surface and under-
ground arrangements, the selection of machinery, the
choice of men and the organisation of officials. Other
points, also, which he thought might have attention were
the health and safety of workmen, economy in the use of
boiler fuel, disposal of ashes, oils and supplies of various
kinds, and the better utilisation of surface labour.

A point has arisen as to whether men employed in the
Scottish shale mines at the date of national registration
fall to be regarded as coal miners, and the question at
issue has been referred to the authorities for adjustment.
The decision is that such men cannot be regarded as coal
miners in the accepted sense of the term.

The council of the Lanarkshire Miners’ Union decided,
on Saturday, that a ballot of the members should forth-
with be taken to decide as to the action to be taken in
regard to the Government’s Man Power Bill.

The underground firemen throughout Lanarkshire decided
to formulate a claim for an eight hours working day, an
advance of one shilling per day in wages and relief from
all work other than their statutory duties.

At No. 7 Blair Pit, Dairy, the workmen complained that
the drawing roads were long and none too good. The