1404

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

June 27, 1913.

that to insist upon introducing the schedule into such
seams might result in throwing a large number of men
out of work, and putting a strain upon the funds of the
Federation. Ultimately this matter was referred to the
executive for further consideration.

The conference decided to have show-cards again
in July, in order to test the membership, and ensure the
adhesion of the men to the Federation. The employers
are to be approached with a request for granting facili-
ties at the collieries, to that end.

Perhaps the most remarkable incident of the
gathering was the refusal of the delegates, by a large
majority, to increase the rate of subscription, notwith-
standing strong appeal from the officials. It now stands
at Is. per month; and, on account of certain changes
which relieve the districts of liability for 5 per cent, of
the men on strike, it was decided to make the contribu-
tion 4d. per week instead of 3d. ; but, out of the
representation of nearly 159,000 men, there was a
majority of more than 26,000 against the proposal,
although its adoption was urged by the secretary (Mr.
T. Richards, M.P.), by the treasurer, and by other
members of the executive council.

Urging the men to agree to the proposed increase
of Federation contributions from Is. to Is. 4d. per
month, Mr. Watts Morgan told his Rhondda constituents
a few days ago that in the matter of subscriptions the
South Wales Federation was the “ blackleg ” of trade
unionism, for it was the only constituent body of the
Miners’ Federation of Great Britain where the contri-
bution was so low. Now that they were going in for a
new schedule of rates, it was time for the miners in
South Wales to “toe the line.” The new schedule, he
added, would not interfere with the national movement
on behalf of the surfacemen.

Two actions of considerable importauce came before
the High Court on Monday. One of them involved the
question of the validity of rules made by the indepen-
dent chairman—Lord St. Aldwyn—under the. Minimum
Wage Act. The men have objected to the rule that a
fortnight shall be taken for the purpose of establishing
an average rate of a man’s day wage. His lordship held
that by paying weekly the employer could ascertain the
daily earnings ; and, therefore, he held that the average
should be one week. Another point in dispute was the
rule made by Lord St. Aldwyn making it imperative
that a man should give notice that his place was
abnormal before he became entitled to the minimum
wage rate; and this the judge sustained, holding that
it came within the wording of the Act, which referred
to “ regularity and efficiency.”

satisfactory progress. Last week the Pentwyn Company
sinkings reached the Five-feet Vein, by a drive, and it is
further stated that the company have overcome the
water difficulty which for some time troubled them. At
Rudry, too, more work is opening out, for the old Rudry
Pit has re-started, and it is anticipated that employ-
ment will be found for about 300 men.

Messrs. D. Davis and Sons, at their sinking of the
Coed Ely Colliery, on Monday, struck a fine seam of
steam coal, over 5 ft. 8 in. thick, and of excellent
quality.

Cardiff Chamber of Commerce have met with no
success in their endeavour to improve the practice of
coal shipment, especially in relation to the allocation of
tips. It was reported to the meeting on Monday that
no reply had been received as to the interviews the com-
mittee had had; and the president (Mr. J. T. Duncan)
said he had been told unofficially by one of the directors
of the Barry Company that they were not likely to
obtain any redress at Barry, for the directors were quite
satisfied with the present system, which was good enough
for them.

For three years there has been a stoppage at the
Gelli Colliery, Rhondda, on account of inability to agree
as to a price list; and about 80 of the men rendered idle
are still in receipt of strike pay. The district committee
of the Federation are now taking the question up with a
view of making a clearance; and, if a settlement is
really hopeless, of drafting the men to other districts.

A conference takes place in Cardiff to-morrow
(Saturday) upon a subject of considerable interest.
Although not strictly a part of colliery working, the
condition of affairs with regard to medical men in South
Wales has an indirect relation to. colliery operations,
because of the action of the workmen in regard to
deductions of doctors’ poundage at the offices. Meetings
are being held all over the coalfield, because, since the
Insurance Act came into operation, it has proved
impracticable in several important areas to make a new
agreement between the men and their medical atten-
dants. Both in Glamorganshire and Monmouthshire
meetings have taken place within the past few days;
and in certain parts—owing to failure of agreement—
the workmen are endeavouring to bring in substitutes.

In another case the men claimed for an allowance
under an agreement made prior to the Minimum Wage
Act. This was to the effect that when a fatal accident
happened before 12 o’clock, the day-wage men in the
district where the accident happened who then came out
should be paid a full turn. The company had paid only
half-a-turn, setting up the award under the Minimum
Wage Act as their justification. The judge, however,
held that the Act did not override the agreement, and
gave judgment for the men in both cases. A stay of
execution was granted, in order that the question of
appeal might be considered.

Agreement has been come to with regard to the
coal-mixing charges, which local dock companies gave
notice of their intention to double. Negotiations with
the representatives of the traders have been going on for
some months, both the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce
and the South Wales Freighters’ Association having
intervened. It has now been arranged that 25 per cent,
reduction of the new charges shall be allowed in cases
where there is no sorting of wagons; and the agreement
will come into operation as from January 1 last,
remaining in force for five years. It has to be noted
that the Cardiff Railway Company (in respect of their
docks) did not bind itself for the five years stated,
whilst adhering to the other terms. A special meeting
of the Chamber of Commerce is called for Saturday,
and general expectation is that this agreement will be
accepted.

The position of South Wales colliery surgeons is
that whereas formerly the miner paid 3d. in the £ for
attendance upon himself and his family during sickness,
the fact that the Insurance Act provides for the man
himself makes it necessary for a new agreement to be
made concerning the family. Then again, under the
old system the bachelors paid an equal poundage with
the married men, thereby indirectly meeting part of the
cost. Had it not been for their payments the doctors
could not have undertaken to deal with the families for
a payment of 3d. in the £ by the head of a household.
Now that they have to pay under the Insurance Act, a
large section of the bachelors decline to pay poundage—
although, on the contrary, many continue these payments.
The amount fixed at the present time as poundage for
attendance upon the families is 2d. in the £ per man.
One of the chief points as to which the doctors now
lodge objection is that whereas formerly they received
payments through the colliery offices, the men now wish
to act through their local committees ; and also that in
many cases medical aid societies are being formed,
whereby workmen’s committees pay only a fixed salary,
and themselves arrange for the dispensing. To come
under the control of a workmen’s committee is cqnsidered
derogatory by the medical men; and this, with the
method of payment—whether by poundage or fixed
salary—and also the deduction of income due to the
change in poundage, form the chief matters in dispute.

The condition of the tin-plate trade is still unsatis-
factory, and other works have been closed down within
the past few days, with the result that some hundreds
of men have been thrown out of employment, Unfor-
tunately, also, the outlook is that additional works will
have to be closed. At the same time, a feature of the
conditions is that fresh orders are still coming in from
the United States. In addition, new mills have been
started at the Foxhole Works; four more mills have
been added to the Duffryn Works, and are now being
started; and there is a conviction—of which these
facts give evidence—that one remedy for present con-
ditions lies in modernising the plant, so as to reduce
cost of production.

With a view to making better known the working
of pithead baths, Mr. David Davies, M.P., chief
proprietor of the Ocean Coal Company, has paid the
expenses of a party of workmen ;' and they left Cardiff
on Monday for Germany, France and Belgium. They
are under the direction of Mr. Samuel, one of the
mining lecturers. One man goes from each colliery, and
has been selected by the workmen, to inspect the Con-
tinental system, the ultimate idea being the installation
of pithead baths at the Ocean collieries.

The final stage has been reached in the enquiry
which is of so much importance to the patent fuel trade.
Mr. Lush sat at the Home Office, on Tuesday, to hear
further argument as to the proposed regulations
intended to reduce the liability to “ pitch cancer ” in
the trade, and a number of representatives from Sou*h
Wales manufactories, as well as officials and others,
were present, with the factory inspectors for the district.
There being general expression of satisfaction as to the
manner in which requirements had been met by the
employers, counsel for the Home Office did not press
that the draft regulations should be enforced. The
Commissioner, therefore, declared the enquiry closed,
and said that his report would be ready in a few weeks.

In addition to the developments at Bedwas, the
contiguous area of Rudry and Machen are witnessing

■IHIHG AMD OTHER MOTES.

Last week an important conference of Midland Chambers
of Commerce was held at Birmingham, when there were
present representatives from the Chambers of Commerce of
Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Kidderminster, Leicester
and Walsall. The conference, which was private, was
convened for the purpose of discussing the increases in
railway and canal rates. Several resolutions were passed
dealing with the increase of railway and canal rates, the
control over railway companies by the Board of Trade,
railway amalgamations and agreements, the development
of canals and ton-mile statistics.

The districts of Greasbro’ and Park gate, Rotherham, are
greatly interested in a projected colliery development by
Earl Fitzwilliam, in connection with which preliminary
work has just been commenced. His lordship is the
owner of the Stubbin mine, Greasbro’, which for many
years had produced a very satisfactory output of the
Barnsley seam of coal of high quality. It is now proposed
to sink a new pit to the Parkgate seam, which is 270 yards
lower, and the sits of the new undertaking is on property
half way up what is known as the Stubbin incline, a branch
railway connecting with the Stubbin Colliery. It is also
adjacent to the coach road from Rotherham to Wentworth
Woodhouse. There are to be two shafts, respectively 16 ft.
and 18 ft. in diameter, and capable of dealing with an
anticipated output of from 2,000 to 3,000 tons per day.

At the tenth annual meeting of the British Foundrymen’s
Association, held recently in the Connaught Rooms, Great
Queen-street, London, Mr. M. Riddell, of Falkirk, contributed
a paper on “ Semi-Steel,” and Mr. F. J. Cook a paper
on “Blast Quantity and Pressure in Cupola Working.”
“ The Artistic Treatment of Cast Iron ” was dealt with by
Mr. B. J. Fletcher, of Leicester.

The South Yorkshire Coalowners’ Association have
decided to contribute £2,000 towards the fund for the
completion of the extension of the Applied Science Depart-
ment of the Sheffield University. One of the main
branches of the Applied Science Department is the section
devoted to the study of mining, and it is proving to be of
very considerable value to the mining industry of South
Yorkshire and North Derbyshire. This section is the
natural development of the classes in mining started in
these districts some 15 years ago. A scheme has been
foreshadowed to extend the Pure Science Department, which
will mean an expenditure of £40,000.

At an anti-tuberculosis exhibition, under the auspices of
the Welsh National Memorial Association, Sir Watkin Wynn
said 50 years ago probably two-thirds of the colliers in Rhos
went to bed as black as when they came out of the pit, but
he thought the proportion at the present day was very
small. Dr. R. Owen Morris, superintendent of education
and chief medical lecturer, remarked that if colliers were as
particular about half draughts of fresh air in their bedrooms
as they were of these things in a coalmine, consumption in
Wales would go down by one one-half and 1,500 lives would
thus be saved in a year.

The boring and sinking operations which have been
conducted in the Ingleton district for 12 months have at
last been crowned with success. A depth of about 130 yards
has been reached, and here a seam of coal 10 ft. 6 in. thick
was met with. The coal is said to be excellent for steam
purposes. Sinking operations are to be continued, it being
believed that there are other seams lying at a greater
depth.

The Yorkshire Coal and Coke Trades Wagon Representa-
tives in the Doncaster district had their annual outing last
week, the Dnkeries being selected for the trip. All parts of
the South Yorkshire coalfield were represented. The party
concentrated at Worksop, and then drove to Welbeck Abbey,
where the gardens were inspected. At Edwinstowe dinner
was served, after which the drive was continurd to Sherwood
Forest, through Clumber Park, and back to Woiksop, where
tea was partaken of. The weather was beautiful, and the
outing was thoroughly enjoyed, all the arrangements being
made by Mr. C. Collinson, of Doncaster, in a most satisfac-
tory manner.

A return of much interest to the coalmining industry in
Scotland has just been issued by the Crown Office at
Edinburgh. This shows the mining royalties collected last
year, and incidentally illustrates the incidence of their
burden on the industry. The amount paid in rent was
£877,800, and in wayleaves £23,500, a total of £901 300,

•	which, on an output of 39,518,600 tons, is equal to a levy of
nearly 5|d. per ton. Of the aggregate, no less than £405,500

’ was paid in Lanarkshire alone. The royalties collected on
shale were £79,500, which, on a production of 3,184,800 tons,
1 is equivalent to close on 6d. per ton, a charge which must
mean something to the Scottish oil companies.

> Messrs. Alfred Hickman Ld., Springvale Steelworks, are at
, present engaged upon extensive alterations and additions
, which will result in considerably increasing the output of
, steel per week. Within the last three weeks a new
. Siemens plant has been inaugurated and is now in regular

•	operation. In connection with the steelmaking plant a
; 500-ton mixer furnace is being put down, and this will be
» served by Mond producers at present in course of erection.

Partnership Dissolved.—The London Gazette announces
the dissolution of the following partnership:—C. Wilkins
and R. Clendon, carrying on business as bright engineer
and motor screw nut manufacturers at Standard Screw
Works, Conybere-street, Birmingham, under the style of
Wilkins and Clendon.

Grimsby Coal Exports.—The following is the official
return of the quantity of coal exported from Grimsby
during the week ended Friday, June 20 :—Foreign: To
Antwerp,698 tons; Constadt, 2,456 ; Dieppe, 1,149 ; Esbjerg,
829; Gothenburg, 2,850; Hamburg, 814; Helsingborg,
1,847; Holmestrand, 863; Newfairwater, 569; Norrkoping,
1,634 ; Nykjobing, 2,194; Malmo, 557; Banders, 99; Rotter-
dam, 255 ; St. Petersburg, 1,007; and Stockholm, 2,264;
total, 20,085 tons. Coastal; To Gravesend, 360 tons;
Lerwick, 600; and Pentewan, 270; total, 1,230. For the

corresponding week of last year the exports were 22,380
tons foreign, and 8,342 tons coastal.

To provide for the additional output of slag, and to make
room for the large mixer furnace, Messrs. Hickman are