392

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

February 22, 1918.

the employers held a contrary opinion. A telegram from
the Controller was received deciding in the men’s favour,
he holding that “ six war wages should be paid for any
week in which five shifts are worked.”

At an adjourned meeting on Saturday, the executive had
before them a further decision of the Controller in the
men’s favour in this case, he having stated that where a
man, ready and able to work, was seized with illness or
injured in the course of his shift, and was thereby rendered
unable to complete the shift, he should receive his war
wage.

Application was made to the executive by the check-
weigher whose case at the Copper Pit has occasioned so
much controversy. The full story of his trouble was
recited, and it was reported that the men at the colliery had
been balloted and had voted almost unanimously for his
reinstatement. The executive decided to approach the
Coal Controller, inform him of the result of the ballot, and
urge that the man should be reinstated as the workmen
desired.

A resolution was passed arising out of intended eject-
ments at Meiros, strongly resenting magisterial decisions
as to ejectment when housing accommodation is insufficient,
and expressing an opinion that “where men pay their rent
and are unable to get houses in their local area, no eject-
ment should take place.”

The Conciliation Board established a joint sub-committee
to deal with questions arising out of the war wage; and a
meeting took place on Tuesday, Mr. Evan Williams being
in the chair. Chiefly, the matters brought under discus-
sion had relation to failures to pay war wage where men
had been idle owing to a fatal accident, to engine break-
down, to cover where men had worked five nights, but not
on Sunday, to payment where men from the collieries were
cutting timber. Some of the disputes were settled, and
others referred for investigation.

North of England.

The Bishop Auckland branch of the Durham County
Colliery Enginemen’s, Boilermen’s, and Firemen’s Associ-
ation has had under consideration an invitation from the
Ministry of Munitions asking the association to nominate
five representatives to pay a visit to the front in France,
and has unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the
proposed visit as “ a useless errand.”

The members of the Newbiggin lodge of the Northum-
berland Miners’ Association has passed a resolution express-
ing its disgust at the unfair system adopted at the council
meeting at which the Man-Power Bill was considered.
They state that the first vote taken by a show of hands
went in favour of the miners assisting recruiting, but that
the pacifist section of the meeting demanded a card or
proxy vote, and so defeated the motion for that assist-
ance. They ask why a ballot of the county, which they
are sure would have gone in favour of recruiting, was not
taken, and they state that the branches were not notified
of the holding of the council meeting until the morning
before the meeting, and, in some cases, not then. The
resolution concludes with a pledge of support to Sir
Auckland Geddes and the Government in the Man-Power
Bin.

A meeting held at Low Fell, at which the workers at
Dunston, Fanny, Redheugh, Felling, Kibblesworth, Spring-
well, and Ravensworth collieries were represented, passed a
resolution unanimously protesting against the members of
the British Medical Association raising their fees from1 9d.
to Is. per fortnight, at a time when the pits are only work-
ing half-time and a large number of families are
struggling for existence.

The members of the Kibblesworth lodge of the Durham
Miners’ Association have passed a resolution : “ That, in
view of the fact that the average days worked at this
colliery during the last 12 weeks have been little over
per week, we make a strong appeal to our agents and
executive and to Mr. John Taylor, M.P., to use their
utmost endeavours to secure a more equitable share of the
available trade of the country, so that a few collieries shall
not have to bear all the hardship and suffering involved
by slackness of trade.”

During the past quarter the Northumberland Miners’
Association paid out X767 5s. 6d. in stoppage allowances,
of which £626 was to Netherton Howard workers on strike.

About 200 non-unionist workmen in the employ of the
Cowpen Coal Company Ltd., have been informed by the
company that they must join their trades’ unions or seek
employment elsewhere.

The question of the rate of pay for hewers working in
abnormal places was discussed at a meeting of the Cumber-
land Coal Trade Conciliation Board held at Workington
last week, with Sir Wm. N. Atkinson, of Tintern, Mon-
mouthshire, a former Government inspector of mines,
sitting as neutral chairman. The miners requested that
work in abnormal places should be remunerated at the
standard rate of 7s. The chairman intimated that he
would take time to arrive at a decision.

Scotland.

The non-union question in Gateside Colliery, Sanquhar,
reached an acute stage last week, when the workers, to the
number of 300, intimated that they would down tools
unless nine men, including six underground firemen, joined
the union. A strike happily has been averted by the miners
intimating that they will become members of the union.

Pending a decision in the dispute at Bedlay Colliery,
Lanarkshire, the presumption was that the men would
return to work. Unfortunately, a hitch has arisen.

The dispute at Kippsbyre Colliery, Airdrie, is likely tb be
adjusted soon.

Trouble is threatened at the Locharelly pits over the
question of “Billy Fairplay.” The “Billy” is a form of
deduction for small coal, and one which is still carried out,
despite the presence of adequate and suitable machinery
for sorting coal at the pit-head and making each a saleable
subject.

It is reported that a considerable amount of friction
exists in connection with the employment of non-unionists
in many districts. The subject has been the matter of
discussion at district board meetings. Authority to strike
has been asked by the miners employed at Leven collieries.

Iron, Steel and Engineering Trades.

Reporting to the members of the Cleveland and Durham
Blastfurnacemen’s and Cokemen’s Association, with refer-
ence to the 12^ per cent, wages advance, Mr. Thos.
McKenna, general secretary, details the negotiations with
the Ministry of Munitions, which resulted, he says, in an
award which would have created innumerable irritating
anomalies if applied to the men at the blast furnaces and
coke ovens. Power was obtained by the association to
negotiate with the employers on the basis of a flat rate.
The Cleveland iron masters have agreed to the following
settlement : 5 per cent, is to be paid on all base rates for

time workers from October 13 to January 19. A flat rate
of 7d. net per shift is to be paid to all sliding scale men
as from December 1. This will also apply to youths under
21 who are on adult base rates, 3s. and over. The
employers have now settled their dispute with the Ministry
of Munitions with regard to the amount of subsidies. The
Ministry has definitely laid it down that, in the case of
those whose wages are governed by sliding scales, advances
accruing under these scales shall be merged into the 12^
per cent.

Notes from the Coal Fields.

[Local Correspondence.]

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

Canal Traffic—Flooded Colliery Sold—Coal Output in
Merthyr—Law Relating to Checkweighmen—Limita-
tion of Freight Rates—Admiralty and Anthracite.

The Glamorgan Canal has been taken over by the Govern-
ment under an Order of the Board of Trade, but no change
will take place in the management, which will continue as
heretofore. A considerable amount of the canal traffic con-
sists of patent fuel from works on the canal side. The
proprietor of the canal is the Marquis of Bute, who is also
chief owner of the Cardiff Docks.

The Caerphilly coroner has held an enquiry into the
death of a labourer at Llanbradach Colliery, who'was found
unconscious in a tar still. His work was chipping off
pitch; and a fellow workman deposed that the deceased
had not complained of any ill-effects, nor had witness (who
was with him during the morning) been at all affected.
An experiment had been made with a mouse, which was
shut in the still for 24 hours, and came out quite frisky.
Medical evidence was to the effect that death was due to
carbon monoxide poisoning; and the coroner, in summing
up, disregarded the evidence as to the mouse, saying that
that experiment had been carried out after the gas had had
time to dissipate subsequent to the chipping. The jury
returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testi-
mony.

The Bolgoed Colliery and Brickworks, situate at Pontar-
dulais, have been idle for some time past, the colliery being
flooded; and the property has now been put up to auction
in Swansea. The “ taking ” is about 130 acres, with 18
years of the lease unexpired; dead rent £-150, merging into
8d. per ton royalty on coal and culm, 4^d. on clay, and 9d.
on iron ore or blackband; wayleave Id. per ton. About 45
acres of the area is unworked. The Pensycaller seam,
with seams of fireclay, have been worked hitherto. For
£8,000 the property was disposed of to Mrs. Morgan, wife
of one of the previous owners; and a sum of £444 is to
be paid for loose plant, etc.

The Coal and Shipping Exchange Company, Cardiff,
report that for 1917 the accounts show a profit of £785;
and the directors recommend that a dividend of 5 per cent,
per annum, less income tax, be paid.

According to a return issued for Merthyr parish, the
quantity of coal raised during 1917 totalled 1,440,813 long
weight tons of “ large ” and 429,902 tons of “ small.”
This is a decrease of over 15,000 tons in “ large ” and
more than 22,000 tons in “ small.”

The return for the parish of Aberdare shows 1,443,562
tons of “ large ” and 564,532 tons of “ small,” this being
a decrease of 4,286 tons of “ large,” but an increase of
5,251 tons of “ small.”

Mr. J. Williams, M.P. for Gower, one of the miners^
representatives, has prepared a Bill to amend the law as
it applied to checkweighers. He wishes to extinguish the
power of magistrates to order the removal of a check-
weigher; and desires to reinforce the security of the check-
weigher’s position.

The Cardiff Committee dealing with the supply of coal
to France has issued a statement upon the limitation of
freights Order which has just come into operation. It
shows that the war risk on British steamers will be in
the terms of the existing policy issued by the War Risk
Office, and that values will be on the line of the present
British scheme. Arrangements will be made with owners
through Count de Lubersac, of the Inter-Allied Chartering
Executive, Holland House, Bury-street, London. The
duty of local committee will be to ensure that freight and
other charter conditions are in due conformity with the
new scheme before recommendation is made that a licence
should be issued.

Mr. T. Richards, M.P., addressed a meeting of miners
of the Ebbw Vale district on Sunday afternoon, there
having been opposition to his nomination as a future
Parliamentary candidate for the new constituency. A vote
of confidence in Mr. Richards was passed, there being very
few dissentients.

For the city of Cardiff a new scale of retail prices for
coal has been drawn up. It ranges from 39s. 6d. for best
coal sold by the ton (delivery included) to 2s. Ofd. per
cwt. for smaller quantities delivered.

A peculiar case came before the county court judge at
Newport, a solicitor representing the Ebbw Vale Com-
pany stating that a man employed some years ago at the
colliery was injured by a fall of roof, and that compensation
at the rate of 19s. 7d. per week was paid him. But he had
apparently deceived both the court and the miners’ agent.
He went about on crutches; and yet, after having secured
settlement by a lump sum of £350, he went to Bristol,
and 14 days afterwards was found to be working in a dry
dock, earning good money, although he had previously
represented himself to be totally incapable. The dry dock
work was very arduous; yet he had worked to the extent of
two days’ overtime in a week. The judge, without going
into the merits of the case, pointed out that, according to
the rules, the application now made to the court was not
in time; and although the workman’s solicitor stated that
he was in court to answer any question, the judge decided
the application was too late, and did not hear this evidence.

Mr. David Williams, High Sheriff of Carmarthenshire,
has been elected president of the Llanelly Chamber of
Commerce.

Mr. C. E. Cleeves, of the Western Valleys Collieries
Company, has been nominated vice-president of Swansea
Chamber of Commerce, in place of the late Mr. T. H.
John,

The delay of wagons consequent upon South Wales
having to supply the south-western counties of England
has been very seriously affecting collieries, especially in
Monmouthshire. Energetic efforts are being made by the
companies to relieve the congestion of the railways, and
thus to ensure more speedy return of the wagons. There
is also a scheme for allocation of orders.

A report has been current as to heavy purchases of
anthracite by the Admiralty. This is not a new procedure,
as it was already well known that, in order to meet the
greater requirements in France, the' British Government

would make special arrangements ; and it is these arrange-
ments that are now coming into operation through the
shipment of specified larger quantities each month.

The annual reports of the different local railway com-
panies contain items of considerable interest to the coal
trade—chief of these doubtless being the observation of
Mr. Heward Bell during the proceedings of the Rhymney
Railway Company on Friday of last week. He stated that
the directors had long felt that closer union between the
carrying companies and the docks would be advisable, the
reference being to their own undertaking and also the Taff
Vale Railway with the Cardiff Railway and Docks, the
Taff Vale undertaking including also the Penarth Docks.
He said the union was desirable for the sake of economy,
and for the general interest of the port of Cardiff; and
that, as a step towards closer union, their general manager
(Mr. E. A. Prosser) had been appointed general manager
of the three concerns.

Representatives of the Metal Exchange at Swansea,
with others from the Chamber of Commerce and the
Labour associations, as well as of Swansea Corporation,
met the Management Committee of the Harbour Trust, in
order to discuss the proposal of ensuring that Swansea
shall become a controlled port, in order that the interest
on the Trust stock may be secured through Government
payments. A scheme is being drafted.

Northumberland and Durham.

A considerable batch of mining offences came before
Durham county magistrates last Saturday. Two cases of
hewing off the wallside, one of which came up at Sunder-
land and the other at Castle Eden, were very dissimilarly
dealt with. Thus, Geo. Coates (24), putter at Ryhope,
who was charged with hewing and filling coal from the
wallside, was sent to prison for a month with hard labour.
In the other case, at Castle Eden, Jas. Huntingdon and
Horace Beaston, similarly charged with reference to
Shotton Colliery, were fined 20s. and 40s. respectively.

A fatality unique in the experience of the coroner (Mr.
John Graham) was enquired into at Annfield Plain last
Saturday, touching the death of Jos. Robson Bell (14),
pony driver in the Willie pit. Whilst the boy was in
charge of three full tubs, the metal bow of the limbers
broke, and he was thrown to the ground and crushed to
death. Mr. Graham expressed the opinion that the iron
must have lost its “life,” and added hat that was the
first such fatality that he could remember.

Mr. G. Hare, manager of the Westerton Colliery of
Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan and Company Limited, has
been transferred in the same capacity to Leasingthorne
Colliery, and has been succeeded by Mr. Nelson, under-
manager of Shildon Lodge Colliery, whose place is being
taken by Mr. Humble, of Craghead.

A mass meeting of workmen employed at the various
collieries in the Ferryhill district passed a resolution
emphatically protesting against the unequal distribution
and the shortage of food, said that workmen were unable
to fulfil their duties, which was tending to create indus-
trial strife, and called upon the Food Control Committee
and those in authority for the proper rationing of the
people to take immediate . steps to have the matter
remedied. It was also resolved that Labour should be
more largely represented on the Sedgefield Food Control
Committee, and it was suggested that eight Labour mem-
bers should be added.

It is suggested that an “ Aged Miners’ Home War
Memorial Fund ” should be opened in memory of the
fallen miners from Durham county. The amount to be
raised is suggested at £200,000, half of which could, for
the time being, be invested in the War Loan, whilst the
other half was banked.

Great activity in the acceleration of production of lead
ore, ironstone, limestone, and ganister is reported from
Weardale, and it is stated that Messrs. Coulthard Brothers,
of Daddry Shield, are about to erect an aerial ropeway
from their ganister quarry on Chapel Fell to St. John’s
Chapel Station, a distance of over three miles.

At an inquest, held at South Shields on Monday, touch-
ing the death of Joseph Ridley (55), hewer at Harton
Colliery, which occurred following a slight injury to his
leg, resultant from a fall of stone, Dr. McHaffie said that
Ridley had had a number of septic sores on the same leg,
one of them close to the wound, and that in the course of
a few days the wound had become infected. The skin
trouble was quite a simple thing, but, if the microbes got
beneath the skin, into the soft partitions between the skin
and the muscles, it spread like wildfire. Death was due to
septic poisoning. A verdict in accordance with the medical
evidence was returned.

C.M.Q.S. Tom Danby, of the Durham Light Infantry,
who has been awarded the Croix de Guerre, is well known
at Hartlepool as a coal exporter and shipbroker.

The coal shipments from Seaham Harbour during 1917
amounted to only 902,323 tons, as compared with 1,067,400
tons for the half-year ended June 30, 1914—just before the
war. Tonnage shortage has been one of the main factors
in reducing the volume of this traffic.

Colliery doctors in the Houghton-le-Spring district have
issued a reply to the strictures passed upon them by the
miners, in connection with the recent increase in medical
fees. They state that the miners were invited to send
delegates to a conference with the doctors, but not a single
delegate put in an appearance. The increase in the fee is
to allow for the increased cost of living, drugs, dressings,
etc. The fees were withheld, but the doctors have con-
tinued their work in the usual manner, besides which they
have been attending the dependants of soldiers and sailors
free of charge for over three years.

At Newcastle County Court, Thomas Reed sued the
Northumberland and Durham Miners’ Permanent Relief
Fund for benefit withheld. He stated that the Appeals
Committee of the fund awarded him, last September, 5s.
per week benefit out of the Aged and Infirm Members’
Fund as from May 30, less a deduction of 2^d. per week
contribution to the funds of the society. He claimed
£6 19s., together with a declaration that the award should
hereafter be enforceable. He became a member of the
society in 1870, and paid his contributions regularly until
March 1915, when, being over 60 years of age, and in poor
health, he found himself unable to continue the hard work
of a collier. At that time there was no question that, had
he chosen to do so, he could have come on the fund. By
not claiming, he had saved the society some £30. In
November 1915 he obtained work as caretaker at an insti-
tute at 6s. a week. He continued there until January
1917, and during that time he did not pay subscriptions to
the society. In January 1917 he lost the caretakership
owing to ill-health, and in May 1917 he came to the con-
clusion that he was incurable, and he made a claim for
benefit from the society. The General Committee dis-
allowed his claim on the ground that he had not during
the interval paid his contributions. The judge ruled that,
the rules of the fund providing that the committee’s deci-