554 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. March 14, 1913. and his predecessors,JJwhen they allowed the plaintiff to •enclose waste land, did so upon the terms that the title to the manor and minerals were to remain with the lord of the manor. Therefore the plaintiffs case failed, and the action must be dismissed with costs, without prejudice to any question of boundaries in the roads. SCOTTISH JUSTICIARY APPEAL COURT, March 7. Before the Lord Justice-Clerk and Lords Dewar and Hunter. Eight Hours Act: Emergencies.—A case was stated by Sheriff-Substitute Mitchell, Stirling, in a prosecution by J. R. Archibald, Procurator-Fiscal, against Wallace Thorney- croft, managing director, and Peter Inglis, manager of East Plean Colliery Company, St. Ninians, Stirlingshire, charging them with having, contrary to the Coal Mines Regulation Act, 1908 (the Eight Hours Act), connived at certain pit road repairers, in the employment of the company, being below ground for the purpose of their work for more than •eight hours out of 24, commencing at 10 p.m. on Sunday, May 5, and ending at 10 p.m. on Monday May 6, 1912. It was stated that the practice at the pit was for a repairing squad to be below ground for the purpose of their work from 10 p.m. on Sunday night to € a.m. on Monday morning, and for the same squad of repairers to be below ground for their work again between 3 and 11 p.m. on Monday at their usual weekday shift. It was in accordance with this practice that the repairers mentioned in the complaint were below ground as libelled* The duty of the repairing squad was to remove falls from and prop up roofs, and make the workings safe for the colliers when they came to work. There were, as a rule, more falls from the roof on Sundays than on any other day. The appellants maintained that the men libelled in the complaint were below ground during the time libelled “for meeting danger or apprehended danger ” within the meaning of section 1 (2) of the Coal Mines Regulation Act. The Sheriff-Substitute held that while the Rule 1 (1) of the Act applied in the matter of this complaint the accused, had not brought themselves within the exceptions in section 1 (2), and found the accused guilty, imposing small penalties* The Sheriff-Substitute found in fact that the accuseds’ apprehension of danger was not based on any conditions existing in the pit on May 5 beyond the conditions on other Sundays; and that the register which section 2 (1) of the Act libelled required to be kept contained no entry as to the cause why the men were below ground for more than the statutory time, Inglis thinking that that was required only where miners were kept at work for more than eight hours at a stretch. The Court affirmed the decision of the Sheriff-Substitute, and found the appellants liable in £7 7s. expenses. The Lord Justice-Clerk said the statute was intended to prevent miners from being at work more than eight hours in the 24, unless under exceptional and abnormal circum- stances. The case made for the appellants was that every Sunday in that pit abnormal circumstances were to be -expected; but what were said to be abnormal circumstances in that pit were the regular occurrences which happened every Sunday. If Sunday’s interval when the mine was idle required more repairs than on other days, that meant that the pit required more attention on the Monday morning than at any other time. In order to bring a case under the exception there must be something abnormal or serious as distinguished from the ordinary working of the pit in the way of clearing off material that had fallen from the roof. It might be that in carrying out the Act a little extra expense might be put •upon the mineowner. That might be his misfortune, but the Act of Parliament required that there should be pro- vision made for the ordinary repairing of the pit, and prevented the employment of men for 16 hours out of the .24. If amendment of the law with respect to the Sunday interval were desired, that could be done only by Parlia- ment. The Sheriff-Substitute had made very careful ffindings indeed, and on the findings in fact he was justified in coming to the conclusion he did. Lord Dewar and Lord Hunter concurred. WE IRISH ML TRADE. Thursday, March 13. Dublin. Business continues to be quite brisk in all branches of the coal trade, the wintry weather of last week having given a stimulus to the demand for household qualities, and the approach of the Easter holidays giving a busier tone in other directions. There is much difficulty experienced in procuring supplies owing to the condition of affairs at Garston, and endeavours are being made at other ports of shipment to prevent steamers from being loaded out of sympathy with the men on strike. There is no change in prices, which are as follow :—Best Orrell, 27s. per ton; best Arley, 26s.; best Whitehaven, 25s.; best Wigan, 25s.; best kitchen, 23s.; best Orrell slack, 21s.; house coal, retail, from Is. 5d. to Is. 7d. per sack; coke, 23s. per ton; steam coals from about 22s. per ton upwards; Irish coals, at Wolf hill, Queen’s County, from 6s. 8d. to 21s. 6 d. per ton at the pit mouth. The coaling vessels arriving in this port during the past week amounted to 42 as compared with 73 the week previously, chiefly from Ayr, Newport, Liverpool, Partington, Manchester, Point of Aire, Swansea, Preston, Whitehaven, Workington, Troon, Irvine, Girvan, Saunders- foot, Mary port, Runcorn, Campbeltown, Glasgow and West Bank. The quantity of coal discharged upon the quays was nearly 22,000 tons. Belfast. The local trade is very active in all departments, and prices of the better qualities have been advanced Is. per ton this week. Labour troubles at the other side are responsible for a scarcity of some classes of English coal, and the supply in the port at the moment is only moderate. Quotations in the city are as follow :—Grant’s Hall Arley coal, 27s. 6d. per ton; Hartley, 26s. 6d.; Wigan, 25s. 6d.; Orrell nuts, 26s. 6d.; Scotch house, 23s. 6d.; Orrell slack, 23s. 6d. From February 16 to March 1 the total number of coaling vessels entering the harbour was 131. Cargoes arriving during the week were chiefly from Girvan, Ayr, Ardrossan, Glasgow, Sharpness, Irvine, Preston, Liverpool, Ellesmere Port, Maryport, Burryport Swansea, Manchester, Fleetwood, Troon, Cardiff, Neath Abbey, Partington, and Whitehaven. THE LOHDOR COAL TRADE. Thursday, March 13. The London coal trade for the past week has been exceedingly disappointing. Very few orders have been given for house coal, and were it not for the accumulation of the orders on hand unexecuted at the colliery end, the stock would have increased to an alarming extent. As it is, the merchants have endeavoured to clear all the wagons standing loaded at the various depots, so as to get them loaded before the stoppage for the Easter holidays, and it has in consequence formed an accumulation at all the London centres which are disposed of with [considerable difficulty, and often at reduced prices. Bakers’ nuts and kitchen cobbles have found a ready market, and the volume of trade continues good, but all other qualities of house coal have been unusually slow. Manufacturing qualities, however, continue in good demand, and small nuts and slacks are still selling freely, notwithstanding the enhanced prices. It is, however, reported that some of the factories along the River Thames have removed their chain grate stokers, and reverted once more to the use of large Welsh steam coal, as they find the cost of using small coal and slack is at the present rates too costly. The augmented passenger and goods traffic immediately prior to the Eister holidays is already making itself felt in the delay to coal wagons to the London stations, and consequently, merchants and factors are very loth to order fresh consignments, as they fear the coal will not be delivered until after Eister, and on April 1 next the summer prices begin on all “ fixed ” summer and winter contracts. Tfie attendance on mark* t recently has been very thin, owing, doubtless, to the limitation of the purchasing power of so many of the merchants. Contract orders, however, have been freely given, in order to get the contract quantity well forward before the month closed. Very little change is expected to take place in the ordinary current prices during April, unless, of course, the weather should turn unusually mild, as this month generally proves a fairly strong month for demand. The seaborne market is still largely nominal, as so very little is coming forward “ on offer,” but all the vessels are either contract, or sold. On Monday’s market, 37 vessels were entered as arriving in the Thames, and on Wednesday, seven. The iron market is somewhat weaker, and consequently “ cokes ” are offering at slightly lower prices. Hard steam coals are firm. The near approach of the commencement of the shipping season, makes all colliery representatives firm in their forward quotations. It is reported that the London gas works are enquiring for 3,000,000 tons of gas coal to be shipped to the Thames over the next 12 months, commencing apparently from June next. The bulk of this is for shipment from the Tyne, but a portion of it has been secured already for Yorkshire and Derbyshire qualities. Another huge enquiry is also on the market for the Russian State Railways ; for 80,000 tons of hard steam coal, for immediate delivery. Market quotations (pit mouth) : Note.—Although every care is exercised to secure accuracy, we cannot hold ourselves responsible for these prices, which are, further, subject to fluctuations. Current Last week’s Yorkshire. prices. prices. Wath Main best coal 13/ 13/ Do. nuts 12/ 12/ Birley cube Silkstone / .11/6 11/6 Do. branch coal 15/ 15/ Do. seconds 11/ 11/ Barnsley Bed Silkstone 12/6 12/6 West Riding Silkstone I 12/ 12/ Kiveton Park Hazal r I. 13/ 13/ Do. cobbles 13/ 13/ Do. nuts 12/ 12/ Do. hard steam 11/ 1, 11/ New Sharlston Wallsend 14/ 14/ Wharncliffe Silkstone coal 14/ 14/ Do. Flockton Main 13/6 13/6 Do. Athersley house coal 11/6 11/6 Newton Chambers best Silkstone 15/ 15/ Do. Grange best Silkstone 14/ 14/ Do. Hesley Silkstone 13/ 13/ Do. Rockingham selected 13/6 13/6 Do. Rockingham Silkstone 13/ 13/ Derbyshire. Wingfield Manor best 12/ 12/ Do. large nuts 11/9 11/9 Do. small nuts 9/6 9/6 Do. kitchen coal 10/ 10/ West Hallam Kilburn brights 1. 12 XW/, 12/ Do. do. nuts 11/9 11/9 Do. London brights 11/ 11/ Do. bright nuts 10/9 10/9 Do. small nuts 9/6 9/6 Manners Kilburn brights 12/ 12/ Do. do. nuts 11/9 11/9 Shipley do. brights 12/ 12/ Do. do. nuts 11/9 11/9 Mapperley brights 12/ 12/ Do hard steam . 11/9 11/9 Cossall Kilburn brights 12/ 12/ Do. do. nuts 11/9 11/9 Trowell Moor brights 11/6 11/6 Do. do. nuts 11/ 11/ Grassmoor Main coal 12/6 12/6 Do. Tupton 11/ 11/ Do. do. nuts 12/ 12/ Derbyshire—(cont). Clay Cross Main coal.................. Do. do. cubes .................... Do. special Derbys................ Do. house coal.................... Pilsley best blackshale .............. Do. deep house coal ............... Do. hard screened cobbles ......... Hardwick best Silkstone .............. Do. Cavendish brights.............. Do. cubes ......................... Nottinghamshire. Clifton picked hards ................. Do. small hards.................... Do. deep large steam .............. Annesley best hards .................. Do. bright cobbles ................ Linby best hards...................... Do. bright cobbles................... Digby London brights ................. Do. cobbles ......................... Current prices. 12/6 12/ 11/9 11/ 12/6 10/6 10/ 12/6 11/6 11/6 Last week’s prices. 12/6 12/ 11/9 n/ 12/6 io/6 : 10/ ; 12/6 11/6 11/6 Do. top hards ................... Do. High Hazel coal.............. Bestwood hard steam coal.......... Do. bright cobbles ............... Hucknall Torkard main hards......... Do. do. cobbles ................... Do. do. nuts..................... Do. Do. Do. Do. do. High Hazel H P. do. London brights .. do. large nuts ....... do. bright nuts....... Sherwood H.P. hards Do. hard steam.................. Do. brights ... ................ Do. cobbles ........................ Do. large nuts ..................... Warwickshire. Griff large steam coal................. Do. screened cobbles ................. Do. bakers’ nuts ................... Do. loco Two Yard hards ............ Do. Ryder nuts..................... Do. do. cobbles ................... Nuneaton steam coal................. Do. screened cobbles ............ Do. nuts......................... Haunchwood steam ................... Do. screened cobbles............ Do. nuts ....................... Wyken steam coal ................... Do. screened cobbles ............. Do. nuts.......................... Exhall Ell coal spires.............. Do. large steam coal.............. Leicestershire. Snibston steam...................... Do. cobbles....................... Do. nuts ........................... South Leicester steam ................ Do. cobbles or small hards Do. nuts ................. Whitwick steam........................ Do. roasters ..................... Do. cobbles ...................... Do. nuts.......................... Nether seal hards .................... Do. Eureka...................... Do. kitchen..................... Ibstock kibbles ...................... Do. large nuts .................... Do. bakers’ nuts .................. Do. Main nuts...................... Do. hards ......................... Granville New Pit cobbles............. Do. Old Pit cobbles ............... North Staffordshire. Talk-o’-th’-Hill best ................ Sneyd best, selected ................ Do. deeps........................ Silverdale best...................... Do. cobbles ...................... Apedale best ........................ Do. seconds....................... Podmore Hall best.................... Do. seconds...................... South Staffordshire (Cannock District). Walsall Wood steam coal, London brights.............................. Do. shallow one way............ Do. deep nuts.................. Cannock steam........................ Coppice deep coal ................... Do. cobbles ....................... Do. one way........................ Do. shallow coal .................. Cannock Chase deep main.............. Do. Deep kitchen cobbles ... Do. best shallow main ......... Do. shallow kibbles ...... Do. best brights....... Do. yard cobbles....... Do. yard nuts ............ Do. bakers’ nuts............... Do. screened hards............. 12 11/ 12 12 11/3 12/ 11/3 12/ 12 13 14/ 12/ 11/3 12/3 11/3 11/ 14/9 12/3 12/3 11/3 12/ 10/6 11/3 11/3 11/9 10/9 H/ 11/ 13/6 11/6 12/6 10/9 11/ 11 10/9 11/ 11 10/9 H/ 11/ 12/6 10/9 10/6 10/3 10/6 10/ 10/6 10/6 10/6 10/6 10/6 10/6 17/ 12/6 10/6 10/ 10 9/6 10/ 9/6 11/6 10/6 13/6 14/6 14/ 15/ 14/ 13/6 13/ 13/6 13/ 13/ 12 11/6 11/ 13 12/ 12/ 12/ !7/ 12 14/ 13/6 13/ 13/6 12/6 10/3 11/ 12 11/ 12/ 12/ 11/3 12/ 11/3 12/ 12/ 13/ 14/ 12/ 11/3 12/3 11/3 11/ 14/9 12/3 12/3 11/3 12/ 10/6 11/3 11/3 11/9 10/9 11/ 11/ 13/6 11/6 12/6 10/9 11/ 10/9 11/ 11/ 10/9 11/ 11/ 12/6 10/9 10/6 10/3 10/6 10/ 10/6 10/6 10/6 10/6 10/6 10/6 17/ 12/6 10/6 10/ 10 9/6 10/ 9/6 11/6 10/6 13/6 14/6 U/ 15 14/ 13/6 13/ 13/6 13/ 13/ 12/ 11/6 11/ 13/ 12/ 12/ 12 17/ 12 14/ 13/6 . 13/ 13/6 12/6 10/3 11/ From Menn. Dinham, Favoui and Co.’s Report. Friday, March 7.—The enquiry for seaborne house coal was fair to-day, but no cargoes of Durham or Yorkshire offering for sale. Monday, March 10.—There was no alteration in the sea- borne house coal market to-day, but no Durham or Yorkshire cargoes on offer. Wednesday, March 12.—The seaborne house coal market was quiet to-day, no cargoes of either Durham or Yorkshire on offer. Prices:— Mar. 7. Mar. 10. Mar. 12. Best (Durham) .............. — ... — ... — Seconds do. ................ — ... — ... — Sharlston W.E. York ........ — ... — ... — No. of cargoes............. 26 ... 37 ... 7