262 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. July 31, 1914. the legislative efforts of the past few years, and the situation must be faced, or pits will be closed wholesale. The Miners’ Federation of Great Britain, at the Scarborough conference, pledged themselves to support the Scotsmen if any attempt were made to reduce wages below 7s. a day, and they have now promised financial support and a ballot if the masters are successful. No doubt a factor in the case is the bearing which this dispute has upon the basis wage question, which looms so large in the Federation programme for 1915. But there is little question that the English and Welsh miners will not welcome any invitation to champion the cause of the Scottish miners, and the Federation would probably prefer to precipitate the general question by a few months, and decorate it with a few other attractive claims. Thus, it is not impossible that the demands of the surfacemen and claims for the amendment of the minimum wage awards may be added to egg the pudding. If the unions were better off there would be little doubt on the subject; as it is, the situation portends trouble, unless it be merged in greater troubles. LABOUR AMD WAGES. South Wales and Monmouthshire. The claim of workmen to conduct federation “ show cards ” upon colliery premises has created a deadlock in the Ffaldau men’s strike; and at a meeting on Tuesday, Mr. Winstone (miners’ leader) said that the federation executive council regarded it as a vital principle. He added that if the company would not change its present attitude the stoppage would go on. The agent of the colliery, he said, required an undertaking that “ show cards ” should not be conducted on the colliery premises, and also that there should be no interference with non-unionist workmen. These conditions, said Mr. Winstone, had been rejected, for if they gave an undertaking such as was asked for they would abolish the unions in the district. The Rhondda stipendiary, after taking time to consider his decision, has determined against the colliery company a question of much importance to the whole coalfield. A man employing in driving a “ wind ” stall at the Coedcae Pit, Trehafod, claimed £4 8s. from the Lewis-Merthyr Company, because his services had been dispensed with, and he con- sidered himself entitled to 14 days’ notice. The defence was that the finishing of the stall should be taken as termination of the contract; and, further, that the claimant should have attended daily at the pit in order to take up other work. Plaintiff’s contention was that the finishing of the stall should have been foreseen by the management, and he be given other work or 14 days’ notice. Judgment was given for the amount claimed. Labour difficulties at Ebbw Vale came under consideration on Saturday at the meeting in connection with the Work- men’s Sliding Scale Fund. The Wage Board reported difference of opinion as to the classes of material that should be included in the audit. For the employers, it was con- tended that tin-bar sent from the Ebbw Vale works to the mills should be included; but the men contended that only invoiced goods should be included, as arranged in the agree- ment. If bar sent to the sheet mills were taken into account, there would be a reduction of 8| per cent, instead of an advance of 34- ‘There was also a dispute as to the blastfurnacemen’s wages, and work at Nos. 1 and 2 fur- naces will not be resumed until sufficient men are agreeable to work on conditions existing prior to the stoppage. The executive council recommended a levy of 6d. per member from all the branches thrpughout South Wales towards relief of distress caused by stoppage of the steel works at Ebbw Vale. Although they have taken three ballots upon the question, the Monmouthshire and South Wales Association of Colliery Enginemen, Stokers, and Craftsmen still fail to carry the proposal for merging their organisation into the Miners’ Federation. It was announced at the quarterly meeting at Cardiff on Saturday that the requisite three-fourths majority as provided for by the rules had not been obtained; and that the Registrar of Friendly Societies would not sanction alteration of the rules so that two-thirds majority should suffice. The number of members represented in the meting was 6,422; and it was decided to call a special conference for discussion of the position. Immediate steps are to be taken for ensuring that craftsmen be paid at double rates for all Sunday and Bank-holiday work. Penallta workmen under the Powell Duffryn Company decided at a meeting on Sunday to tender 14 days’ notice owing to a dispute concerning the dicharge of rubbish. At a meeting of the Minimum Wage Committee at Cardiff, the question of averaging was once more discussed, and the men’s representative proposed that, to prevent colliers being paid twice over, their total earnings in any week should be divided by the number of shifts and parts of shifts worked during the week, the full value of the work done in each week be considered. They agreed to the owners making any necessary alterations in the day on which the measuring took place; any dispute to be settled as provided in rule 8 of Lord St. Aldwyn’s award.—As other points would have to be dealt with, the owners intimated that further consideration must be deferred. A collier writing to one of the South Wales papers, states that because he was only 6d. behind in his Federation payments, after having been a member for a number of years, he was stopped from working. Many men, he says, were stopped when going to work recently, although those who stopped them knew they w’ere clear on the books. He complains that such action is not justice. North of England. The Bessie Pit, Blaydon Burn, is on strike, owing to the non-union question and the unfinancial members of the Durham Miners’ Association. There are 11 non-union men and five unfinancial members of the association employed at the pit. About 400 men and boys are affected by the strike. A notice to terminate engagements at the Flimby and Broughton Moor Colliery Company’s coke ovens at Risehow, near Maryport, was posted on the 23rd inst., and expires on August 3, when a re-arrangement of work will be made until a sufficient supply of coal can be obtained to work all the ovens. There are 40 coke ovens, one third of which are out of blast and the others working short time. The company posted another notice on Wednesday specifying the number of hands whose engagement will cease on August 3, and the duties appertaining to the men remaining. The coal obtained from a local colliery prior to the closing of the Watergate Colliery, still remains unwashed. Owing to the coke ovens working intermittingly, the by-product works are experiencing a shortage of tar. The proceedings at the Moot Hall, Newcastle, on Saturday, when 71 putters, employed by the Burradon and Coxlodge Coal Company, at Hazlerigg Colliery, were charged with breach of contract, did not reflect creditably on the defendants. Mr. Sheriton Holmes, for the company, stated the facts which were, briefly, that the seven first defendants on the charge sheet had refused to work in a certain place in the pit unless they received extra money for so doing. This was refused, as the place had always been cavilled and worked in the ordinary way. The seven boys then went home, and next day persuaded the rest of the putters to stay away, too. Ultimately the whole pit was idle, but later the hewers returned to work and did their own putting. However, since the summonses had been served the whole pit had been idle; 1,200 men being involved. During the time the magistrates were considering their verdict, the defendants sang rag-time songs and a parody of a hymn to the effect that they had had no beer. When the bench awarded the company 5s. per youth per day damages and costs, several of the putters rose and declared they were going to pay no fines and would lay the pit idle again. Presiding over the 44th annual gala of the Durham miners, held at Durham city last Saturday, and attended in a manner which showed that the yearly picnic had lost none of its powers of attraction, Dr. John Wilson, M.P., the veteran leader of the miners of that county, was able to claim an unbroken record of attendance of these gather- ings. He congratulated the miners on the fact that their union was stronger than ever before, and that trade had been good. He added, too, that their wages were still 1| per cent, higher than they were a year previously. Aid. Wm. House, president of the union, conducting the proceedings at the other platform, said they had survived Sir Robert Romer’s miserable award and, as Sir Robert had resigned his position, they could afford to keep their tempers. The membership of the Durham Miners’ Association, by the way, was reported, at the gala, at 116,256 full mem- bers and 20,710 half-members, and the year’s receipts from contributions at £173,527. The announcement of the retirement of Mr. Jos. English, from the position of president and compensation agent of the Northumberland Miners’ Association—rendered inevit- able by a long spell of bad health—will be received with regret by all who know Mr. English. Born 60 years ago, he went through all the grades of mine wTork, and worked his way up from trapper boy to president. He was elected a member of the executive committee of the associa- tion in 1878, and served on many important committees. Mr. English has been an exceedingly faithful servant of the association in past years, and we are glad to note that it is proposed to recognise that fact by making him a retiring allowance of 30s. per week. The miners employed at the North Elswick Colliery have been taking a ballot 'on the question of baths at the pit head. The result of the voting was: In favour, 228; against, 47 ; spoilt papers, 7. Mr. C. Courtenay Hodgson, of Carlisle, has been appointed neutral vice-chairman of the Cumberland Coal Conciliation Board for the ensuing year. The duties are chiefly to act as chairman of the Joint Committee of the Board, which settles local disputes. Questions affecting the industry as a whole are dealt with by the full Board under the neutral chairman, who is Canon Sutton. Mr. Hodgson’s nomina- tion as vice-chairman came from the men. The proceedings at Gateshead Police Court some days ago were very important to colliery managers. If the course adopted by the 1,218 miners summoned by the Heworth Colliery Company on that occasion be persisted in throughout the county, mining prosecutions for breach of contract are going to be costly and ineffectual proceedings. The cases arose out of a minimum wage dispute in the early part of June. However, the cause of the proceedings is not so important as the step taken by the men when at court. They marched into Gateshead with banners flying and bands playing, and when the case was introduced by Mr. Frank Lambert, prosecuting, he astounded the magistrates by saying the men were going to insist on each of the 1,218 cases being dealt with separately. The men’s solicitor, Mr. Dix, confessed that the course was not his advice, but his instructions. Eventually it was decided to adjourn the cases until August 22, the chairman expressing the hope that a settlement would be arrived at in the meantime. Mr. Lambert assured the bench that the Heworth Colliery Company was quite willing to come to an amicable settlement with the men. The result of the proxy voting on the annual council meeting report of the Northumberland Miners’ Association has been published. Each vote represents 50 members. The lodges have endorsed most of the recommendations of' the council, but in two instances they reversed the decision of the council. The West Sleekburn resolution in favour of asking the owners to pay all workmen the day before the annual picnic was carried was carried by 663 to 49. The county voted unanimously in support of a Bill for the aboli- tion of the three-shift system. The following resolution was carried by the council, and the voting of the lodges was in favour by 661 against 49 :—“ That we take steps to establish an L.R.C. in every constituency where our mem- bers reside, for the purpose of political organisation and work, the affiliation fees of the members to be paid out of the central political fund.” A proposal that the joint com- mittee should be re-established on a basis that no reduction should take place unless an applicant was able to prove that he could not work his mine at a profit at the tonnage rates paid, was defeated overwhelmingly. The resolution that all surfacemen receive the same percentage on wages as underground men w’as carried, 631 voting for and 83 against. A large majority voted for the resolution that all non- minimum hewers should have their wages increased at the same rates as minimum hewers, who are to be made up to minimum rates. An even larger majority voted in favour of asking the owners to pay the workmen every Friday. By 515 to 206 the voting was against a proposal to ask for an allowance instead of free colliery houses. The resolution to ask the owners for the restoration of the short shifts worked by the night shift men prior to the Eight Hours Act was defeated by 538 against 183. A resolution favouring the restriction of shot-firing to night time was defeated by 659 to 55. Federated Area. The West Riding Education Committee on Tuesday decided to take steps to recover from miners who took part in the Yorkshire coal strike in April the cost of feeding their children under the Provision of Meals Act during the strike. The Elementary Education Sub-Committee recom- mended that the clerk be authorised to take these proceedings against the parents of children provided with meals under the «Act at Rawmarsh, Thrybergh, and Dalton during March and April. It was also recommended that in future when meals were supplied to children their parents should be informed of the provisions of the Act as to the recovery of the cost from the parents. The recommendations were adopted. The Derbyshire miners have decided to erect a statue in memory of their late leader, Mr. W. E. Harvey, M.P., similar to the one to be provided in memory of the late Mr. J. Haslam, M.P. A correspondent says :—The Scottish proposal for a four days’ week is not viewed with much favour in the Cannock Chase district, and it has been described as a proposition' which has no outstanding principle of merit, no material reason, and no vestige of that essential of sane advocacy— beneficial result in the shape of actual future effect on the men. • At a representative meeting of the executive council of the Lancashire and Cheshire Miners’ Federation held at the Caxton Hall, Salford, last Saturday, it was announced by Mr. Jesse Butler that the dispute which had occurred con- cerning the working of the Minimum Wage Act at the Butterworth Hall and Jubilee collieries, Hollinwood, had been settled. It was reported that the question of the employment of non-unionists in various parts of the federa- tion’s area was receiving serious attention from the executive. The agent (Mr. J. G. Hancock, M.P.) submitted the half-yearly statement at the meeting of the Notts Miners’ Association on Saturday, July 25. It showed that there was a total membership of 34,403—the highest in the history of the association. The contributions during the six months amounted to £17,376—a sum which had only been exceeded in one previous half-year. The employees at the Brierley Hill Colliery, numbering about 750, applied for permission to hand in notices with a view to compelling non-unionists to join the association. A similar appeal was made by the men employed at Broxtowe Pit, numbering close upon 600. It was unanimously decided that the applications be referred to the branches for their decision. His Honour Judge Amphlett, K.C., in his capacity as chairman of the Joint District Board for West Yorkshire, acting under the provisions of the Coal Mines (Minimum Wage) Act, 1912, has given his award upon the application to vary the district rules and minimum rates of wages, which were determined upon two years ago. The amended rules and rates operate from the date of the award—the 21st inst. On the question of the subdivision of the dis- trict, a system which has always operated in the West Yorkshire area, because of the varying classes of collieries, his Honour has decided that each district shall continue to be divided as heretofore. The following are the amended rates for the district as subdivided, the old rates being included for the sake of comparison :— Eastern Sub-Division. New Former award rates per day. per day. s. d. s. d. Class 1. Qualified Getters (hand or machine) 7 0 6 8 Class 2. Trammers and Fillers ............. 6 0 5 8 Class 3. Leading By-workmen (those in charge of pit bottom or other- wise entrusted with superin- tendence) .................................. 6 4 6 0 Class 4. All other workmen (over 21 vears of age) 4 5 0 Class 5. Boys 14 vears of age to 144 .. 2 1 2 0 144 „ 15 .. 2 24 2 li 15 „ 154 •• 2 4 2 3 154 ,, 16 .. 2 54 2 4i 16 164 •• 2 7 2 6 164 ,, 17 .. 2 9 2 8 17 174 •• 2 11 2 10 174 „ 18 .. 3 1 3 0 18“ 184 •• 3 3 3 2 184 ,, 19 .. 3 6 3 5 19 ,, 194 .. 3 9 3 8 194 20" .. 4 0 3 11 20 ’204 .. 4 4 4 2 20| ,, 21 .. 4 8 4 5 ■ At 21 to be regarded as adult workmen. Western Sub-Division. New pormer award rates per day. per day. s. d. s. d. Class 1. Qualified Getters (hand or machine) 6 6 6 2 Class 2. Class 3. Trammers and Fillers 5 6 Leading By-workmen (those in 5 2 charge of pit bottom or other- wise entrusted with superin- tendence) 5 10 5 6 Class 4. All other workmen (over 21 years of age) *. 5 2 4 10 Class 5. Boys :— 14 vears of age to 144 .. 2 0 2 0 144 15 .. 2 li 2 1 15 154 •• 2 3 2 2 154 16 .. 2 44 2 34 16 164 .. 2 6 2 5“ 164 17 17 .. 2 8 2 7 174 •• 2 10 2 9 174 18 .. 3 0 2 11 18 184 - 3 2 3 1 184 19 .. 3 44 3 34 19 194 .. 3 7 3 6 194 20 .. 3 10 3 34 20 204 - 4 1 3 11 204 21 .. 4 5 4 14 At 21 to be regarded as adult workmen.