496 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN March 8, 1918. LABOUR AND WAGES. South Wales and Monmouthshire. The executive council of the Miners" Federation met in Cardiff on Monday and received a deputation from the local district of railwaymen who asked whether some organisa- tion could not be set up whereby the principle of Triple Alliance action could be carried out. No definite proposal was submitted, and the executive promised consideration to the subject. Because of a dispute as to payment of repairers and helpers, the men at the Cambrian Collieries, Clydach Vale, sought permission to tender notices, and the executive resolved to draw the attention of the Coal Controller to the application, at the same time suggesting that the con- troversy should be referred to Messrs. Hannah and W. L. Cooke for investigation. The Conciliation Board met on Tuesday. Mr. B. Nicholas in the chair; and it was reported by Mr. Gibson (secretary of the Coalowners’ Association) that since the last meeting there had been seven stoppages without notice. The employers" representatives therefore urged that the work- men’s representatives should take effective steps in order to prevent these continual illegal strikes. The joint sub- committee which had been appointed to consider the question of improving the method of dealing with disputes, has agreed upon a scheme and this will be submitted to the next meeting. Colonel Anwyl Passingham attended in reference to the comb-out of the miners, and he stated that Lord Treowen (the Director of National Service for Wales), desired to meet the members of the Conciliation Board in order to discover what arrangement could be come to and to ascertain whether combing out would be undertaken by the Board or by the owners and workmen respectively. The desire was to ensure co-operation, and so far as possible, to prevent any friction. Reply was made to him that the Board as a board could not deal with the question, but that the owners desired to avoid friction. The workmen"s representatives in their reply stated that the men were taking a ballot and that nothing could be done until after this had been finished. The workmen’s repre- sentatives raised the question of reinstating men who had volunteered for national service, and from the employers" side an agreement in principle was expressed with the desire for reinstatement. Although, as was pointed out, difficulties might arise in certain cases, any suggestion the workmen could present would receive full consideration. Colliery craftsmen in the anthracite district have passed a resolution desiring their representatives on the Federa- tion executive to press for an amendment of the Eight Hours Act in order that it may include all men employed in and about the mines; also that a schedule rate of wages shall be drafted for all employees in the mechanical and electrical departments. It is desired to have this question brought up at the next conference. North of England. Representatives of the Northumberland Miners’ Associa- tion conferred with the county coal owners as to the transfer of colliery workmen who could be spared for shipyard work. It was stated that for the time being the demand at the shipyards on Tyneside was being met by the fact that Walker Ann Pit was to be closed, the men having last week- end again received 14 days" notice to terminate their hiring. (Similar notice was given some time ago but was withdrawn and work was continued). The closing of the pit will release about 540 men and lads, of whom under 100 will be retained by the owners of the colliery to look after the plant, etc. The remainder will be available for shipyard or other work, and steps are to be taken to absorb as* many as are suitable in the local shipyards. Terms are to be arranged between the Miners’ Association and the responsible Government department as to the conditions of the transfer. When the Walker men have all been “ placed"’ and if more miners are still required from the county pits for shipyard work, a further conference of owners and workmen will be held. During February 43 steam coal collieries in Northumber- land worked an average of 4’827 days per week and 21 house- hold coal pits in the county an average of 4’8 days per week, making a general average of 4*83 days per week. The January averages were, respectively, 4’5 days, 4’61 days and 4 57 days, so that the February figures show slightly more regular employment. The Harton Coal Co., Ltd., has granted a further advance of 3s. per week on existing rates to the quarrymen employed at Marsden, the increase to be retrospective from Feb. 2. The workers at the Foster and Ann Pits, North Wylam, two small collieries employing altogether only about 40 men and lads, have received notice to terminate their hiring on Friday, March 15. Wallsend G Pit Lodge of the Northumberland Miners’ Association has resolved to ask the executive committee to take a county ballot of the miners on the proposed advance in doctors’ fees. Chopwell miners are agitating for the abolition of the three-shift system at the local collieries. Federated Area. The Notts Miners’ Association, at a meeting on Monday, granted permission for notices to be handed in by between 2,000 and 3,000 men who . are affected by a dispute at Pinxton Colliery. It was decided that any men responding to the Government’s appeal for 400 tunnellers for the army should be instructed to obtain a wage agreement for the payment of 6s. per day from the date of enlistment. Bank workers" wages still continue to be the subject of negotia- tion, and the Coal Controller is to be requested to grant arbitration proceedings dealing with the question, as well as the revision of the 1915 agreement affecting surface workers. Scotland. A new phase of the dispute at Bedlay Colliery, Lanark- shire, has been entered upon, the Lanarkshire Miners’ Union passed a resolution to declare a general strike throughout Lanarkshire failing a settlement at Bedlay. The dispute regarding rates at Legbrannock Colliery is not ended. Mr. Stewart Chalmers has been selected upon as arbiter. The arrears due to the workmen at Leadhills have now been paid, and the lead miners at Wanlockhead have agreed to form a branch of the Lanarkshire Miners’ Union. The half-yearly audit of the books of the West Lothian Miners’ Union shows that the amount at the credit of the Association is <£7,000. It has been decided to pay off the loan received from the Scottish Miners’ Federation some time ago. At No. 3 Pit, Mossbiown Colliery, Ayrshire, trouble has cropped up in consequence of low wages. Lately stooping operations have been begun at the colliery, and it is com- plained that the low rates fixed by the management do not permit of the standard wage being earned by the miners. Iron, Steel and Engineering Trades. In their “ Middlesbrough Monthly Circular ” for March, Messrs. Hanson, Brown, and Co. Ltd., state that business in the Cleveland pig iron trade in February was dominated by the question of transport —both of railway trucks and shipping. In the home trade, deliveries of pig iron fell into arrears and at the close of February fully as much remained undelivered as at the end of January. On the other hand, the output of foundry iron improved. With trucks so scarce, however, it was impossible to get all the iron away and stocks accumulated in the makers’ hands. In the export trade, lack of tonnage prevented more than the touching of the fringe of three months" arrears for Italy. Towards the end of the month, it was announced that, in order to relieve the pressure on the railways, it would no longer be permitted to rail iron to the west coast for shipment, so that the export outlook is more gloomy than ever. On the other hand, the minimum requirements of the Allies must receive attention and some means will have to be found to increase the supply of tonnage on this side. At the end of January, 78 furnaces were in blast in the North-East of England, of which 32 were on Cleveland, 27 on haematite, and 19 on special kinds of iron. During February the number had been reduced by four furnaces on haematite and increased by one each on Cleveland and special irons. The haematite reduction is due to the in- adequate supplies of foreign ore, although counterbalanced in some measure by the increased output of basic iron. Further changes were in preparation at the end of the month, including the blowing-in of another furnace on haematite. The stock of Cleveland pig iron in Messrs. Connal’s public store stood at the end of February at 342 tons, as compared with 542 tons at the end of January. Foreign ore deliveries, although still short, were better during February, and the outlook is less unfavourable than for some time past. Business has been given a decided stimulus by the official concession of 2s. 6d. per ton on the basic price. Sellers are appealing to the Central Ore Committee to extend that concession to uncompleted con- tracts made prior to December 14 last, failing which they will have no alternative but to cancel the contracts. SOUTH WALES MINING TIMBER TRADE. The imports of foreign mining timber have been well up to the total average weekly quantity allowed to be imported. During the past week the total received amounted to 15,076 loads, of which 10,920 loads were received by the Admiralty Pitwood Committee. The sup- plies came from the near French ports, and no consign- ments have yet been received from Scandinavia, Portugal, or Spain. Applications to import from the latter country have, it is reported, been made to the authorities, but even when supplies are authorised, licences will probably be granted on their merits. At the present time only French pitwood is allowed to be imported into the South Wales district. The overseas distribution has been marked out in zones, with the object of economising in transport. Supplies of French and Portuguese wood will be assembled at ports in the Bristol Channel, while Scandinavia will supply the north-east coast district. Consequently no supplies of Scandinavian wood can be expected under this regime in South Wales. Occasionally it happens that vessels can take a part cargo, or a small vessel a cargo, of pitwood for a port to which she is making to ship an outward cargo. This port may be outside the zone allotted for this particular wood, and the licence for same will be refused. This is considered rather an arbitrary regulation when it can be proved that in absence of the pitwood cargo the vessel would have had to make the homeward voyage light. In such cases the fullest particulars should be placed before the Controller of Timber, who, in conjunction with the Shipping Controller and the Controller of Import Restrictions, might grant the licence. The imports for the week ended March 1 were as follow : Cardiff (Barry and Penarth):— Date. Consignee. Loads. Feb. 23 Mathew Thompson.......... 1,900 „ 23 Morgan and Cadogan........ 180 „ 23 Morgan and Cadogan........ 204 „ 23 Morgan and Cadogan......... 102 „ 23 Morgan and Cadogan........ 540 „ 26 Lysberg Limited............ 720 „ 26 Lysberg Limited.......... 1,680 „ 28 Lysberg Limited............ 1,440 „ 28 M. Thompson ............. 1,560 „ 28 Morgan and Cadogan............ 300 „ 28 Lysberg Limited......... 3,360 „ 28 Lysberg Limited......... 2,160 „ 28 Lysberg Limited......... 1,560 Total...15,706 Pitwood for Monmouthshire. The authorities have asked importers that when consign- ments of imported wood are destined for Monmouthshire the vessel should discharge at Newport rather than at Cardiff. The importers have agreed. The measure is a wise one, as the railway distance from Cardiff to Newport is 12 miles, and the ton-mileage saved by discharging at Newport is exceptional in these days of wagon shortage and overburdened railways. In the same way, importers who are supplying the collieries adjacent to Swansea should seek to have the wood discharged at Swansea. Deputation to the Timber Controller. A deputation from the Cardiff and Bristol Channel Pit- wood Importers’ Association waited upon the Timber Con- troller last week in reference to the procedure adopted by the association in issuing allocations for the import of mining timber to importers. In June last the Deputy- Controller of Import Restrictions outlined a scheme, subse- quently adopted by importers, whereby a general licence allowing a stipulated monthly quantity to be imported would be given by the authorities. Of this total, three- eighths was to go to the Cardiff and Bristol Channel Pit- wood Importers’ Committee. It became incumbent upon the association, therefore, to divide this monthly total equitably amongst the importers. This was done on the basis of each firm’s ascertained average pre-war monthly importation. Each importer in the French trade, therefore, had a percentage allotment, which, if exceeded, rendered the payment of Is. per ton on all excess to be placed in the pool. Complaints were lately made to the Controller that imports were held up by the association’s Allocation Com- mittee, but the deputation were enabled to prove that such was not the case, and that no delay occurred in clearing cargoes when they arrived. Home-Grown Timber. The supply of home-grown timber was fair, and small cargoes have been received from Cornwall and Ireland. Labour is more quiescent, but hauliers were still very scarce, and a large amount of timber is awaiting delivery to collieries. Quotations were at the scheduled prices. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR COAL AND COKE. F'or Contracts Advertised in this issue received too late /or inclusion in this column, see Leader and Last White pages. Abstracts of Contracts Open. Belper, March 25. — Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the clerk, Belper. Boroughbridge (Yorkshire), March 13.—Coal for the Great Ouseburn Guardians. Forms from the clerk, Boroughbridge. Bournemouth, March 20.—Coke (six months) for the Council Finance Committee. Forms from the town clerk. Darlington, March 15.—Steam coal and anthracite (six or 12 months) for Waterworks and Sewage Farm. Forms from the surveyor, Town Hall. Dewsbury, March 14.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the clerk, Union Offices. Dorchester, March 12.—Coal and coke for the Dorset County Hospital. Forms from the Hospital, Dorchester. Ecclesall Bierlow, March 16.—Coal and coke for the Guardians. Forms from the Union Offices, The Edge, Sheffield. Falmouth, March 13.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the clerk, Union Offices. Fareham, March 24.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the Offices, 97, West-street, Fareham. Felixstowe, March 14.—Steam coal (12 months) for the Urban District Council. Forms from the surveyor, Town Hall, Felixstowe. Flax Bourton, March 12.—Coal for the Long Ashton Guardians. Forms from the Workhouse, Flax Bourton. Gravesend, March 13.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the clerk, 13, Victoria-place, Gravesend. Great Ouseburn, March 13.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the clerk, Boroughbridge. Hollingbourne (Kent), March 14.—Coal and coke for the Hollingbourne Guardians. Forms from the clerk, 33, Earl-street, Maidstone. Lancaster, March 19.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the Union Office, 5, Dalton-square, Lancaster. Leek, March 13.—Coal and coke for the Guardians. Forms from the Union Offices, 6, Russell-street, Leek. London, E.C., March 20. — Coal and coke for the Holborn Guardians. Forms from the clerk, 53, Clerken- well-road, E.C. Macclesfield, March 18.—Coal for the County Asylum, Parkside, Macclesfield. Forms from the clerk. Merthyr Tydfil, March 12.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the master, Workhouse. Romford, March 13.—Coal and coke for the Guardians. Forms from the master, Workhouse. Staines, March 14.—Coal and coke for the Guardians. Forms from F. Hutchinson, clerk, Ashford, Middlesex. The date given is the latest upon which tenders can be received. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR ENGINEERING, IRON AND STEEL WORK, Ac. Bacup, March 14.—Various.—Pitch, creosote oil, iron castings, etc. (12 months), for the Corporation. . Forms from the borough surveyor, Municipal Offices. Belfast, March 13.—Various.—Lubricating oils, fire- bricks, tubing, galvanised wires, cables, wire, etc., for the Tramways and Electricity Committee. Forms (10s. each section) from the city electrical engineer, East Bridge- street, Belfast. Darlington, March 15. — Various. — Cogs, rails, iron pipes, castings, refined tar, etc. (six months) for the Cor- poration. Forms from the surveyor, Town Hall. Derby, March 11. — Various. — Pitch, tar, etc. (12 months) for the Corporation. Forms from the borough surveyor. Gwaun-cae-Gurwen, March 16. — Heading, etc. — For driving a heading, return airway, etc., at Gwaun-cae- Gurwen Colliery. Particulars from the manager, East Pit. Madrid, March 22.—Railway.—Secondary railway from Villaodrid to Villafranca del Bierzo. Estimated cost, 51,165,079 pesetas. Tenders to Direccion-General de Obras Publicas, Ministerio de Fomento, Madrid. Middleton, March 11.—Various.—Iron castings, pitch, creosote oil, etc. (12 months) for the Corporation. Forms from the borough surveyor, Town Hall, Middleton. Newcastle, March 13.—Materials.—Pitch, tar, and creosote oil for the Town Improvement Committee. Forms from the city engineer, Town Hall. Southall (Middlesex), March 11. — Materials. — Coal tar, oil tar (12 months) for the Urban District Council. Forms from the engineer, Town Hall, Southall. Midland Counties Colliery Under-Managers’ Associa- tion.—Branches of the above association have been success- fully opened in Chesterfield, Alfreton, Sheffield, Ilkeston, and Eastwood. A meeting was held at Mansfield on February 23, when a number of new members were enrolled. It was decided to elect the branch officers at the next meeting, which will be held at Mansfield on March 23, at 5.30 p.m. The president gave an outline of the objects for which the association had been established, emphasising the fact that it is not registered as a trades union, and also that any person holding a first- or second-class certi- ficate of competency under the Coal Mines Act is eligible for membership. If men holding responsible positions as under-managers did not join an association, they were somewhat indifferent to their own personal interests. The meeting discussed the position of under-managers through- out the Midland Counties from the wages standpoint gener- ally, which was considered to be not in accord with the times, the latest mining legislation having made the posi- tion of under-managers much more onerous. It was stated that whereas miners and deputies had received all current advances, under-managers had only received a part of them. This was considered discouraging, and not in keep- ing with the best interests of the coal owners or under- managers, whose primary duties are to manage and super- vise all underground workers efficiently and economically, also guard, protect, and control at the source all that tends to make the concern prosperous. Representations have been made to the Coal Controller and to the Midland Counties Coal Owners’ Association for an increase in wages and other emoluments covering the whole nature of an under-manager’s employment, particularly a scheme for superannuation.