720

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

April 14, 1916.

Young as an “ unsavoury transaction," concerning which the
whole truth had not been forthcoming, and commented in
severe terms on other actions of Arbuthnot and his co-directors.

New Minister of Mines.—The resignation on December 15
of Sir Richard McBride as Premier and Minister of Mines
for British Columbia, has led to the appointment of a
separate Minister to the important folio of the Mines Depart-
ment of that province. The new Minister, Mr. Lome A.
Campbell, has had long familiarity with the affairs of metal-
liferous mining companies, but as well he has been in the
capacity of president of the McGillivray Creek Coal and Coke
Company Limited, operating in South-Western Alberta,
closely identified with coal mining. He was born on
March 5, 1871, at Perth, Ontario. He is the son of John G.
Campbell, and his wife, Helen I. Campbell, both Canadians.
He was educated at Perth public school and collegiate insti-
tute. He is vice-president and general manager of the West
Kootenay Power and Light Company, and president of the
Cascade Water Power and Light Company, etc.

Notes from the Coal Fields.

{Local Correspondence.]

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

City Freedojn for Lord Rhondda—Remarkable Advance—
Swansea Tonnage Improves—Mining School Question—
Survey of Minerals—Miners'	Leader Decorated—

German Fuel for Italy—Colliers Nonsuited—New Tin-
Plate Order—Mortgaged Colliery—Pit Closed.

The City Council of Cardiff at their meeting on Monday
decided to admit Lord Bhondda to the honorary freedom of
the city.

A most remarkable incident in current affairs is the sudden
rise during the past few days in the value of coal. There
are no Admiralty qualities at all on the market, and the
quotation is for seconds, these being as high as 50s. a ton
on Cardiff Exchange. During Monday small lots were
actually sold as high as 45s., but as a matter of fact the
quotations were little more than nominal, because there was
very little coal to be had. . One of the reasons for the strong-
demand is the irregularity of tonnage. At the present time,
tonnage is plentiful, and consequently the demand for coal
for immediate shipment is insistent; whilst the need of
coal in small parcels that will complete a cargo and enable
a vessel to get to sea explains the offer of exceptionally high
prices. Concurrently, there has been a drop in freights—
due, of course, also to the larger amount of tonnage avail-
able. Whereas rates for Genoa had touched 95s., and many
cargoes had been shipped at 90s., fixtures at 80s. have been
made during this week.

The will of the late Mr. J. Blandy Jenkins, of Llanharran,
chairman of the Glamorgan County Council, has now been
proved, the estate being valued at over £300,000.

The late Lord,plantawe left estate valued at £66,366.

The larger supply of tonnage at Swansea during the
past few days has made a material difference in the ship-
ments. Taking all branches of trade, there was an increase
of 66,000 tons as compared with the preceding week, and
of 22,000 compared with the corresponding week of last
year. The shipments of coal and patent fuel totalled
74,500 tons.

The Monmouthshire Education Committee has discussed
the position in regard to the mining school, the matter arising
upon the report of a visit by a deputation from the committee
to the Board of Education. The coal owners are establishing
at Crumlin a mining school for Monmouthshire, but the
County Education Committee wish to establish a school of
their own; and as the coal owners have applied to the Board
of Education for recognition of their school, the Monmouth-
shire authority sent its deputation to the Board in order to
present their own case, they asking specifically what was the
committee’s position in regard to building a technical mining
school. The deputation reported that the reply of Mr. A. T.
Davies, secretary of the Welsh Department of the Board of
Education, altered the position of the committee in regard to
its own proposed mining school, and the committee decided
to ask the Board to postpone recognition.

The 12ih part of the memoir on the. geology of the South
Wales coal field has been issued by the Geological Survey.
It contains a description of the country around Milford, and
is especially interesting because of the facts that it contains
concerning the far-west development of the coal field. Very
little work is. done in these anthracite seams, although there
is evidence of winning of coal by level or from the outcrop
that was formerly practised for a long period by the residents.
A section of coal measures in West Pembrokeshire seems to
show that there are one or two veins which may be profitably
worked, as, for instance, the Four-foot Folly vein, and
another of Three-feet; but the thickness of a seam varies
very greatly in different parts of the district, and the .strata
are so contorted with numerous faults that probably the
winning of the coal on anything like a large scale would be
impracticable. As the latest and most complete collection of
information, this part xii. is very useful, even though it be
disappointing to those who anticipated that it would make
revelation of possible colliery developments in the district.

Mr. Edward Gill, one of the miners’ leaders of Abertillery,
holds the rank of lieutenant in the Army, and has been
decorated with the Military Cross for heroic work in the
trenches. Mr. Gill serves with the South Wales Borderers,
and was granted a commission early in his career. The
particular service for which he gained the distinction was the
rescue of wounded officers and men. He jumped the parapet,
and repeatedly went into the open to bring them in.

It is of special interest to note that the distinguished
Italian economist, Baron Bernardo Quaranta di San Severino,
who is now in this country to help in developing commercial
relations with Italy, has directed special attention to South
Wales and to the coal trade carried on between the Bristol
Channel ports and the Peninsula. On Monday he met the
members of the Swansea Chamber of Commerce. Baron
Severino suggested that some of the difficulties in the way of
developing British trade arose out of our present system of
weights and measures. He also looked forward to an improve-
ment in the postal and telegraph system, and desired to see
the credit system of banks, and the establishment of a. British
bank in Italy. There should also be held periodical com-
mercial and industrial exhibitions, and British youths might
be sent to Italy to study the commercial and industrial
system and the customs of the country.

In the course of a discussion on the address by Baron
Severino at Cardiff Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, the
president referred to what had been said as to Germany
having got a footing in Italy on account of her low prices
for coal and patent fuel. He said he did not see how they
were going to deal with the matter, for so long as it was
cheaper than British, the Italian would go on buying the
German coal. The patent fuel manufacturers of Germany
some time ago set out to exclude British trade from Italy,
regardless of cost, in order to have the market for them-
selves. To introduce their patent fuel to the Italians, they
offered it at shillings below the actual cost of manufacture
at the port of Newport. How was it possible to deal with
that sort of thing?

Two colliers engaged at the Gelliceidrim Colliery sued the
company for £59 breach of contract and £1 5s. 3d. wages
due, it being alleged on their behalf that the company had
improperly kept the men from work in contravention of an
agreement. Mr. Kenshole, who appeared for the defence,
was able to show that one of the plaintiffs was dismissed
because he refused to obey a reasonable order; and the judge
held, therefore, that the man had been properly dismissed.
After evidence in . support of the claim had been called, the
judge said he did not think anything would be gained by
calling witnesses for the defence. Plaintiffs had refused to
comply with the rules, - and they should have carried out
reasonable orders.

The new Order which removes tin-plate manufacture from
the list of reserved occupations cannot fail to have a serious
effect upon South Wales, seeing how very large a proportion
of the total present output is required for what really are
war purnoses. It is estimated that three-fourths, and pro-
bably more, of the tin-plate now being manufactured goes
to the'British or Allied Governments. There is a consider-
able shortage of men, just the class who would be taken away
for military service: and if the loss of labour becomes still
greater, it is bound to affect very seriously the output.

The Chancery Court has appointed a receiver and manager
of the Cwmcorrwg Colliery, on the application of Messrs.
S. Instone and Company, Cardiff, whose counsel -stated in
court that a mortgage of £1,666 existed, and that his clients
had provided money week by week for wages. Moreover, it
was alleged that the defendant, Mr. Williams, had not fully
carried out his contract to supply coal to the plaintiffs. His
lordship empowered the receiver to employ Mr. Williams,
and said the matter would come before the court again in
July.

The statement of affairs in the bankruptcy of Mr. E. H.
Hedley, formerly managing director of Hedley’s Collieries
Company Limited, disclosed gross liabilities amounting to
£25,967 (ranking £11,904), and assets nil.

The Fenian Colliery, Llanrhidian Higher, Penclawdd,
has been worked out and closed, and the Gower Council
has been asked to see that it is fenced round.

Mr. James Winstone, agent, reported at a meeting of the
Eastern Valleys branch of the South Wales Miners’ Federa-
tion at Pontypool, on Monday, that fatal accidents -were
becoming more numerous than had been anticipated, and
Mr. AV. L. Cook, sub-agent, said that a wicked anomaly
existed in the Coal Mines Act. ' If 2 ft. were allowed on
the sides of a double-railed road it was not necessary to
allow 3 ft. between the two sets of rails. If 3 ft. had existed
at the spot where a man was killed recently in the
Blaenserchan Colliery, he probably would not have met with
his death.

A case relating to an alleged wet heading in the Cynon
Colliery, Port Talbot, was decided in Aberavon Count Court
on Tuesday. The plaintiff, David Jones, haulier, sued the
colliery company for £2 2s. 6d. extra wages for allowance on
a half turn plus percentage at the daywage rate. Plaintiff
said he had been employed at the Cynon Colliery for the
last 10 months. He worked in the No. 10 heading, which
was a very wet place. The water dripped so badly that
his clothing was soaked through. The water on the ground
was about 10 in. deep in places. He received the extra half
turn up to October last. Evidence in support of the claim
having been given, Mr. Wm. Jenkins, J.P., miners’ agent
for the Avon Valley district, said that he was deputed by
the Federation to settle the strike in 1914. The only ques-
tion in dispute at the time was in regard to the hauliers,
and the settlement included that all agreements in respect to
the colliers were to be respected. For the defence, Mr.
Percy Jacob, managing director of the Cynon Colliery, said
an agreement was signed in 1911, and a half turn extra was
paid for wet places until the strike. They found that the
men were claiming the extra pay whether they worked in
wet places or not. The plaintiff signed on in March 1915,
at 4s. 6d. a day, plus percentage, the extra 6d. covering the
working in a wet place. His Honour held there was no
evidence that it was a very wet place, and gave judgment
for the defendant company, but made no special order as
to costs.

Northumberland and Durham.

Shotton- Colliery Presentation—Gift to War Sufferers—
Management Changes—Wages and Unsold Coal—Mr.
Straker's Letter—Blyth Trade—Danger of Noise—Ques-
tion of Extra Turns.

Mr. John Hartley, who recently retired from the position
of manager of the Shotton Colliery of the Horden Collieries
Limited, has been presented with a purse of gold by the
officials and workmen of the colliery and by his personal
friends.

The Northumberland miners’ lodge are being asked to
vote as to whether the usual picnic shall be held this summer
or whether, as was the case a year ago, it shall be abandoned
for the year because of the continuance of the war. Votes
are returnable by April 22.

Mr. Halze, a Norwegian coal importer dealing principally
in Northumbrian coal, placed £85 with the Northumberland
Miners’ Association for the assistance of members or their
dependants who have suffered in consequence of the
members’ active participation in the war.

Some important official changes have been made during
the last few weeks in connection with the Auckland collieries
of Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan and Company Limited. Mr.
Mark Hudson, who for over 10'years has been officially
connected with the Black Boy Colliery, is leaving to take
up the management of a colliery at Cockfield. Mr. Jas.
Smith, of Auckland Park, who has been under-manager of
the Brockwell seam for some years, has been transferred to
Black Boy, to succeed Mr. Hudson. Mr. Geo. Daykin,
who during the greater part of his life has been employed
at Black Boy and Auckland Park collieries, and has been

under-manager in the Harvey seam at the latter colliery
under successive managers, will now be under-manager for
both the Harvey and Brockwell seams.

Communicating to the members of the Northumberland
Miners’ Association the intelligence that wages had been
advanced to 90 per cent, above the, basis of 1879, the wages
committee of the association states :—“ In our last report
we pointed out that there was, at the end of the quarter
terminating with November 1915, a good deal of unsold
coal either standing in trucks or lying in heaps, which
necessarily reduced the average selling price for that
quarter. On this occasion, the position is different, as we
have reason to believe that the quantity of unsold coal is
nothing like so great as it then was; consequently, the
average price has been further increased by the sale of coal
this quarter, which was raised during the quarter previously.
The increase in wages is still far from meeting the increase
in the cost of living. We make bold to say that we, in
this district, have got advances in wages which have given
us as fair a share of the increase in coal prices as has been
secured by miners in any other part of the kingdom; and
this we have got without friction, trouble, or turmoil.’’

In his April letter to the Northumberland miners, Mr.
Wm. Straker falls foul of a newspaper writer who recently
asked the public, who might grumble at the high price of
coal, “ not to forget the miners’ continual demand for higher
wages." Mr. Straker retorts that miners never receive
advances in wages until the market price of coal has risen.
He does not mention the special war bonus of 15 per cent.,
granted some time before it was proved that coal prices
justified the increase. However, as a general proposition,
his statement is quite correct, and that the arrangement
is satisfactory may be judged from the recent declaration
of the Northumberland Miners’ Wages Committee.

Continuing, Mr. Straker waxes wroth with Mr. Simon
Tate for his statement—reported in The Colliery Guardian
for February 18—that : “In this country, the Minimum
Wage -Act sounded the death-knell of strenuous hewing."
He denies that there is a particle of truth in the statement,
and says :—“ Take the position in Northumberland .at the
present time. At an ordinary long-hour pit, the recognised
county average wage for coal hewTers is 9s. 9-8d. per shift.
The minimum wage, as fixed by Lord Mersey, is 5s. 8d.
Will Mr. Simon Tate, or anyone of his audience, say that
this paltry minimum wage of'5s. 8d., under circumstances
like these, prevents any man from hewing strenuously,
when, by doing so, he could on an .average, almost double
that wage and, in many cases, much more than double it? ’’

The Blyth Harbour Commissioners’ trade returns for
March show that 1,875 loads of mining timber were imported
and 258,238 tons of coal and coke exported. The latter
quantity was a decrease of 27,642 tons on the shipments
for March 1915.

The danger of mine workers creating noise at the bottom
of a pit shaft when the cage is working was demonstrated at
the inquest on Robert Weightman, 65, at Blyth last week.
It appeared from the evidence that a number of lads had
just gone down in the cage, and, after alighting, became
excited, and made a. lot of noise. Whilst this was going on,
men were getting into the cage in order to ascend the shaft,
and the noise prevented the onsetter from hearing distinctly
the customary signal to start the cage, “ Right." He stated,
in evidence, that he thought he heard Hie signal, and conse-
quently set. the cage away. Weightman was caught between
the cage and the side of the shaft, and died later from his
injuries. The jury returned a verdict of “ Accidental death."

The officials and workmen of Harton Colliery, South
Shields, have presented Corpl. John O’Brien, of that colliery,
with a gold watch and albert, in honour of his having won
the D.C.M.; and Mr. Robert Hann, manager of Harton
Colliery, has presented the same- soldier with a gold medal
pendant.

Richard Straughan, treasurer of the Railey Fell (Even-
wood) lodge of the Durham Miners’ Association, was fined £1
for withholding £33, the money of the Durham Miners’ Asso-
ciation, at Durham. The repayment of the money was
ordered.

Cleveland.

Blast Furnacemen s Wages—Night Work and Aircraft
Dangers.

The average net selling price of No. 3 Cleveland pig iron
for the months of January, February, and March, has been
certified at 72s. ll-28d. per ton, as compared with 67s. 4-16d.
per ton for the previous quarter—a rise of 5s. 7-12d. per ton.
This carries an advance in blast furnacemen’s wages of 7 per
cent., raising wages from 44 per cent, above the standard,
to 51 per cent, above the standard.

Coun. Callighan, who presided at the quarterly council
meeting’of the Cleveland and Durham Blast Furnacemen’s
and Cokemen’s Association in Middlesbrough, referred to air
raids, and said that the executive committee for a considerable
time now had been trying to convince the Iron Masters’ Asso-
ciation of the necessity of insuring the men employed at the
blast furnaces and coke ovens in Cleveland against injuries
from enemy aircraft. He advised men employed on plants
where provision for compensation in such cases had not been
made to take the question up without delay with their firms,
and demand some safeguard that would stand the test of the
law courts. There was another important side of this ques-
tion. It was absolutely imperative that the furnaces and
coke ovens should be kept working at full pressure, in order
that the men in the field shall be supplied with munitions
of war, but was it the wisest policy to keep going at full
pressure during the danger hours of night, running the risks
of loss of life, damage to works, and endangering the towns
where the works are situated, in order to increase the output,
when, by temporary slacking of blast, these dangers could
be avoided or mitigated? They had a right to know what
the iron masters’ policy was.

Cumberland.

Managerial Change—D.S.O. for Colliery Director.

Mr. W. Lloyd Thompson, manager of the Flimby and
Broughton Moor collieries for the last 15 months, has been
appointed to a similar position at the Garswood Hall collieries,
Lancashire. He takes up his new duties at the end of this
month.

Capt. R. C. R. Blair, D.S.O., managing director of the
Whitehaven Collieries, of the 5th Border Regiment, was
amongst the officers who were decorated by the King at
Buckingham Palace on Saturday.