452

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

February 28, 1913.

years. He did not object to a round table conference,
at which shippers, exporters, and dock representatives
might meet together; and, although not prepared to
pay more for the accommodation now furnished, if the
dock companies said that increased facilities could not
be given without increased payments, he was prepared
to meet them in a measure. Exports would increase by
millions of tons during the next few years, and if the
dock companies themselves did not provide increased
facilities, they should not stand in the way of traders
going to Parliament and getting powers themselves.

The President of the Chamber of Commerce (Mr.
North Lewis), who followed, recognised that managers
of local docks were doing all that was possible with
present facilities; but said these facilities were not what
they should be. Improvements were in hand, but these
would meet only the needs of to-day, whereas they
must look years ahead.

These speeches have all the more importance
because there exists at Cardiff a magnificent site for a
new dock. It is within the estuary, completely sheltered
from tide and wind influences. A few years ago, the
Taff Vale Railway Company promoted aBill which would
have empowered them to construct the Windsor Dock
on this site, but they were defeated by the combined
opposition of the other companies. At the present
time, the great increase of actual business, and especially
the enormous colliery developments in sight, would
make a very much stronger case before the Parlia-
mentary Committee.

Special circumstances of the moment have concen-
trated attention upon the lack of facilities. Delays
occasioned by the extraordinary fogs have been followed
by large arrivals of shipping. The sidings have been
blocked with coal traffic ; the tips cannot clear it quickly
enough; vessels cannot get tips; and, as was shown last
week, collieries with many thousands of men were
rendered idle. Since the steamers came into port, it is
only the lack of dock facilities that have hindered
clearance. Three days to get coal to port, and a couple
of days to get trucks back, is complained of in one
place, and the demurrage claims in respect of shipping
have become serious.

Revival is made of the project to amalgamate local
dock and railway interests, so that, by having all under
one control, greater despatch would be ensured. At
present, combination only of the undertakings centring
at Cardiff is suggested—that is, the Cardiff Company’s
railway and docks, the Taff Vale Company’s rail way and
their Penarth Docks, and the Rhymney Railway. But
such a project, if actually embarked upon, would
challenge Barry Company’s antagonism, for it would
create a much more effective—even a formidable—rival
to Barry railway and docks, all the greater when, as
would necessarily be the case, extension of dock facilities
at Cardiff were designed by the combined interests.
Should Barry be included in the combine, then the
traders would face complete monopoly instead of having
the existing advantages of competition. The subject is
one bristling with difficulties. But outstanding fact,
the insistent demand that must be met, is the need of the
trade for better facilities—a need which grows greater
every day.

The position at Port Talbot furnishes striking
comment upon the demands of Cardiff business men in
respect of dock accommodation and trade requirements.
At the meeting of Port Talbot Railways and Docks
shareholders, Col. Wright (chairman) stated that the
dividend had been increased from 6 to 8 per cent, and
he forecasted a dividend of 9 per cent, for this current
year, and its maintenance in the future. Despite the
coal strike, their total trade showed an increase of
126,000 tons, and there was continuing growth of traffic.
The contract for extension of the new dock was practi-
cally completed. They were putting up coal-shipping
plant of a type different from that which was common
to South Wales coal ports, it being for shipment of coal
at a high rate of speed by conveyor belts. The directors
had made a study of this method elsewhere in actual
working conditions, and had every confidence that the
plant would work successfully. The meeting approved
promotion of a Bill to raise half a million additional
capital.

Under the working of the Great Western Company’s
new loop line in that district, Port Talbot will get special
advantage, for there is an agreement that the same rates
shall be charged to Port Talbot as to Swansea, in respect
of coal from the Neath and Dulais valleys. At present1
the rates to Port Talbot are higher, though the tipping
charges are lower.	1

The president of the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce,
with several leading shippers of coal, met the manager
of the Cardiff docks and the shipping superintendent on
Monday in conference. The matter for discussion was
the facilities for shipping coal and particularly the
requirements of the Chamber of Commerce, for altera-
tion in the present method of allocating tips It has
been desired by the Chamber that vessels should be given
berths in order of arrival in port, so that the “nursing”
of tips should be prevented. Several members of the
deputation spoke, each of them urging the need for a
speedy change, particularly at the present time, owing to
the heavy arrivals of tonnage, and the serious delays
which are occasioning heavy loss, both to traders and
shipowners. The conference lasted between two and
three hours, and Col. Dennis (manager of the docks)
promised to give careful consideration to the suggestions
which had been put forward.

The rating of collieries has been referred to at more
than one of the local-authority meetings in South Wales.
In Pontypridd last week, the question was asked—what
is being done in the matter ? One member of the
Board of Guardians said he could see no reason why
the Assessment Committee should not deal with the
rating during periods of stoppages. It was stated that
the Board were waiting for a conference of authorities
which is to be convened in reference to the whole
question.

/ A feature of the returns in two of the parishes in
the older area of the coalfield is the decline of out-
put registered during 1912—partly due, of course, to the
strikes. The parish of Merthyr had an output of
1,554,964 tons of large, which is a decrease of 140,917
tons, and of small, the output was 450,832, a decrease of
59,066. Worked in other parishes but brought to bank
in Merthyr were 109,736 tons of large and 26,766 of
small, here again being decreases of 11,579 and of 1,66.3
respectively. The parish of Aberdare had a total out-
put of 1,561,903 large (decrease 102,009), and of
728,517 small (decrease 64,851).

The Swansea Corporation are going to develop their
mineral estate. They hold a property called the Town
Hill, and are utilising the surface for building, but it
has been decided that, inasmuch as there is every
probability of several seams underlying the land, suit-
able measures should be taken for working them.

Mr. Leonard Llewellyn, general manager of the
Cambrian combine, has been elected president of the
Cardiff District Board of the Monmouthshire and South
Wales Coalowners’ Association, and Mr. Robert Gibb,
Glenavon Collieries, will be vice-president.

It is not generally known that the Crown, in right
of the Duchy of Lancaster, holds considerable mineral
property in Glamorgan, through the lordship of Ogmore,
&c. Last week Mr. Hobhouse, M.P., Chancellor of the
Duchy, visited the lordship, and descended the Ocean
pit, Blaengarw, accompanied by Mr. T. Lewis, the
manager.

The Llewellyn-Merthyr Colliery Company (Mr. G.L1.
Thomas and Mr. D. Rees Llewellyn) have succeeded in
reaching the “ seven feet ” seam, striking it last week
after over a year’s work. It proves to be 4ft. 6in. and of
fine quality, with good roof. About 300 tons per day is
the estimate of future output.

The Rhondda miners, to the number of forty
thousand, have decided that, on April 1, they will hand
in notices. These are directed against non-unionists.
Pontypridd district is asked to act similarly.

To-morrow, March 1, four thousand men in the
Western District—steam coal, &c.—will give notice on
account of non-unionists, nearly twenty collieries being
affected.

An endeavour is being made to unite in one
organisation the whole of the workmen engaged in the
mechanical departments of collieries throughout the
United Kingdom, and the executive council of the
South Wales Colliery Enginemen and Craftsmen’s
Association have decided to send delegates to a con-
ference in Leeds, where this proposed union is to be
discussed.

A striking feature of recent news has been the
declaration of very good dividends by some of the local
undertakings—this fact giving, of course, additional
impetus to the colliers’ demand that profits should be
taken into account by the Conciliation Board when the

wage rate is fixed. The Cambrian collieries pay 20 per
cent., as well as set aside large sums for deprecia-
tion, &c.; and the Glamorgan Company (a subsidiary
undertaking) also pays 20 per cent. These results are
all the more remarkable when former circumstances are
taken into consideration; for even the preference shares
of the latter company were, eight years ago, more than
14 years in arrears with the dividend; and its £10
ordinary shares were at a nominal value. The Cambrian
shares stand to-day at six times the market price they
had a few years since.

Another very gratifying distribution is that of the
Powell Duffryn Company, whose* dividend is again 20
per cent., with £25,000 put to reserve, and allowances
for depreciation, &c.

Addressing the Rhondda miners, Mr. Watts
Morgan (their agent) said the Federation executive
felt that the time had arrived for establishing a joint
audit of the coalowners’ books. Their suggestion was
that each side should have its own auditor, and that a
small committee be appointed to try and agree upon
terms of reference. The men’s side aimed at including
in the audit the volume of trade, output, coal sold,
prices and profits; but the owners strenuously resisted
inclusion of profits. In his own opinion some broad
terms of reference ought to be agreed upon, so that the
men’s representatives would be placed in an equally
favourable position with those of the employers.

In the course of a letter to the local Press, Mr.
George Barker, one of the miners’ leaders, complained
of the present methods of procedure under the Con-
ciliation Board. He held that the men should have the
advantage of an audit of the colliery proprietors’ books,
so that they might base their demands upon ascertained
figures, and also regarded it as wrong that no facts
as to profits or cost of production can be obtained and
utilised by the men.

He has been answered by the statement that, ever
since the Conciliation Board system came into operation,
it has been open to the men to join in the audit as to
prices—just as they joined for the twenty-eight years
from 1875 to 1902, but that they refused to join because
the coalowners would not widen the basis so as to
include profits.

Returning to the attack, Mr. Barker criticises
adversely the general procedure of the Conciliation
Board, and argues that profits ought to form a factor.
His letters are indicative of a widely prevalent feeling,
which has been stimulated lately by the publication of
good results in the accounts of several limited liability
companies.

As showing the permanent evil effect of coal trade
stoppages—to which South Wales is more subject than
other areas, with more injury because so large a part of
the product is exported—we may note that the Egyptian
State Railways Administration, who have been large
buyers in this market for many years, declared that
they placed their latest order of 100,000 tons with
America because “ delivery was considered more
certain.”

Councillor W. B. Jones, who has been general
manager of the Windsor Colliery, Abertridwr, has been
made a handsome, presentation upon leaving the district
for the Sirhowy Valley, in which rapidly-developing
colliery area he takes up a new post.

The tinplate manufacturers have carefully con-
sidered the proposal to restrict output, and on Tuesday
a meeting was held at which the suggestions of the
committee were considered. Afterwards a vote was
taken and it was shown that representatives of 393 mills
were in favour, whilst 100 mills were against, and from
35 no replies had been received. In view of this vote
it was considered best to allow the matter to drop,
there not being a sufficiency of votes in favour.

A joint sub-commitbee of the statutory District
Board has dealt with questions arising out of Lord St.
Aldwyn’s award; and, amongst other issues, has deter-
mined that relating to the number of shifts which night
men have to work before they are qualified for the
minimum wage. At collieries where men have the
option of working five shifts per week, a man must
work 25 shifts in six weeks before he is entitled to the
minimum wage.

On Tuesday week, March 11, Mr. Commissioner
Lush will resume his enquiry at Swansea into the ques-
tion of pitch cancer arising from the patent fuel