February 7, 1913.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

297

alike to both the officials and the workmen. The bogey of
malingering had not made itself conspicuous, and he had
had the support of the workmen in dealing with the few
cases which had occurred. The new Mines Act had also
caused many changes, for it was now compulsory for every
official to possess a certificate. Over 500 of their officials
and workmen had successfully passed these examinations
during the past four months, and he was pleased to
announce that the owners had decided to refund the exami-
nation fees— a gift which would in the bulk amount to .£120.
Referring to weekly pays he expressed the opinion that
many of the men would now prefer to go back to the old
order of fortnightly pays.

PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

The Coal Mines Act.

Sir Arthur Markham asked the Home Secretary
whether, seeing that the amendment moved on November 24,
1911, by the then Solicitor-General for Scotland on the
Report stage of the Coal Mines Bill, clause 57, relating to
the hours of winding enginemen, was an amendment to an
amendment moved in Grand Committee carried against the
Government by a majority of six, he was aware that the
then Under-Secretary of the Home Department accepted
the decision of the Grand Committee that no winding
enginemen raising or lowering men should work more than
eight hours per day; that the mover of the amendment in
Grand Committee agreed with the said Under-Secretary to
allow his amendment to be struck out on the Report stage,
without discussion, on the undertaking that regulations
would be made for the changing of the shifts at the week-
ends ; and whether, seeing that the Mining Association of
Great Britain had now used the careless drafting of the
Government amendment to force arbitration on the general
principle of an eight hours working day for all winding
enginemen, he would forthwith introduce a Bill to give
effect to the decision of the Grand Committee and to the
definite pledge of the Government ?

Mr. McKenna said: My hon. friend will recollect that the
amendment moved by him and passed in Grand Committee
providing for an eight hours day for winding enginemen
contained a special provision dealing with the changing of
shifts at the week-end. It was recognised, however, by the
Government and by a representative deputation of the
winding enginemen, who saw the Parliamentary Under-
secretary on November 7, 1911, that it would be necessary
to make some further exceptions from the eight hours
principle in order to meet other special cases, such as mines
worked by a single shift and mines where the work of the
winding engineman is considerably heavier during some
shifts than during others. The clause which was incorporated
in the Bill at the Report stage therefore provided that the
necessary exceptions should be dealt with by general regu-
lations. The draft regulations framed by the Home Office
do not permit the normal day of a winding engineman to
average more than eight hours, except in the case of single-
shift mines. The Mining Association, as they are entitled
to do in the case of all general regulations, objected to
the draft regulations and proposed amendments, and the
matter was referred to a referee under Part I. (4) of the
Second Schedule. Pending the publication of the referee's
finding, it would be improper for me to make any further
statement at present.

Mr. W. E. Harvey asked whether any intimation had
been given by the Home Office to colliery proprietors that
unless a pit turned out more than 400 tons it was not
entitled to the benefits of the Act; but Mr. McKenna said
he must have notice of the question.

February 4.
Mineral Rights Duty.

Sir John Jardine asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer
whether, under sections 20 and 24 of the Finance (1909-10)
Act 1910, proprietors of minerals and mineral rights in
England paid Mineral Rights Duty for the three years
1909-10, 1910-11 and 1911-12 on the net amount only after
deduction made for county and parish rates payable in
England not by the proprietor, but by the tenant; whether,
during those three years, proprietors in Scotland had to pay
the Mineral Rights Duty on the gross amount without
deduction for public burdens which, in England, are by law
a charge on the tenants, and in Scotland are charged on the
landlords; whether during these three years the proprietors
in Scotland have in consequence been taxed relatively higher
than proprietors in England; and whether he would take
the requisite measures, now that this inequality of taxation
for Mineral Rights Duty had been rectified for future years
in favour of Scottish proprietors by the Finance Act of 1912
(section 11), so that he might order a refund for the three
years, 1909-10,1910-11 and 1911-12, of what might be just
and reasonable in respect of the inequality of the levy, and
so follow the precedent set forth in the Taxes Act
(chapter 80) of 1856, passed for granting relief in assessing
the income-tax on lands in Scotland in respect of certain
public burdens charged thereon, which Act provides for
both abatement from the assessment and repayment of
income-tax by the Commissioners of the Inland Revenue
under regulations made by them in that behalf.	‘

Mr. Lloyd George said the answers to the first three
parts of the question were in the affirmative; with regard
to the last part, his hon. friend was under a misapprehension
in suggesting that section 1 of the Taxes Act, 1856, was
retrospective in its effect, the provision for repayment in
that section being merely an alternative method of granting
relief in future cases where circumstances render that course
necessary. Section 11 of the Finance Act, 1912, followed
the precedent of section 1 of the Taxes Act, 1856, and he
did not propose to take any steps to render either section
retrospective.

THE FREIGHT MARKET.

The north-east coast outward freight market is a shade
more active this week, although strong south-westerly
winds have tended to delay tonnage and throw turns out of
order. Coasting business is being done at from 3s 61. to
3s. 9d., Tyne to London. The Mediterranean is represented
by from 10s. 9d. to Ils. to Genoa, and the Bay by 5s. 9d. to
Bordeaux. Other directions are featureless. It is stated
that tonnage has been taken up on time charter in connec-
tion with recently placed coal contracts for the Russian
Government at 6s. to Cronstadt over the season. From
25,000 to 30,000 tons of shipping are stated to have been
booked, in the same connection, at 7s. 3d. Tyne to Reval,
over the same period. At South Wales the market has been
moderately active, but is now very slow, owners holding out
for higher rates. The Mediterranean is very firmly held,
and other directions are steady. At the Clyde, a fair
business at about late rates is reported. The Humber is
dull, with rates unaltered. Homewards, the River Plate is
steady, but local holidays are interfering with business.
The rice ports are more active. The East Indies generally
are very slow. The Black Sea is lethargic, and the Danube
practically idle. Mediterranean and ore trades are steady.
The Baltic is quiet. America is inactive.

Tyne to Antwerp, 2,800, 4s. 6d.; Arendal, 950, 6s.; Ahus,
1,300, 6s. 6d. ; Algiers, 1,100, 9s. 3d. ; Barcelona, 2,000,
10s. 9d ; Bari, 2,700, Ils. 9d. coal, 13s. 9d. coke; B rdeaux,
2,900, 5s. 9d.; Civita Vecchia, 3,000, Ils. 6d. ; Calais, 3,000,
4s. 6d. ; Devonport (Tamar Canal), 800, 6s. 9d,; Devonport,
6s. 3d.; Genoa, 3,000, 10s. 9d ; 3,600, 10s. 9d.; 6,300, Us. ;
Kiel, 2,100, 6s. ; London, 1,500, 3s. 9|d. ; 1,900, 3s. 9d. ;
London, 2,800, 3s. 6d.; 2,000, 3s. 6d.; 1,500, 3s. 61. ; La
Rochelle, 2,800, 6s. 3d. ; Leghorn, 2,700, 10s. 9d.; Malaga,
2,000, 9s. 9d.; Marseilles, 1 500, 9s. 9d.; Oran, 2,700,9s. 41d.;
2,400, 9s. 3d.; Palermo, 2,100, Ils., 300 ; Reval, 2,000, 7s. 3d.;
St. Nazaire, 1,600, 6s. ; 2,500. 6s. 6d.

Cardiff to Ancona, 6,200, 13s. 6d., February ; 5,700,13s. 9d.,
ppt.; Aden, 13s., free brokerage, February; 5,000, 13s.,
February ; Alexandria, 5,000, Ils. 9d. ; Algiers, 3,500,
11| fr.; 2,900, 11£ fr , February 10; 1,800, 11| fr.; Barce-
lona, 1,300, Ils. 6d., ppt.; Brest, 1,300, 5s. 3d., ppt.; Cape
Verds, 2,500, 10s. ; Chatham, 2,000, 3s. 6d., Admiralty;
Campana, 17s, February; Caen, 750, 5s. 6d.; Chatham,
2,000, 3s. 6d.; Calais, 2,000, 5s. 6d.; 1,750, 5s. 6d , February 10;
Djibouti, 1,500, February; Ferrol, 1,100, 7s. 6d., ppt.;
Genoa, 5,800, 12s. 3d. ; Havre, 1,200, 5s. 6d., ppt.; 2.000,
5s. lid.; Islands, 4,300, 9s. 61., February 10; Lisbon, 2,000,
7s. 9d., 350, ppt.; 2.700, 7s. 6d., 500, February 10; Monte
Video, 5,000 16s.; Mostagenum. 1,400, 13| fr., ppt.; Malta,
2,600, 10s. 3d., February 10; 2,800, 9s., ppt., Admiralty;
Marseilles, 1,800, 13 fr., spot; 2,100, 13 fr., ppt.; 2,100,
12 and 14 fr.; 1,600, 13 fr., February 10; Piraeus, 3,600, 13s ,
ppt.; 4,100 12s. 3d.; Para, 4,500, 16s.; Porto Empedocle,
2.700, 13s., 250; River Plate, 5,000, 16s. 9d., ppt.; 4,500,17s.,
February 10; 8,000, 16s. 6d.; 5,000, 16s. 6d., February 11;
5,000, 16s. 6d., ppt.; 5,000, 16s. 3d., February; Rochefort,
2,200,7 fr., ppt.; Rosario, 17s. 6d.; Sierra Leone, 13s., fuel,
February, Admiralty; St. Malo, 1,500, 5s. 9d.; Spezzia,
5,800, Ils. 3d., 600, February 17; Santa Fe, 4,400, 18s.,
mid-February; Villa Con«titucion, 17s, February; Venice,

o.c., less 6d., February-March ; 4,800, 10 per cent., 25s. o.c.,
less 6d., with options, March; Bahia Blanca, 8,000, 10 per
cent., United Kingdom-Continent, 25s. 6d. p.p., no reduction
direct, March 20-April 20; 25s. o.c.; Baltimore, 3s. 3d,
Hamburg; 18.000 qrs., 10 per cent., Rotterdam, 3s. l|d.,
ppt.; 24,000qrs., 10 per cent., 3s. l|d., February 1-15;
Benisaf, 3,900, Middlesbrough, 8s, ft., February; Barreiro,
2,400, Rotterdam, 7?., February ; Bilbao, 3,100, Middles-
brough, 5s. 9d., ppt.; 2 200, Cardiff, 5s., ppt.; Greece, 4,400,
Rotterdam, 7s. l|d.. two ports loading, ppt.; Castro Alen,
2,453, Rotterdam, 6s. 3d., ppt ; nitrate ports, 37s. 6d. United
Kingdom-Continent, 38s 61. United States; Moulmein and
Rangoon, about 33s., United Kingdom-Continent; time
charter New York to Newport, Mon., 9s ; time charter,
Northern States to United Kingdom-Continent, about 9s. j
Odessa, 6 200, Rotterdam, Ils. on d.w., grain and/or wood,
ppt.; 4,000, Hamburg, 10s. for 2,000 tons, 3d. leas barley,
ppt. ; Novorossisk or Theodosia, 4,700, Rotterdam 11s.,
Weser Ils. 3d., Hamburg Ils. 6d , with 3d. less barley, ppt ;
Novoros«isk and Theodosia, 3,600, Rotterdam, Ils., with 3d.
less barley, ppt.; Vladivostock, 5,000, United Kingdom-
Continent, Copenhagen or Stettin, 35s., April; Algiers,
4,000, Rotterdsm, 5*. 6d, 1,000-1,000, ppt.; 3,600, Middles-
brough, 6s. 3d., ppt.; Rangoon, 18s., Australia; 2,466 net,
Antwerp, Hamburg or Liverpool, 30s. 3d. one port, 31s. two
port, clean rice, spot; Buenos Ayres, 5,000, 10 per cent.,
U.K.-Cont., 25s. o.c, less 6d., with Scandinavian options
2s. 6d. extra, February; 3,000,10 per cent., Oporto, 27s., ppt.;
5,000, 10 per cent., Lisbon, 25s. 6d., February; La Goulette,
3,000, West Hartlepool, Middlesbrough or Jarrow, 7s., f.t.,
ppt.; 2,300, Tyne, Middlesbrough or Jarrow, 9s., f.t.,
February; 2,900, Glasgow, 7s. 4fcd., ppt.; Limiona, 4,300,
Barrow, 8s. 3d., ppt.; Garrucha, 4,000, Philadelphia or
Baltimore, 8s. 9d., f.t., ppt.; La Calera, 4,000, Rotterdam,
8s., 800-800, February; New Caledonia, sail. 35s., Hamburg
or Rotterdam ; nitrate ports, sail, 28s. 9d , United Kingdom-
Continent, new season; 29s., July-August; Albany, sail,
35s., United Kingdom-Continent, option Fremantle loading
35s 6d., option both loading 36s.; Gulf, basis 20s. 6d.,
Denmark, February; time charter, Eastern trade, 6s. 6d.,
one round trip, delivery and re-deliverv United Kingdom-
Continent, ; time charter, States and West Indies, 5s. 6d.,
six months, delivery and re-delivery North of Hatteras;
5s. 10|d., six months, continuation ; Sulina, 4 600, Naples
and/or Salerno, 15s one port, 15| fr. two ports, ppt.;
5,600, Antwerp IO*. 3d., Hamburg 10s. 6d., with 3d. less
barley, option Sulina and Kustendje 3d. more, ppt.; Port
Pirie, 9,500, 10 per cent, Antwerp, 37s. 6d., ore, February;
Saigon, 24s., Reunion, March; Kurrachee and Bombay, 3,534
net, Hull, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Bremen or Hamburg, 25s. two
ports to one port, 25s 6d. two ports to two, option Dunkirk
9d. extra, on d.w., February; Philadelphia, 3,050 net, Japan,
Korea, one or two ports, 31 c., February ; New Orleans,
2,828 net, Hamburg, 18s., net form. February ; Seville,
3.000, Rotterdam, 7s. 6d., ppt.; 2.500, 7s. 7|d , 800-800, ppt.;
Bridge water, sail, 13| dols., Monte Video, Buenos Ayres
or La Plata; Melbourne, sail, time charter, Brazil and
River Plate trade, 6,000, 5< 7|d., one round trip, delivery
Bordeaux, re-delivery U.K.-Cont. ; Akyab. 5,000, Trieste,
about 30s. 9d., early March ; Bombay, 6,800, Middlesbrough,
Hull, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Bremen or Hamburg,
25s. one port, 25s. 6d. two ports, on d.w., February ; 4,779
net, United Kingdom-Continent, two ports, 24?., on d.w.,
March-April ; Mobile or Gulf port, 5,300, Hamburg, 55s.,
j Form O, February ; Villaricos, 3,400, West Hartlepool,
7s. 9d., f.d., 800-800, ppt.; Huelva, 2 000, Bremen, 6s. 10jd.,
Tinto terms, February ; Lisbon, 1,750, Middlesbrough, 6s.
ore, ppt. ; Santander, 2 600, Rotterdam, 6s , ppt. ; guano
deposits, sail, 2,200, United Kingdom-Continent, basis
33s. 9d., Gray's Harbour, Columbia River or Puget Sound,
sail, 65s., Valparaiso ; Melbourne, 38s., United Kingdom-
! Continent ; N-w Orleans, 18s., Hamburg ; time charter,
Newcastle, N.S.W., to West Coast South America, 5s. 6d.,
one trip, 30 days, coal and hire.

6,200, 13s. 6d., February; 5,700, 13-. 9d., ppt ; Valencia,
1,000, 10s. 6d., ppt.

Birkenhead to Colombo, 5,500-6,000, 13s., February
reported; Trieste, Ils. 6d.

Wales to West Coast South America and home to United
Kingdom-Continent, sail, 49s. 6d., February-March,
outwards, reported ; 49s.

Swansea to Chantenay, 2,500, 7| fr.; 1,400, 5s. 9d., ppt.;
Dublin, 300, 5s.; Havre, 780, 5s. 9d.; Rouen, 809, 6s 6d.; I
Bordeaux, 1,500, 8|fr.; Sables, 1,800, 8fr.; C
6s. 3d.; 1,180, 6s. 4|d.; Charente, 2,100, 8s.; Brest, 800,6s.;
Trouville, 1,150, 6s. 6d.

Norway to Melbourne, sail, 72s. 6d., February-March.

Hull to Buenos Ayres, 17s.: Cronstadt, 2,600, 6s. 3d.,
f.o.w.; Alexandria, 6,500, 10s. 7|d.; Pernau, 6s. 3d.; Genoa,
2,800,10s. 9d., ppt.	I

Clyde, Tyne and Mersey to three ports South Africa, 25s. I
Seaham Harbour to Civita Vecchia, 2,000, Ils. 9d
Leghorn, 1,800, 11s. 91.

Hartlepool to St. Nazaire, 3,100, 5s. 7£d.

Forth to Dieppe, 650, 5s. 10|d.	,

Rotterdam to Malta, 4.200, 9s. 6d , ppt.; Boulogne, 1,500,
5s. 4|d., February 10; Nantes, 2,100, 5s. 10|d., February
12-14; Piombino, 3,200, Ils. 9d., ppt.; Dieppe, 1,800, 5s. 4|d.,
February ; Bagnoli, 4,600, ppt.; Porto Ferrajo, 4,600, ppt.;
Wallaroo, 1,973 n.r., 23s. 6d., cokes, spot; Barcelona, 3,700,
Ils. 6d., ppt.; Constanza, 3,800, 12s. 9d.

Fife port to Genoa, 3,500, Ils. 3d.; Savona, 3,500, Ils. 3d.
Leghorn, 3,500, Ils. 3d.

Newport to Calais, 2,000, 5s. 6d., ppt.

Ardrossan to Brindisi, 2,500, 12s. 9d., 500, 10d., pitch.

Glasgow to Buenos Ayres, 17s. 3d., mid-February.

Nantes to Buenos Ayres, sail, 26s.; 25s.

Port Talbot to Algiers, 3,500, ll|fr., February 12.

Blyth to Devonport, 700, 6s.

Emden to Madeira, 2,000, 9s. 9d.

Homeward charters:—Poti, 4,600, Middlesbrough,
February ; 4,500, 14?. 61 , ppt.; Novorossisk, 300, Denmark,
16s. 6d., three ports, oilcake, mid-February ; Burmah, 10,000,
Holland, 30s., February ; 4,000, Fiume, 30s., option Trieste
31s., February; 2,466 net, United Kingdom-Continent,
30s. 6d,, spot; 2,702 net, United Kingdom-Continent, 32s. 6d.
o.c., 32s. Holland, February ; 2,790 net, ditto, ditto ; 7,000,
max., ditto, ditto, February 25-March 5; Calcutta, 7.000,
United States, 7 dols., February-March; New York,
25,000 qrs., 10 per cent., Hamburg, 3s. 3d., ppt.; 2,764 net,
Persian Gulf, 32 c., five ports, spot; San Lorenzo, 5,100,
10 per cent., United Kingdom-Continent, 26s., less 6d.,
option Santa Fe Is. more, February; 4,500, 10 per cent.,
25s. 6d. o.c., less 6d., February 25-March 25; 4,400, 24s. 3d.

Manchester Coal Exchange. — The thirty-first annual
meeting of the above Exchange took place last week.
Owing to the death of the late president (Mr. Thomas
Thrutchley), and the absence through illness of Mr. James
Roscoe (president-elect), the chair was taken by Mr. John
Parry, Hyde, and there was a good attendance of members.
In the annual report, the committee stated that they had
Caen, 1,200, lost the services of two valued members during the year by
the death of Mr. Peter Wood (president, 1911) and Mr.
William Atherton (vice-president, 1911), and had appointed
Mr. F. L. Hustler, of Batley, to the seat vacated by Mr.
Wood. Mr. Roscoe had been nominated to the office
| of president without opposition. No voting papers were
required on this occasion, the four members nominated
i for election at the annual meeting being Messrs. Louis
; G. Holt (Wilmslow), E. B. Taylor (Beblington), and
William N. Toft (Derby). The report of the auditor, Mr.
William Eaves (incorporated accountant), was duly read.
The chairman moved the adoption of the report, which was
seconded by Mr. J. Tomblinson, J.P., who said they had
every reason to be satisfied with the work of the past year.
The chairman said it had been unanimously decided that
I Mr. James Roscoe should be the president for the ensuing
! year. He consented, but he (Mr. Parry) was sorry to say
’ that he was unable to attend that meeting through illness.
(The secretary (Mr. T. W. Sowerbutts) said he had to
announce that Mr. Parry had unanimously been elected vice-

■ president for the present year. Mr. Ralph Peters was elected
treasurer. The proceedings closed with the customary vote of
thanks to the chairman. The committee, it was stated,
had decided to establish an employment agency in connec-
tion with the Exchange, and have therefore provided a
board in the members’ room, where notices may be placed
with reference to situations wanted and vacant. Mr. James
Roscoe, the new president of the Manchester Coal Exchange,
is a member of the family of Lancashire colliery proprietors
of Little Hulton, and is a justice of the peace for the county
of Lancaster. He has been a member of the managing
committee of the Coal Exchange since its inception, and
was president 21 years ago.

14s.,