234

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

February 4, 1916.

Federated Area.

The Coal Conciliation Board for the Federated mining dis-
tricts in England and North Wales met at the Westminster
Palace Hotel, London, on Tuesday, to consider an applica-
tion by the miners for an advance of 5 per cent, on the present
rate of wages. The new agreement, which is for a period of
three years, provides for a minimum of 10 per cent, on a new
standard, which is 50 per cent, above the old standard of 1888,
equal to the highest wage ever paid during the life of the
Conciliation Board from 1894. In addition, the men are
receiving a war bonus of 15J per cent, on the wage, under an
award given by Lord Coleridge, the independent chairman
of the Board, and from the first making-up day in December
a further advance of 5 per cent, on the new standard has
been paid to the men. Mr. F. J. Jones, Yorkshire, chairman
of the Board, presided. The men’s application for an advance
was based on the average selling price of coal at representative
collieries in the Federated area. Under the constitution of
the Board a monthly examination of the books' at representa-
tive collieries, chosen and agreed to by both parties, is taken
by a firm of accountants, and the figures largely regulate the
. wage paid within the minima and maxima fixed by the
Board. The figures on which the December advance of 5
per cent, was given were those of July last, and showed an
average selling price of 12s. Id. per ton at the pit head. The
present application for a further advance of 5 per cent, was
based upon the November figures, which showed an average
selling price of 12s. 10d., or an advance of 9d. per ton. Mr.
Stephen Walsh, M.P., presented the men’s case. Mr.
F. J. Jones asked for an adjournment to enable the repre-
sentatives of the coal owners to lay the matter before the
colliery, proprietors of the various districts within the area of
the Board. This was agreed to by the men, and the meeting
was adjourned until Thursday, February 17, when a decision
is likely to be reached.

At meetings of miners employed by Lord Ellesmere,
Tyldesley Coal Company Limited, Clifton and Kersley Coal
Company Limited, Hulton Colliery Company, Messrs. A.
Knowles and Sons Limited, and Astley and Tyldesley Coal
Company Limited held on Monday night, in the Manchester
and Bolton districts, it was decided to ask the executive
council of the Lancashire and Cheshire Miners’ Federation
to take steps to istop the wholesale influx of outsiders from
all kinds of trades into coal mines. It is asserted that many
of the new comers are going down the mines to evade
military service.

Mr. H. Smith presided at a meeting of the council of the
Yorkshire Miners’ Association .at Barnsley, on Monday. It
was reported that, since the last meeting, 42 more members
had been killed, whilst serving at the front, making a total
of 673. Several branches in the West Yorkshire area applied
for permission to take a ballot on the question of tendering
notices owing to alleged grievances. Mr. Smith said they
had given a pledge, to the Minister of Munitions that they
would avoid strikes during the war. They were willing to
fix up machinery with that object, and submitted a scheme
to the West Yorkshire Coal Owners’ Association last October,
but had merely received a letter of acknowledgment. If the
owners were not anxious to avoid disputes, he was afraid
there was no alternative but to allow the men at Wakefield
Manor, Beesten Manor, and Old Sharlston collieries to take
a ballot. They would be sorry if the ballot had to be
taken, because they thought the suggested machinery would
have brought about .a settlement. The council received a
report that female labour had been introduced in the lamp
room at the Nunnery Colliery, Sheffield. The council
decided to ask for the withdrawal of the female workers, and,
failing this, .agreed to support their members in any legal
action they might take. The council had before them a
list of alleged victims whom, owners had refused to pay in
accordance with the price lists. The chairman said they
were surprised to find 30 men who had been idle for .a week
or more because they had not been fairly dealt with owing
to difficulties met with in the course of their work. They
were asking the coal owners for a joint meeting to enquire
into these cases. The officials appealed to all men to work
as regularly as possible, as the supply of coal was very
necessary for the Navy and public purposes. Prices were
going up by leaps and bounds, which was against all
patriotism.

The ballot for the election of miners’ agent for the
Cannock Chase district, in succession to the late Mr. Albert
Stanley, M.P., has resulted in the election of Mr. J. Baker,
who has held the position of assistant miners’ agent for
five years. He is also secretary to the Midland Miners'
Federation.

The members of the Miners’ Federation employed at the
Griff Collieries, Nuneaton, have passed a resolution threaten-
ing to “ down tools ” if the non-union men do not join the
union within a limited time. Mr. W. Johnson, M.P.
(agent), in addressing the men, said it was the duty of the
lodge officials to look after the non-unionists. They couhl
rely upon the full support of the executive in any action
they took.

Scotland.

Two thousand men employed at three collieries owned by
the Summerlee Coal Company declined to resume work on
Monday, as a protest against the action of the company in
deducting from the wages of the men and girls one-eighth of
a day’s wage for short-working on Saturday. This deduction,
they declared, in a resolution which was forwarded to the
Minister of Munitions, was a violation of an agreement come
to recently between the Lanarkshire coal owners and the
men, where, at the express desire of the Minister of Muni-
tions, the men decided to have an 11 days a fortnight working
policy. The management conceded the men’s demands, and
on Tuesday work was resumed.

The executive of the Fife and Kinross Miners’ Union have
decided, in view of the nature of the finding given by the legal
arbiters in the Blairhall reference, which decision is entirely
satisfactory from the men’s point of view, that an effort be
made to put in operation at Blairhall the same system as
obtains at the majority of the collieries in the county. The
method of deduction for foreign material was the cause of a
strike at this large colliery some four months ago, and as a
means of settling it was agreed that the interpretation of
the law regarding the point at issue be referred to the Lord
Advocate and Mr. J. Avon Clyde, M.P.

Iron, Steel and Engineering Trades.

The employees in various departments in the workshops
attached to the Earl of Ellesmere’s collieries in the
Manchester and Bolton areas were last week granted an
advance of Is. 6d. per week. A 'considerable number of
men participate in this 'advance. ’

Scottish iron workers have been awarded by the Concilia-
tion Board a further advance of 10 per cent, in wages,

The accountants to the Board of Conciliation and Arbitra-
tion for the Manufactured Iron and Steel Trade of the North
of England have just certified the average net selling price
of iron rails, plates, bars, and angles for the two months
ended December 31 last at T9 13s. l'94d. per ton, as
compared with T8 19s. 9-03d. per ton for the previous two
months, and in accordance with sliding scale arrangements
an advance of 9d. per ton on puddling, and 7| per cent,
on all other forge and mill wages take effect as from
Monday last.

The Midland Iron and Steel Wages Board ascertainment
for November and December give the increase of ,7J per cent,
to iron makers. The puddling rate becomes 14s. per ton—
the highest for half a century. Immediately before the war
it was 9s. 6d., and the average net selling price of all
descriptions of material,’ now TH 4s., was then T6 15s.
Bar iron has increased by over T4 in the interval, hoops and
strips by fully T5 5s. The advance applies to South
Staffordshire, East Worcestershire, Shropshire, Lancashire,
and parts of Yorkshire and South Wales.

Messrs. James' C. Bishop and James Gavin, joint
secretaries of the Scottish Manufactured Iron Trade Con-
ciliation and Arbitration Board, have received intimation
from Mr. John M. MacLeod, C.A., Glasgow that he has
examined the employers’ books for November and December
1915, and certifies the average net selling price brought out
is T10 2s. 8-8d. per ton. This means an increase of 10 per
cent, in the wages of the workmen.

COASTWISE SHIPMENTS IN DECEMBER.

As will be seen from the appended table, the quantity
of coai shipped coastwise from the various ports in the
United Kingdom during December last showed a decrease
when compared with the corresponding month of 1914.
The following figuies have been extracted from the
returns issued by the Commissioners of H.M. Customs
and Excise :—

From	I	Total  I	cargo.	Total ’	bunker.
	1914.	1915.	1914.	1915.
	i	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.
Bristol Channel ports 			152,701	128,767	12,679	10,895
North-western ports 		196,356	191,142	55,844	45,004
North-eastern ports 		460,280	487,094	23,621	50,266
Humber ports		172,058	84,022	15,102	9,014
Other ports on east coast		2,896	4,193	13,352	13,296
Other English ports 		1,995	2,800	6,853	2,991
Total from England and Wales		i	986,286	898,018	127,451	131,466
Ports on east coast of Scotland			34,349	39,380	13,796	15,96’5
Ports on west coast of Scotland		112,160	!	123,652	28,777	22,014
Total from Scotland		146,509 -	163,032	42,573	37,979
Irish ports 		—	—	4,415	4,273
Total from United Kingdom 		1,132,795	1,061,050	174,439	173,718

The destination of cargo shipments was as follows

To ports in

England and Wales........

Scotland.................

Ireland .................

Dec. 1914.
Tons.
754,578
67,252
310,965

Dec. 1915.
Tons.

679,339

45,567

336,144

Shipments to London in December totalled 496,624
tons.

OBITUARY.

The death occurred last week of Mr. William Thomas
Lance, general manager of the Ince Wagon and Iron Works
Company Limited, Lower Ince.

The death occurred at Weston-super-Mare on Wednesday of
last week of Mr. Bowland Hill, J.P., of The Firs, Kidder-
minster. Mr. Hill, who was 63 years of age, had been
associated with the Staffordshire iron trade for many years.
He was a native of Tipton, where he became head of a large
iron works, as well as of many other concerns.

Mr. Robert Hogg Clayton, of Gateshead, who has died
at the. ^ge of 81 years, was one of the ablest bone-setters in
the North of England, and learned much of his -skill in the
mine. Going to work in the pits at the age of seven years,
he continued until he had passed his 40th year, when, at
the grade of overman, he decided to devote his whole time
to his favourite avocation. His chief mining work was
done at Wardley Colliery, where his services were much
in request in times of 'accident, and where his work was
so highly appreciated and relied upon that the colliery
doctor successfully besought the owners to allow Mr. Clayton
to render first aid whenever he (the doctor) was not
immediately accessible.

Pte. Harry Slater, of the 2nd Grenadier Guards, of Bolton,
has been killed while endeavouring to rescue a wounded com-
rade. He was 20 years of age, and was a partner with his
brother, Mr. Jack Slater, in the firm of Messrs. Adam
Bromley and Son, coal exporters, Bolton.

Lieut. Frederick Crathorne, 252nd Tunnelling Company,
Royal Engineers, who fell in France on January 14, was the
second son of Mr. and Mrs. John Crathorne, of Vryheid,
Natal, South Africa. He was a mining engineer, and was
a former student at the Camborne School of Mines, 1903-
1906.

Two well-known men on the London Coal Exchange have
passed away during the week in the persons of Mr. John
Lamont (of Messrs. Lamont and Warne), and Mr. Batt (of
Messrs. Geo. Hinchliff e and Company).

Sir H. Lincoln Tangye has been elected chairman of the
firm of Messrs. Richard Hill and Company Limited, of the
Newport Wire Works, Middlesbrough, in succession to the
late Mr. Frederick William Manson, of the well-known
Broad-street firm of Messrs. Back and Manson.

COAL, IRON AND ENGINEERING COMPANIES.

REPORTS AND DIVIDENDS.

Bessemer (Henry) and Company Limited.—The directors
recommend a final dividend on the ordinary shares of 10 per
cent., making 12J per cent, for the past year. The dividends
for 1914 amounted to 10 per cent.

Bethlehem Steel Company Limited.—Quarterly dividend of
7J per cent, on the common stock.

Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company
Limited.—The directors recommend the payment of a divi-
dend of T1 per share (free of tax) on the ordinary capital for
the half-year ended December 31.

Bristol and South Wales Railway Wagon Company
Limited.—The directors recommend a dividend of 3s. per
share, less tax, payable February 18, making 10 per cent,
for year, placing. T2,000 to reserve, and carrving forward
Tl,987.	"

Cape Breton Coal, Iron, and Railway Company Limited.—
The accounts for 16 months to April 30, 1915, show a loss,
after providing for administration expenses and interest on
the 6 per cent, firgt mortgage bonds (to July 1, 1914) of
240,488 dols. No mining operations have taken place since
January 15, 1915, and, owing to the financial requirements
of the company, the directors state that it is feared that
nothing can be done in connection with the development of
the property until after the termination of the war. The first
mortgage bondholders have agreed to the postponement of
interest on their bonds from January 1, 1915, to a date, or
dates, not later than January 1, 1918, as the company may
determine, and have authorised the issue of the unissued
bonds, in priority to those already issued. An Act has been
passed by the.Legislature of Nova Scotia giving the Govern-
ment of that province the power to guarantee, under certain
conditions, the principal and interest up to T75,000 of the new
bonds, which may be issued in accordance with the resolu-
tions above referred to.

Consett Spanish Ore Company Limited. — The directors

announce that no interim dividend will be paid at this time
on the ordinary shares.

Cory (Horace) and Company Limited.—The report for the
year to December 31 states that the profit is T9,411, and with
T369 brought in, T9,780. An interim dividend of 3' per cent,
on the ordinary shares was paid in June, and a further divi-
dend of 2 per cent, is recommended, making 5 per cent, for
the year; that Tl,000 be placed to an investment reserve
fund, and Tl,030 carried forward.

East Indian Coal Company Limited.—The report for the •
half-year ended October 31, 1915, states that, after making
the usual allowance for depreciation, the half-year has resulted
in a profit of TH,351, which, with T2,238 brought forward,
makes T13,589 for disposal. The directors recommend a divi-*
dend of 7 per cent, for the half-year, less income-tax, and that
the balance be carried forward. The output was 313,602 tons,
as compared with 260,808 tons for the half-year ended
October 31, 1914. The stock of 10, 11, and 12 seams of coal
amounts to 89,551 tons. Its value during the last two half-
years has been written down out of profits below its raising
cost to the extent of T4,387. Pits and inclines in the above
seams, normally producing 56,077 tons per half-year, have
been stopped, which will increase the cost in the rest of the
Kendwadih district.

Lancashire and Yorkshire Wagon Company Limited.—The
directors state that the working of the hiring department has
been such that the result justifies them in paying an interim
dividend of 6s. per share, less tax, the same as a year ago.

New Sharlston Collieries Company Limited.—The directors
recommend a final dividend of 15s. per share, making 20s.
per share (5 per cent.) for the past year. ■

Scatt (Walter) Limited.—The directors announce a half-
yearly dividend on the preference shares at the rate of 6 per
cent, per ahnum, and Is. per share, equal to 5 per cent., on
the ordinary shares.

Scottish Wagon Company Limited. — Including T335
brought forward, the profits amount to T20,954. The
directors recommend a dividend of 7 per cent., less tax, for
the year, that T5,000 be carried to reserve fund, raising it to
T67,000, and T649 carried forward.

The Yorkshire Electric Power Company.—The directors,
in their report for the year ended December 31, 1915, state
that the net profit on the revenue account, after'payment of
mortgage interest and other interest, was T21,209 0s. 2d., the
balance brought forward from 1914 was T3,049 Is. 3d.,
which makes a total of T24,258 Is. 5d., and deducting the
preference dividend paid to June 30, 1915, £5,065 12s. 8d.,
leaves a disposable balance of T19,192 8s. 9d. The directors •
recommend that this balance should be dealt with as follows :
To pay a dividend, less income-tax, at the rate of 6 per cent,
per annum on the preference shares for the half-year ended
December 31, 1915, amounting to T4,950 10s. 10d., and 1 per
cent, on the ordinary shares for the year 1915, absorbing
T2,356 7s. 3d.; to write off the cost of the Yorkshire Electric
Power Bill, 1915, Tl,907 12s. 3d.; to bring the general
reserve fund to T20,000 by transferring T7,500; and to carry
forward T2,477 18s. 5d. Of the issue of the 51 per cent, first