82

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

January 14, 1916.

Notes from the Coal Fields.

[Local Correspondence.]

South VJales and Monmouthshire.

Miners and Military Service Bill: Threat to “ Down Tools ”
—Dissension in the Federation—Status of Miners on
Strike—Swansea's Goal Trade in,1915—Colliery Rating
Appeal—Enormous Goal Freight Rates.

The vote of miners’ delegates at Cardiff conference, on
Wednesday, is something more than an expression of opinion
against the Military Service Bill, its chief significance for
the coal trade being that it emphasises previous indications
of dissension, in Federation ranks ; and that the resolution
as to “ down tools ” opens a troublesome prospect. Upon
the latter point, further, there arises a peculiarly interesting
question as to the status under the new law of a miner who
should come out on strike after enactment of the Bill. By
211 votes to 35, the conference, specially called and repre-
senting the whole coal field, expressed disapproval of
compulsory service; and a singular fact was that the
minority came largely from Monmouthshire, the home of
Mr. Winstone, president of the Federation, who was defeated
recently in the Parliamentary election at Merthyr. In a
second resolution, it was decided by a large majority to
■ask the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain conference in
London on the next day to sanction a ballot favouring
“ down tools ” unless the Bill be withdrawn. It is
important to note that after disposing of this business, the
conference discussed the failure of Federation leaders to
support the president in his election campaign at Merthyr—
an evidence of dissension locally.

There is also disagreement between the South Wales
organisation 'and the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain,
because the latter failed to take part in the Trades Union
Congress last week with reference to the Military Service
Bill; and an interesting circumstance attends this failure,
contrariety of feeling being manifest. The difficulty
originated in a dispute between the Miners’ Federation of
Great Britain and the committee of the General Federation
of Trades; and because of that old dispute, the miners’
central organisation did not take part in the London con-
ference, that committee being one of the summoning bodies.
South Wales miners blame, the Miners’ Federation of Great
Britain for standing aloof, and contend that the occasion
was so important as to justify abandonment of the hostility,
especially as the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades
Union Congress was . part of the joint summoning body.
Everyone in the coal trade will watch with interest the
dissension between the central Federation and the miners'
executive of South Wales, for it is evident that very strong
feeling has been aroused, all the more intense because the
attitude of the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain neces-
sitated the abstention of South Wales executive members
from last week’s labour conference, although they had
intended to take part and had gone to London for that
purpose.

It is a striking circumstance that, notwithstanding the
fact of miners, . being in a “starred” occupation, such
strenuous opposition is offered to the Bill. Indeed, it has, as
already stated, occasioned dissension in the ranks of the
Federation itself. Mr. T. Richards, M.P., criticises very
strongly 'the action of the Miners’ Federation of Great
Britain in regard to the Labour Congress called last week.
The South Wales executive had passed a resolution
antagonistic; and the controversy arising out of this is not
unlikely to widen still further as to the action of what is
called the “ joint labour board ” of the Labour Party, and
its powers and duties in regard to matters that are common
to all the trade unions. However this may be, the outstand-
ing feature is that a strenuous effort is being made in South
Wales to rouse opinion among miners against the Bill.
For example, Mr. Hartshorn argues that “ there can be no
effective trade union action er live trade unionism under a
regime of militarism,” and he declares that it was for the
purpose of getting the weapon of militarism into their hands,
in order to defeat the industrial .movement, that the con-
scriptionist Press has been “ hounding the Government ” to
pass the Bill. His argument is that if the Bill is passed,
every single man of military age in the mines would become
a soldier. The industry is “ starred,” and he asks, “ Why,
then, make soldiers of them?. If the miners are not required
to fight, why put them under military law in the pits? ’’
So, with munition workers : “ They were not to be drafted
into the Army ; and why then should they be attested as
soldiers? ”—A resolution disapproving of the Bill was
passed after this speech; and a similar resolution was passed
in Dowlais district; also at Abergorki in the Rhondda, at
Bargoed, Varteg, and a number of other places. At Risca,
in Monmouthshire, however, and in one or two other centres,
there have been resolutions in favour.

How will miners stand if a strike takes place?
The Military Service Bill applies to every male British
subject over 18 years of age and under 41, if he be unmarried
or a widower without children. All these are “ deemed to
have enlisted,” and become subject to the Army Act. In the
case of miners, these are granted exemption, and are
starred, because it is “ expedient in the national interest ”
that they should continue at work; and the certificate which
releases the man may, according to the Act, be absolute,
temporary, or conditional, as the tribunal thinks fit, and the
certificate may at any time be reviewed so that it may be
withdrawn or varied. Assume that an unmarried coal
miner carries out the suggestion at the Cardiff conference
on Wednesday, and goes on strike after the Government
liave passed the Bill to which the conference objected. The
withdrawal of the certificate brings back the man to the
condition of those who are not starred, and as soon as his
certificate is withdrawn, he is “ deemed to have enlisted.”
Consequently, a striker who loses his position as a starred
man may be called up as a soldier. As a matter of. fact,
tribunals already in existence, are deciding what occupation
a man shall follow, for in a case heard at Newport during
Tuesday a labourer who wished to leave his munition work
where he was being paid a guinea to 25s., for another situa-
tion where he could earn 35s., was refused leave to move.
The unmarried miner on strike will come under these
tribunals, and will also (on the ordinary construction of the
Act when passed) lose his privilege as a starred man, because
all single men are included in the Bill. This is a con-
sideration which apparently has not yet dawned upon the
advocates of “ down tools.”

Swansea Harbour Trustees, at their meeting on Monday,
dealt with the statement of trade during December, its
.most striking feature being a decrease of no less than 18

per cent, in the exports as compared with the corresponding
month in 1914. Principally, the decline^was in coal, coke,
and fuel; and was due to lack of shipping. Mr. Roger Beck,
chairman of the finance committee, said that if the tonnage
difficulty were removed, they would see some relief of the
position. It is very satisfactory, however, to note that upon
the whole year, the shipments of coal were 10,000 tons
higher than in 1914, and patent fuel by 2,000 tons. Accord-
ing to Board of Trade figures (these, however, were not dealt
with in the Trustees’ meeting), the shipments of anthracite
—Swansea’s chief export—were 210,478 tons during
December, as against 227,346 in the corresponding month;
and for the whole year the.totals were 2,227,231, against
2,389,190 tons. These national figures apply, of course, to
other ports as well as Swansea.

The adjourned hearing of. the rating appeal of. Nixon’s
Navigation Colliery Company came before the Glamorgan
Quarter Sessions on Monday. They appealed, against an
assessment by Pontypridd Union for their Deep Duffryn,
Navigation, and Cwmcynon collieries, in the parish of Llan-
wonno. These had been assessed at ,£95,908 gross and
£27,402 ratable, whilst the coal worked in that parish, but
. brought out in shafts in the parish of Merthyr, had been
assessed at £3,183 gross and £909 ratable. Last November,
at a previous sitting of the Quarter Sessions, the hearing
extended over two. days, and the court now heard evidence
on behalf of ' the Assessment Committee, their witnesses
being Mr. E. S. Richards, mining engineer, and Prof.
Galloway, who both deposed that the assessment was fair.
. Mr. J. Fox Tallis gave evidence, stating that in examina-
tion of the colliery, he thought the assessment compared
favourably with that of others in the neighbourhood; and
Mr. H. Eve (London) was also called. The court 'dis-
missed the appeal with costs, and confirmed the assessment.

In the Divisional Court, London, on Tuesday, the rating
appeal of the Glamorgan Coal Company and the Cambrian
Company against Pontypridd Union was mentioned. It was
desired to have the opinion of the Court of Appeal upon a
case stated, and to adjourn hearing of the present case until
that had been dealt with. An adjournment for six weeks
was granted.

Messrs. Watts, Watts and Company, the well-known firm
of coal exporters, of Cardiff, have made a gift of a thousand
guineas to the King Edward VII. Hospital, Cardiff. This is
the seventh bed endowed within.the past twelve months, the
other donors having included Messrs. Evans and Reid, and
also Messrs. Morgan and Cadogan, both firms of coal
exporters, doing a large business in South Wales.

Arising from the Swansea district, a case will shortly
come before the courts where the railway companies seek to
recover demurrage from certain works companies in regard
to traffic from the works to the docks. The works, however,
deny liability,’ as do also the Harbour Trustees; and the
cases promise to be of unusual interest.

Among those who have been mentioned in despatches is
Capt. R. C. B. Partridge, member of the firm of Partridge,
Jones and Company, of Llanhilleth Collieries, Monmouth-
shire. Capt. Partridge is major in the Shropshire
Yeomanry. Another personal item of interest is that M.
Gaston Pommereau, well known on Cardiff Exchange in
connection with Lysbergs Limited, has been awarded the
D.C.M. for gallant conduct on service in France.

The difficulty as to shipping is intensifying to such a
degree that exports are inevitably suffering. When, as was
the case on Tuesday, no less than 75s. is asked for the
carriage of a ton of coal on so short a voyage as that to Genoa,
it follows that the injury to the trade is serious, for at the
most favourable figure the coal on discharge would cost the
consumer not less than £5 per ton—probably more. A
ridiculous story was current as to the British Government
having put at the disposal of Italy 150 steamers for the
carriage of wheat, coal, etc., to the peninsula; but if it were
practicable for our Government to find steamers to this
number, they would be certainly turned into the home trade,
where they are so urgently needed. It is a fact that the
Italian Government have been negotiating in this district
for steamers to be put at their disposal, they requiring a
steady supply of about 100,000 tons of Welsh coal per month;
but it is understood that, although they required only 12 to
15, negotiations were not successful.. Even though they
had obtained the shipping, it is questionable whether they
would have been able to get such a continuing supply of coal,
in viewT of the heavy requirements of our own Government
and France. It was, however, upon the question of tonnage
that the matter fell through. Representations by both the
French and Italian .Governments are said to have been made
to the British Government upon this question of tonnage,
but it is difficult to see how present demands can be met.
The matter is serious for the colliery companies, inasmuch
as stoppages have to take place with the consequent restriction
of output of coal that is urgently needed .in so many
directions.

In this connection, there is reason to believe that the ship-
building yards, which have been hitherto so fully occupied
with Admiralty work, will be now more at liberty to meet
ordinary commercial demands. For coal and grain, particu-
larly, there is an outcry arising from restriction of imports ;
and anything-that can be done to facilitate the construction
of new vessels, or—what has been repeatedly .urged—the
release of vessels now under Admiralty charter, will have a
material effect in lessening the evil. There is no lack of
capital for investment in shinning, the huge profits of the
past 18 months having not .only put large reserves into the
hands of shipowning firms, but also attracted much capital
from the outside. Every suggestion of floating a new ship-
ping company meets with ready response.

Northumberland and Durham.

Mining Men Mentioned in Despatches—Miners and the
Ambulance Gift—Mr. Straker on the Life of Miners'
Leaders.

At Blyth Police Court on Tuesday, the clerk of the court
announced that the charges arising out of the alleged infringe-
ment of the Eight Hours Act at New Delaval Colliery, which
were adjourned a fortnight previously, would not be proceeded
with. .

Mr. Robert G. Wilson, who has just retired from the under-
managership of Pelton 'Colliery—a position he has held with
marked success for nearly 30 years—was well known through-
out the northern coal field as an expert in colliery rescue
work. Mr. Wilson is a certified teacher of mining, and has
four sons who are colliery managers.

Sir John French’s final list of recommendations for gallant
and distinguished conduct in the field included the name of
Maj. J. W. Parrington, R.F.A., eldest son of Mr. M. W.

Parrington, agent for the Wearmouth Coal Company Limited.
Another name in that “ honours list ” is. that of Capt. T. A.
Bradford, of Vigo House, Chestor-le-Street, who is also con-
nected with the Durham mining industry.

Mr. J. W. Proud, who has worked at Shildon Lodge
Colliery for over 42 years, and held the position of fore-
overman in the Harvey seam for nearlv 23 years, has retired,
at the age of 67 years. His working life has been spent at
two collieries only—10 years at Burnhope, and the balance at
Shildon Lodge.' At a farewell gathering held on New Year’s
Day, Mr. Proud was presented with a walking stick and
purse of gold from the officials and workmen at the colliery.

The new colliery at Lynesack, in the Auckland district, has
developed such great activity as to perturb the Auckland Dis-
trict Council’s surveyor very considerably. The surveyor
informed the Council at last week’s meeting that the traffic
from the colliery was seriously damaging a road, which had
not been constructed for heavy traffic. The owners of the
colliery had, however, promised to keep the road in repair
whilst they were using it. With this assurance, the Council
was contented.

Dr.- Jas. Adamson, who, through ill-health, has resigned
the position of medical officer to Hetton Urban District
Council, after 20 years’ service, was one of the pioneers of
mining ambulance work. He first commenced instructing
Durham miners in “first-aid” nearly 40 years ago.- The
Hetton division of the St. John Ambulance Association found
in him its first honorary surgeon and superintendent. In
1870, he introduced the first stretchers used at Hetton in
connection with the local collieries, the injured having
previously been taken home on carts.

At the second time of asking, the Northumberland miners
have decided to levy themselves to the extent of 3d. per
week for 40 weeks, or -6d. per week for 20 weeks, in order to
provide a motor ambulance convoy for use at the front. This
decision is the result of a ballot vote on a motion .submitted
to the members of the Northumberland Miners’ Association
by the council of that organisation. Already several ambu-
lances have been provided by the officials and workmen of
individual collieries. Montagu Colliery, Scots wood, is the
latest to rise to the occasion, and, after subscribing to a fund
by weekly payments, the miners at this pit have, with the
aid of the owners, been able to forward to Mr. Dennis Bayley,
who has taken a national interest in the question of the pro-
vision of motor ambulances, a cheque for £600. The van
which is to be purchased with this money will be known as
the “ Montagu Colliery Ambulance Van.” Other collieries
are on the point of providing ambulances “ off their own
bat.”

Mr. William Straker, corresponding secretary of the
Northumberland Miners’ Association, in his monthly letter
to the members of his association, makes detailed reference
to the death of Mr. Albert Stanley, of Cannock Chase. In
the course of his recital, Mr. Straker remarks that probably
no trade union leaders in Great Britain have more harassing
positions than miners’ leaders. Hence the reason why so
many miners’ agents die comparatively young. If this worry
is greater amongst miners’ officials than it is amongst officials
of other trade unions, however, it is because there is a greater
growth of independence among miners than among other
classes of organised workers. The miner has, says Mr.
Straker, begun to think for himself—not, perhaps, so much
as he ought to do—and, therefore, is in that stage of develop-
ment where uncertainty and suspicion envelop him in a
thick cloud. In another part of the article, he says :—It is
true that a trade union leader may have too much
“ compromise ” to be of much service to those whose interests
he has to look after; but it is also true that, if he cannot
recognise that there are two sides to nearly all disputes
between employer and employed, he will accomplish little,
irrespective of the noise he may make, for the real benefit
of those who employ him.

Cumberland.

Colliery Developments in 1915.

Owing to the war and the.scarcity of men and materials,
the developments in the Cumberland coal field during the
past year have not been on a very extensive scale. A portion
of the Watergate Colliery, near Maryport, which was closed
some months ago, has been recently re-opened, but at present
only 20 to 30 men are employed. The sinking pit is still
standing idle. The Allerdale Coal Company have erected a
new washing plant at their colliery at Clifton. At the
Harrington collieries, new workshops are in course of
erection, and the enlargement of the air shaft has been
completed during the year. The new seams,'the Four-foot
and the Main Band, which were recently won in this colliery,
are now yielding satisfactory outputs. New plant is being
installed at the Camerton Colliery in order to increase the
output, and new coa] cutting machinery has been put down
in the Harrington Colliery and the St. Helens Colliery at
Siddick. Excellent progress has been made in the sinking
of the two new pits at Kells, for the Whitehaven Colliery
Company, and both the shafts are now a good way down.

Yorkshire.

Fire at Hemsworth Colliery—Alleged- Undue Government
Interference in the Sale of Goal.

The question of urban powers for the colliery district of
Conisboro’ has now been relegated to the background for the
period of the war. There was to have been an enquiry on
January 20, at which, it is reported, the opposition of the
Denaby and Uadeby Colliery Company to the scheme would
have been supported by private property owners, who are not
enamoured of the prospect of higher rates.

Quite recently the foundation stone of a handsome new
church for the new colliery village of Rossington, near
Doncaster, was laid. Now comes news that a mission
church is do be erected in the same village by the United
Methodist connection, under the South Yorkshire coal field
mission scheme. The Rossington Main Colliery Company,
who generously gave a site for the Anglican church, has also
given a site in the centre of the model village to the
Methodists.

An alarming fire broke out about six o’clock on Friday of
last week at the Hemsworth Colliery, which belongs to Col.
J. R. Shaw, of Cantley Hall, Doncaster. The fire originated
in the tar plant in connection with the coke ovens. Some
naphthaline became ignited, and the flames spread quickly to
a quantity of pitch, and subsequently to the oil tanks. Under
the direction of Mr. Thomas Beach, manager, the colliery
fire engine was quickly set to work, and in about two hours’
time got control of the fire, whilst the brigade from Ponte-