836

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

October 16, 1914.

It was decided to make a further request to the Parlia-
mentary Committee, and that, failing this, the Miners’
Federation of Great Britain should summon a national
conference of miners.

Arising out of this demand for more liberal allowances to
the soldiers’ dependants, estimates have been made of the
probable cost to the Exchequer; but all such estimates are
little more than guesswork, the matter being complicated
by so many considerations. If the soldiers’ pay were
increased, would the original “ regular ” army be equally
treated, or would only new recruits be paid at the higher
rate? Would dependants alone be benefited, the bachelor
soldier getting no more than present pay? Then, as to
allowances in respect of death or permanent disablement.
Would these alone be made? and no increase under any other
head—because, if so, one estimate places the cost at less
than Id. on the income-tax (which at present yields 2|
millions sterling); and here again a confusing factor
emerges, for what will be the income-tax yield when the
war has so sadly reduced so many incomes? Yet it is
manifest that the demand grows ever stronger, and that if
recruiting is to be maintained some concession is imperative.

Mr. W. Thomas, chairman of the Aberdare Council,
agrees that the present allowance to soldiers’ dependants is
quite inadequate, and states that in that locality the Powell
Duffryn, Cwmaman, and Bute colliery companies are giving
10s. a week, with Is. for each child, to the families of
those who have enlisted, this being in addition to the sepa-
ration allowances. In Aberdare Valley alone it is estimated
that 3,000 men have joined the Colours, practically all of
these being miners.

North’s Colliery Company and also Elder’s Navigation
Company have promised work for all recruits on their
return from the war, and are paying 10s. per week to the
wives, with Is. per week for each child to the total of three.

There is an idea to form an “ Ocean ” company of the
new Welsh Army Corps, and several meetings to that end
have been held, chiefly in the Rhondda. In Mid-Glamorgan
Mr. Harry Webb, M.P., one of the directois of the Ocean
Colliery Company, spoke at 'a meeting called to secure
recruits for the Garw and Ogmore companies, pointing out
that the battalion would be one formed of fellow country-
men, speaking the language, and with the same national
sentiment. There was splendid material in the Welsh coal-
field, and the directors of the Ocean Colliery Company
would pay 10s. per week to the wives of men who join the
Forces, and Is. per child. Mr. Johnson, agent and. manager
of the Ffaldau Collieries at Pontycymmer, joined in the
appeal. Another meeting was held later in the day at
Pontycymmer, and as a result a large number of recruits
gave in their names at the close of each meeting.

Lieut. Kirkwood, assistant agent for the Powell Duffryn
Company in the Rhymney Valley, is very active in recruit-
ing. Addressing a meeting at New Tredegar on Monday,
he explained the scheme for forming a Rhymney Valley
company of the Welsh Regiment, and said that out of 250
they had already obtained 150, and he looked to New
Tredegar to contribute a big quota towards the remainder.
His appeals have proved most effective.

Between 700 and 800 men have already joined the
Rhymney Valley Battalion of the Welsh Regiment, and a
series of meetings are being held in order to induce men to
join this, which is almost entirely a miners’ battalion. Col-
liery directors and managers have taken a prominent part
in the movement.

Mr. J. W. Hutchinson, general manager of North’s Col
lieries, when addressing a recruiting meeting at Maesteg,
said he had travelled in the Belgian coalfield, and had
visited the collieries, and nowhere could be found more
peaceable villagers and miners. Let the Welsh miners
picture to themselves the state of those villages to-day.
When the German army jvent through Mons and Charleroi
they found the miners coming home from work, and put
them in front of their ranks to receive the shots. He hoped
all the recruits wanted for the miners’ battalion here would
come forward; it was a colliers’ battalion, and would be
officered by men connected with the collieries. Mr. J. P.
Gibbon, now in charge of recruiting at Maesteg, said that
since war began 1,400 men had left Maesteg for various
branches of the Army. The collier made an excellent
soldier, because he was daily facing danger, and was
hardened at his work. The Maesteg company of Terri-
torials had won prizes for marching at almost every camp.

A story from one of the recruiting stations is to the effect
that several young colliers went to enlist at an office in the
Rhondda, and one of the number was a-quarter of an inch
too short, being consequently rejected. He and his friends,
however, went to a neighbouring public-house and they put
him through “ rack drill,” some pulling at his head and
shoulders and others at his feet, with the result that on
his return to the office he had “ grown ” the necessary
quarter of an inch, and therefore was accepted.

Another story is from Cardiff, and states that a collier who
sought to enlist was rejected by the doctor because of a
defective toe, but that he walked off to the hospital, had
the necessary operation performed, and again presented him-
self for enlistment. Though not then actually accepted, he
was obliged to wait a few days, and promised that ultimately
•he would be duly “ passed.”

Northumberland and Durham.

Finance Act Appeal : Mineral Rights and Surface Land—
Pits Closed—Colliery Traffic on High Roads—Interest-
ing Feat at Acomb.	.

Before Mr. J. McClare Clark (an Official Referee under
the Finance Act, 1910) at the Surveyors’ Institute, London,
on October 9, the appeal of Boyne and others v. the Com-
missioners of Inland Revenue was heard, being an objec-
tion raised by Viscount Boyne and others and the Earl of
Eldon against the provisional valuation made by the Land
Valuation Department of a portion of Lord Eldon’s Chilton
estate in Durham, known as Great Chilton Farm. The
property extends to some 374 acres, and under settlements
made in 1869 and 1898, Viscount Boyne and others are
trustees, but Lord Eldon (the tenant for life) has a right
to work out the minerals without regard to the surface. The
appeal is somewhat complicated by reason of the fact that,
while both their lordships appealed against the valuation
on questions of principle, Lord Eldon contends that the
value placed on the surface property has been over-esti-
mated, and the trustees under the settlement claim it is
insufficient. Counsel for Lord Eldon said the farm was let
on a yearly tenancy, and the coal and fireclay were com-
prised in a mining tenancy which took in the whole of the
land on the Chilton estate. One of the questions which he
asked the Referee to decide was what rights and liabilities

were to be assumed with regard to minerals and surface
respectively. Were the minerals, for instance, to be treated
as bound to give support to the surface, or were they to be
treated as capable of being worked out regardless of the effect
upon the surface? His contention was that the minerals
should be valued without regard to the surface, “ minerals ”
in this case being defined as coal, fireclay, sand, and lime-
stone, and any other substances, if any, as were capable
of being turned into commercial use. It was argued for
Viscount Boyne and his co-trustee that they relied on a
valuation arrived at on the assumption that all the sur-
rounding surface property was in the market as on April 30,
1909, and that the upper and underground minerals under
or adjoining Great Chilton Farm were in the market, and
that the minerals owner had the power now and would
convey to his vendees the power of working out the whole
of the minerals with surface access, paying no compensa-
tion. In this case they had to assume that the purchaser
and vendor on April 30, 1909, would impose reasonable con-
ditions, and the question for the Referee was what were
reasonable conditions such as an ordinary person versed in
that business would desire to be carried out? Under
section 25 of the Act, the valuation was to be made on the
assumption that the property was in the open market on
April 30, 1909, in its then condition. It was true there
was a lease of certain of the minerals underlying the farm
—and the Commissioners of Inland Revenue held that the
valuation of surface land must be made in view of that
lease. Counsel submitted that the existence of the lease was
not a matter which ought to affect the Referee’s mind in
conducting the valuation under section 25. ‘‘In its then
condition,” referred to the physical conditions, the surround-
ings, and the actual circumstances of the land in question.
If people were aware that the adjoining lands belonging
to the Earl of Eldon could be obtained, it would bring
more prospective purchasers into the market, and make the
land they were concerned with more valuable. Replying
for the Commissioners, counsel contended that the Referee
ought to regard the land as it was in the hands of man,
subject to any fixed charges. He agreed that minerals and
surface land were two separate entities, being, so to speak,
kept by the Statute in watertight compartments, and the
only one the Referee had to deal with was the fee simple
of the land in possession under section 25, subsection 1. It
was impossible to say they were selling the fee simple of
the land in possession free from any burden, charge, or
restriction if they dealt with it not as subject to ordinary
rights which followed from possession of the fee simple, but
as subject to diminished rights attributed to the owner or
tenant of the minerals. The terms of section 25 made it
impossible to treat the surface as being subject to any
diminution of the ordinary rights. The object of that sec-
tion was to reduce land to a common denominator, which
could not be done if certain rights were given to one man
and withheld from another. There were 45 valuations, and
the Referee had to decide which was correct. Counsel for
the Commissioners relied on the valuation made on the basis
that any adjoining property belonging to the owner was in
the market, that the upper and underground minerals were
in the market, and that the surface owner had the right to
support. The Referee, at the conclusion of the legal argu-
ments, reserved his decision, which he will give in the form
of a special case.

Shortage of orders brought about by the war has com-
pelled several collieries to close down. Messrs. Thomas
Allinson and Company have suspended operations at their
recently-opened Ganister and coal drift. The Harperley
Collieries Company have closed down indefinitely their
MacNeil coal royalty. Many of the miners employed at the
latter have been able to find work at the company’s Craig
Lea Colliery.

At Consett County Court last week, Judge Bonsey found
for the plaintiffs for £182 and costs, in the action brought
by the Tanfield Urban District Council against Mr. George
Hare, colliery owner, for damage done by extraordinary
traffic on a portion of the highway, about a mile in length,
leading from Dyke Head Colliery to Derwent Bridge, near
Rowlands Gill. His Honour stated that the colliery was
started by the defendant in 1912, and the coal was con-
veyed by carts and wagons to Rowlands Gill Station.
According to the statements before him, the amount of coal
taken over the road for the year ended March 1913 was
17,000 tons, and this figure was likely to increase. While
no objection could be taken to the mode of traffic, there
was no doubt that carts following one another down one
side of the highway on a steep gradient with the brakes on
caused considerable damage to the surface of the road, with
the result that the cost of the upkeep of the road increased
over £145 per annum for the preceding five years to £252
in 1912 and £386 in 1913. Mr. Hare, having opened the
colliery and employed large numbers of men, was bound to
increase the revenue of the district, however, and his
Honour thought, therefore, that £45 should be deducted
from the £227 claimed.

At a meeting of the council of the Northern Under-
Managers’ and Colliery Officials’ Association, held at the
Coal Trade Offices, Newcastle, recently, the general secre-
tary (Mr. Robert Nuttall) reported that several new branches
had been opened during the month, namely, at Durham
City, Sacriston, Kibblesworth, Ushaw Moor, and New
Brancepeth, Waterhouses, Esh Winning, Hamsteels, and
Cornsay. Fifty-two new members had joined. The
branches unanimously agreed to certain proposals regarding
“ security of tenure,” and the proper remuneration of pro-
fessional and other services rendered by colliery officials.
During the present month a series of meetings are being
held at Durham City, Sacriston, Ushaw Moor, Horden, and
other centres.

The General Purposes and Finance Committee of the
Northumberland County War Relief Fund has fixed 5s. per
week as the maximum amount to be allowed to recipients in
respect of house rent. This means that, where an allowance
has been made by colliery owners and others in regard to
house rent, it will be supplemented, if necessary, up to 5s.
If, for instance, a colliery allows 2s. per week, the Relief
Committee will pay 3s. per week. This allowance is now
in operation.

Mr. Percy Ryle, who has had charge of Messrs. Pease’s
new sinkings at Thorne, Doncaster, has been appointed to
take charge of the Bowden Close and Woolley collieries, in
succession to Mr. Jos. Pease, who is now’ on foreign service.

Earl Fitzwilliam has left for the front to take up his
post on the Commander-in-Chief’s staff.

Now that the drift sunk at Forge, Acomb, by the Tyne-
dale Colliery Company has reached the coal, after five years’
effort, Mr. T. H. Williams, manager and engineer, states

that the toughest job he has yet tackled has been a success.
The difficulties encountered were so enormous as to justify
Mr. Williams in claiming that ‘‘it is the biggest job done
in Northumberland.” A tunnel has been driven through
137 yds. of quicksand, and, as progress has been made, the
space won has been secured by an arch of cement and
brick, tied, every yard, by a semi-circular steel girder. The
total length of the tunnel is 330 yds., whilst the ygrtical
shafts are 20 fathoms deep. The driftway reached the coal
on Saturday, September 26, at the Oakwood seam, which
is 2 ft. 4 in. thick. Below this is the Acomb seam,
5 ft. 10 in. thick, and the task of winning this coal is now,
it is thought, comparatively easy. The coal, says Mr.
Williams, has already been tested for its coking properties
with most satisfactory results, and, as soon as possible, the
erection of coke ovens will be proceeded with. The com-
pany has secured the mining rights over a very large area,
so that there will be ample scope for future operations. It
is proposed to connect the colliery with the North British
railway line in the neighbourhood, and thus enable the coal
to be available for a large market. A moderate estimate of
the output at an early date is from 800 to 1,000 tons per day,
and it is calculated that the colliery will shortly give employ-
ment to 500 or 600 men. The benefit to the district will
be very great.

Tranwell Colliery has been restarted by Messrs. T. Horton
and Son, a new item hailed with pleasure by those residing
in the Morpeth district. Messrs. Horton have sunk a new
shaft and put in new plant, hoping in a very short time to
have a considerable output of household and steam coals.

At Sunderland last week, Harry Devine, a youth, was
fined 40s. and costs for having cruelly ill-treated a pit pony,
the property of the Wearmouth Coal Company, and was
warned by the magistrates that he had narrowly escaped
being sent to prison for three months. He had taken half
a pit prop and struck the pony on the legs and head with
it, bursting one of the animal’s eyes.

When the Horden Collieries Limited applied to the Castle
Eden magistrates on October 3 for an ejectment order
against a workman lately in their employ, and occupying a
colliery house at Blackhall Colliery, Mr. H. F. Heath, for
the respondent, claimed that, under the Courts (Emergency
Powers) Act, 1914, passed in view of the war, ejectment
and similar orders could not be enforced except on further
application. Owjng to the unsettled state of trade, defen-
dant was unable to obtain employment, his being a special
kind of work, and but for the war he would have got a job
long since. His w’ife was not fit to be moved. The magis-
trates adjourned the case for a month, but advised respon-
dent to get another house.

Mr. Malcolm Dillon, who is agent to the Marquis of
Londonderry at Seaham Harbour, has two sons who took
part in the defence of Antwerp with the British Naval
Brigade. Both are safe and well, but Lieut. A. M. Dillon,
one of the sons, is at present interned in Holland. His
brother, Mr. C. M. Dillon, escaped w’ith the main body of
the Brigade towards the coast. Both the lieutenants belong
to the Tyne Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve,
having been previously attached to H.M.S. “ Calliope.”
In civil life Mr. C. M. Dillon is a naval architect at
Elswick, and Mr. A. M. Dillon is a solicitor.

The London Gas Light and Coke Company’s steamer
“ Fulgens ” has had a record despatch at Tyne Dock. She
loaded a cargo of 3,700 tons of coal on Monday of last week
in 7| hours, and sailed during the afternoon. On Satur-
day morning she was back again, commenced loading at
8 a.m., and finished taking in her cargo of 3,700 tons at
1.5 p.m. It is evident that the trimmers and teemers at
the dock can “ get a move on ” them when they feel so
inclined.

We note from the 1914-15 calendar of Armstrong College,
Newcastle, that, although the college buildings have been
requisitioned by the military authorities for hospital pur-
poses, and the classes, therefore, will have to be held in
other halls in the city, there is intended to be little diminu-
tion in the work of the new session. Amongst matters of
interest to miners is the fact that a scholarship of £50,
tenable for one year, may be awarded in June to the best
student taking his B.Sc. in mining or metallurgy, to
enable him to take a practical course in mines or works
at home or abroad, under conditions approved by the donors,
the Institution, of Mining and Metallurgy, London. The
mining classes, controlled by Prof. Henry Louis, M.A.,
D.Sc., A.R.S.M., M.Inst.C.E., with Mr. Harry Dean,
M.Sc., A.R.S.M., as lecturer, and Mr. Josh Gallon as
prize demonstrator, include a course for the attainment of
the degree of B.Sc. in mining, a degree approved bv the
Home Secretary for the purposes of the Coal Mines Regu-
lation Amendment Act, 1903, and a course for a college
diploma in mining. Other classes arranged include a
special Saturday afternoon course for miners, a course cover-
ing the w’hole of the theoretical requirements of the col-
liery manager’s certificate; and a special Saturday after-
noon course foi colliery engineers, etc., arranged in colla-
boration with the North of England Institute of Mining
and Mechanical Engineers.

Cumberland.

Colliery Developments at Maryport.

The Flimby and Broughton Moor Colliery Company have
decided to re-open another portion of their workings at the
Bertha Colliery, near Maryport. While the workings in
the No. 2 shaft are to be closed, the owners propose to
re-open the No. 1 area for the purpose of penetrating into
the Yard seam, where coal is known to exist, and Which
would take several years to exhaust. Work has been com-
menced with the opening out of the roadways to the No. 1
shaft, and pending the completion of these, the men at
present employed at Bertha will be transferred to the com-
pany’s Watergate Colliery, Flimby, and the Alice Colliery,
Little Broughton. It is proposed to bring the coal under-
ground from the old pit to the present shaft, which is situ-
ated only about a dozen yards away, and then to the surface
by means of the No. 2 shaft.

Yorkshire.

Effect of the War Upon the New Collieries — Rumoured
Transfer of the Harworth Undertaking—The Miners'
Battalions.

Mr. C. D. Mottram, B.Sc., one of H.M. inspectors of
mines for the Yorkshire and North Midland District, son
of Mr. T. H. Mottram, Divisional Inspector of Mines, of
Thorne-road, Doncaster, met with a serious cycle accident