816

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

April 28, 1916.

which gives off nitrous fumes, it does not come under the
schedule of industrial diseases.

The Lambton and Hetton Collieries Limited, who have,
in the centre of Sunderland, some tunnels through which they
convey coals to the shipping staiths, have communicated with
the police authorities, offering to place these tunnels at their
disposal as refuges in the event of an air raid. The Sunder-
land Emergency Committee, therefore, is investigating the
matter, with a view to seeing if it is practicable to put these
tunnels to such a use. One objection is stated to be that the
danger to people getting to and from the tunnels might out-
weigh the advantages gained in the way of protection from
Zeppelin bombs.

With the amalgamation of the county By-Product Workers’
and Cokemen’s associations of Durham, Yorkshire, Derby-
shire, Lancashire, and South Wales, under the title of the
National By-Product Workers’ and Cokemen’s Association,
Mr. Chas. Thompson, of Esh Winning, who has been presi-
dent of the Durham Association, has been appointed president
of the amalgamated organisation, the membership of which
will reach 10,000 in normal times.

The latest list of donations to the Northumberland Belgian
Belief Fund includes the following subscriptions from colliery
companies:—Ashington Coal Company Limited, £250;
Bedlington Coal Company Limited, £200; Cowpen Coal Com-
pany Limited, £150; U. A. Bitson and Sons Limited, £105;
Byhope Coal Company Limited, £100; Burradon and Cox-
lodge Coal Company Limited, £100; and the Cramlington
Coal Company Limited, £100—a total of £1,005. In addi-
tion, the workmen of Throckley Colliery have subscribed over
£10.

Sergt. J. Cruthers, of the Durham Light Infantry, who
has arrived home at Pelton, having escaped from prison in
Germany, describes how some of our imprisoned soldiers are
sent on working parties to the coke ovens, where they are
engaged in 12-hour shifts, and, at the week-ends, have to
work for 21 hours at a stretch. He himself only did one
shift at the ovens, and was afterwards engaged on light
work in a pit yard. Cruthers was a miner at Urpeth C Pit
'prior to joining the Colours.

Mr. Philip Kirkup, general manager of the Birtley Iron
Company Limited, and agent for the big group of collieries
owned by Messrs. Chas. Perkins and Partners, has recently
completed the installation of a large and successful plant at
the Birtley E Pit for the generation of electric power, with
transmission supplies to other collieries. The motive power
for the machinery is derived from the exhaust steam of the
general surface engines which otherwise would be wasted.
In addition, there is a powerful air compressing plant, with
complete equipment of coolers, receivers, and distributive
mains.

In the Durham Chancery Court, the Chancellor heard a
partnership action, in which the plaintiff was George
Bobson, coal merchant, of East Boldon, and the defendant
John Douglas Loraine, also a coal merchant at Boldon.
Plaintiff asked that the partnership should be dissolved, and
that an account should be taken by the Begistrar. His
counsel said he understood that the business was insolvent.
Defendant, who had not entered any defence, claimed that
plaintiff owed him £180, and that the verbal terms of the
partnership had not been fulfilled. The Chancellor granted
the order asked for, and appointed the plaintiff receiver and
manager, subject to the satisfaction of the Begistrar.

The Assessment Committee of the Auckland Union has
recently completed a revaluation of the 55 collieries in the
Union, basing the figures, as in previous years, upon the
quantity, and class of coal and clay drawn to bank. In view
of the increased prices charged for coal, the Committee
increased the rate by |d. per ton, the result being that, for
the coming year, coal (with two exceptions indicated here-
after) will be assessed as follows :—First-class coal, 5fd.
per ton; second-class coal, 4|d. per ton; and third-class coal,
3|d. per ton on the gross drawings. No alteration has been
made in the basis for the assessment of clay, that being
allowed to remain at 4d. per ton on the gross drawings.
No deduction is made for ratable value from the gross
estimated rental thus arrived at. Colliery shafts are
assessed at l^d. per ton on the full drawings of the first
’and second classes of coal, and at |d. per ton on third-class
coal and on clay, with a deduction of 25 per cent, for ratable
value from the gross estimated rental. There, was a
decrease in the quantity of coal drawn during the year, when
compared with the total for the previous year, of 231,748
tons, the total quantity for the year being 3,705,549 tons.
The total quantity of clay was 34,368 tons. The actual
ratable value of coal and clay will, therefore, be as follows :
Coal at 5^d. per ton (647,110 tons), £15,503; at 5|d.
(special) 128,865 tons), £631; at 4^d. (1,869,827 tons),
£37,006; at 3|d. (1,128,500 tons), £15,281; at 3d. (special)
on 31,247 tons, £390; clay at 4d. on 34,368 tons, £572
giving a total assessment of over £69,000 for the year.
The assessment of shafts is valued at £12,485 2s. lid. The
total assessment of collieries, exclusive of surface lands,
buildings, machinery and fixed plants, is £81,882 7s. lOd.
The Committee has revalued the different classes of coke
ovens connected with several of the collieries, and the
increased assessment has not been objected to by the colliery
owners.

Mr. B. W. Hall, manager of the Leasingthorne Colliery
of Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan and Company Limited, has
been elected president of the North of England branch of
the National Association of Colliery Managers.

For having ill-treated a pony in the Sacriston pit, John
Geo. Storey was fined £3 by the Durham City magistrates
last week. He denied the offence, and pleaded on his behalf
that three wounds on the animal’s back must have been
caused by the pony having bumped against a sharp stone
in the roof.

A good word for coal dust was said by Dr. Hill, Medical
Officer for the County of Durham, at a meeting of the
members of the County Insurance Committee recently. The
Committee had under discussion a report, by Dr. Hill, on
housing conditions in the county, and a member enquired
as to the phthisis rate. Dr. Hill replied that the phthisis
rate in Northumberland and Durham was lower than for
England and Wales, one of the reasons being that coal dust
had an inhibitory effect on the bacillus. The chairman
(Aid. Bartlett) added that the actual phthisis rates were :—
England and Wales, 1*02; and Durham, 0*89.

The report out of which the discussion arose stated that
overcrowding was .at least 28-5 per 1,000 of the population,
whereas it was only 9 per 1,000 for England and Wales.
At Annfield Plain, it wTas 41*4, and at Leadgate 43-6. How
did these figures compare with other colliery districts? In
the West Biding of Yorkshire the proportion was 10*3,
whilst at Normanton, a definite mining portion of the district,

it was 13-5. Much had been done to improve housing
conditions in Durham County, and although 10 or 11 build-
ing schemes had been held up becausq the necessary sanction
was not obtainable, still there was a movement in the right
direction, which was only waiting . the opportunity to
develop.

Lance-Corpl. J. W. Thomas, of the 8th Durham Light
Infantry, whose father, Mr. W. B. Thomas, is master shifter
at Sacriston Colliery, arrived home this wreek after having
made his escape from a German prison camp, in similar
manner as did Sergt. J. Cruthers, of the same regimental
battalion. Thomas was captured on April 21 last year, and
during his incarceration, was employed at the coke works for
a few days, but refused to continue. On Shrove Tuesday he
and a number of others were informed that they would have
to work down a coal mine. About 200 of them refused. They
were very seriously maltreated as a consequence. Ultimately,
however, Thomas and four Frenchmen made their escape
together.

The Durham County Education Committee last Wednesday
adopted the recommendation of the Elementary Education
Sub-Committee that the Durham Coal Owners’ Association
should be informed that the sub-committee was prepared to
discuss the question of boy labour in mines as soon as the
boys alleged to be illegally employed at Shildon Lodge
Colliery were sent back to school.

Cumberland.

After being idle since the 20th inst., in order that certain
alterations might be effected in the working arrangements, the
Buckliil'l Colliery, Great Broughton, resumed operations on
Tuesday morning under improved conditions. For some time
the owners, the Allerdale Coal Company, have been
making developments, with a view to an increased output,
by closing one of the two “ eyes ” in tbe shaft, and thus
enabling the men and coals to be brought from one level.
For this purpose the main shaft has had to be extended by
18 fathoms, and a new landing stage constructed, from 'which
the men are brought to tbe surface. The level of the shaft
is now reckoned to be one of the finest in the country, a due
regard for the health and comfort of the men working there
having been one of the first considerations of tbe company.
The shaft has also been so designed as to admit of the full
tubs being put in at one side of the level, and the empties
taken out at the other, while the inroads are so arranged as
to allow of the full tubs from the working places being put
into the cages straight away. The entrance to the shaft has
been made to cope with the extra amount of traffic that is
likely to arise from the opening out of the new seam of coal
which was won some time ago. Unfortunately the alterations
have resulted in the services of several men and boys being
dispensed with, but it is hoped that work will be found for
these in time.

Yorkshire.

Eleven rippers and miners were summoned at Barnsley by
their employers, the Wharncliffe Silkstone Colliery Company,
for neglect of work. Col. Hewitt, for the prosecution, said
absenteeism had become throughout the district a very serious
matter. He had read that no fewer than 37,500 shifts had
been, lost at four collieries during the present year. In the
national interest every ounce of coal that could be produced
was absolutely necessary, and if men would only realise the
position, they would see it was their duty to do their part
here as our soldiers were doing it abroad. It was stated by
Mr. Wroe, general manager of the colliery, that absenteeism
was increasing. The Bench awarded damages at the rate of
3s. per day, with costs, and said any further cases would
not be dealt with so leniently.

Lancashire and Cheshire.

Gas Coal Prices—Cigarette in Mine—Fire Stops Work.

Difficulty having been experienced recently by the Oswald-
twistle Gas Works Committee in obtaining coal at a reason-
able price, it was decided that a deputation should request
Mr. H. T. Baker, M.P., to use every effort to secure the
removal of obstacles in the way of the acquirement of coal at
a reasonable price. Local authorities in surrounding dis-
tricts are to be asked to support the Council in its efforts in
the direction indicated.

The Leigh county magistrates last week imposed a fine of
21s. on Thomas Hallhead, a drawer at the A Yard Mine,
Nelson Pit (Messrs. Win. Bamsden and Sons Limited), who
was summoned for taking a cigarette down the pit. He
started work at the pit on the day the offence was committed,
and he said he did not know he had the cigarette on him.

Surface improvements are now being carried out at Lord
Ellesmere’s Mosley Common Collieries, Booths town, where
close upon 2,000 men and youths are employed.

There were a great many absentees from the pits in the
Manchester and Bolton districts on Easter Monday, when
work was resumed after the brief Easter stoppage.

Owing to fire breaking out in the workings at Lord
Ellesmere’s Ashton Field Collieries, Walkden, it was impos-
sible on Monday to resume wmrk there or at the adjoining
Ellesmere Colliery, which is connected by tunnels with the
Ashton Field Pit, and as a result some 500 men and youths
were idle. Prompt measures were taken to isolate the fire.

North Wales.

Almost from the beginning of the . war the workers and
officials at the Brymbo Steel Works have paid 3d. in the
£ on their wages toward the War Belief Fund, and a
meeting was held last week to consider various matters
in connection with these funds. The manager of the works,
Mr. J. S. Hollings, stated that they had distributed £1,700
among various relief organisations since the commencement
of the war. A resolution was put forward to reduce the
contribution from 3d. to 2d. in the £, but was defeated, it
being decided that the present rate of contribution should
continue until the end of next September.

Notts and Derbyshire.

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Notts branch of the
British Bed Cross Society at Nottingham, Col. A. J. Barry,
who has been in command of the Notts and Derbyshire coal
owners’ and miners’ ambulance convoys at Verdun, and
Lieut. H. Dennis Bayley, paid a high tribute to the work
of the convoys. Lieut. Bayley also spoke with enthusiasm
of the Northumberland and Durham convoy, and said that
the gratitude of the French authorities to the coal owners
and miners responsible was very great indeed.

Tbe South Derbyshire Miners’ Association has contributed
a further sum of £425 (making a total of £1,450) towards
a motor ambulance convoy.

The Midlands.

Accident Relief Society—New Sinking at Keresley.

A remarkable increase in the membership of the Midland
District Miners’ Fatal Accident Belief Society was revealed
in the annual and quarterly reports laid before the board of
management at Derby on Tuesday. Notwithstanding enlist-
ments, the members at the end of last year numbered 959
more than at the beginning, there having been a considerable
accession during the last quarter. Since then, mainly through
the opening of new agencies at New Hucknall and Welbeck,
no fewer than 3,276 had been enrolled, making the present
aggregate 46,964, an increase of 5,583 when compared with
that of a year ago. There were 49 deaths from accidents
amongst the members last year, bringing the total for which
provision had been made since the formation of the society in
June 1883 to 1,070. The income for the year amounted to
£12,661, a decrease of £333; and the expenditure to £10,542;
an increase of £1,923; the assets at the end of the year stand-
ing at £92,343. The Duke of Devonshire was re-elected as
president. It was resolved that all members who had been
serving with the Forces should be re-admitted to the society
immediately on re-starting work in the mines, as though
there had been no lapse of time in membership.

The coal resources so far disclosed in connection with the
sinking of a new pit at Keresley by the Warwickshire Coal
Company, justify tbe anticipation of a long and prosperous
career for the undertaking. The Warwickshire coal seams
appear to meet in the Keresley area, and the result is seen in
the thick seam of coal, the qualitv of which is beyond ques-
tion. The sinking has reached a depth of 350 yds., and may
ultimately double that figure. In the various shafts, two
seams, one of 20 ft. in thickness, and the other 19 ft. 8 in.,
have been discovered, and there are possibilities of a daily
output of 4,000. tons when the mine is in full operation. A
total expenditure of about £500,000 is mentioned in some
of the calculations relating to this new colliery.

The .annual meeting of the North Staffordshire Miners’
Permanent Belief Society was held at Stoke-on-Trent, on
Monday. Mr. S. Martin (chairman) mentioned that the
■society was once 10,000 strong; its membership was now
rather less than 4,000. The annual report stated that on
December 31 last, the membership was 3,819, a decrease of
22 on the year. In the last two years upwards of 300
members had joined the Forces. There had been nine fatal
accidents, and tbe death rate stood at 2-35 per thousand.
A sum of £1,099 had been paid in weekly allowances to
widows, children, and dependent relatives, and £60
in funeral expenses. During the year 837 members
sustained non-fat al accidents, and all of these, as
well as 143 who met with accidents in former years,
received accident pay, totalling £1,955; 12 members
bad received between them £200 as compensation in lieu
of weekly pay. The capital of the benefit account stood
at £23',918. The income had been insufficient to meet
benefits, and £166 had been withdrawn from the capital of
the benefit account. Maj. Sir Lovelace Stamer was
re-elected president. The secretary submitted the report
on the quinquennial valuation, the valuation disclosing a
surplus of approximately £8,000. Since its formation the
society had paid out in benefits £131,488.

Kent.

The output of coal at Tilmanstone Colliery last week was
1,875 tons.

The second shaft in the Snowdown Colliery is now in the
Snowdown Hard seam, and a connecting road has been
driven through this seam, connecting up the Nos. 2 and 3
pits. For the present this road is to be used for ventilating
purposes, whilst the sinking in the No. 2 pit is being con-
tinued to the still deeper seams, which, if the results of the
borings carried out in the district prove to be continued in
this colliery, include a seam over 12 ft. in thickness. The
deep sinking is down to 2,268 ft., and bricked to 2,260 ft. The
output of coal from the Beresford seam at this colliery con-
tinues to be about 2,500 tons weekly.

Forest of Dean.

The trustees of Bark Hill No. 2 Colliery gale (abandoned
about 20 years ago) sold their interest in the property to one
of their own number, Mr. Millsom Hamblin, Coleford, a
practical collier, the price being £150 or £200. On Saturday
the trustees met the freeminers concerned at the Speech
House, and paid to them 7s. 6d. each. The working is a
level, and the new owner proposes re-opening the old road-
ways and to commence coal hewing as soon as the clearing
up can be affected.

Scotland.

Appeal for Ambulances—Building Affected by Mining—
Fatal Fall of Roof—Another Miner-Soldier Killed—Fire
at Laurieston—Big Order for Lamps—Clearance Papers.

.The executive committee of the Scottish. Mine Workers’
Union have considered an appeal from Lieut. Dennis Bayley,
of the Scottish Bed Cross, regarding the provision of ambu-
lance convoys for work at the front. A joint meeting of the
miners and coal owners will be held to consider the appeal,
and also to discuss the matter of recruiting for the tunnelling
corps.

In the action referred to arbitration in which Mr. C.
Holborn, portioner, Barrachnie, near Baillieston, claimed
damages from Col. Buchanan for damage to a building in
the Baillieston-road by underground workings, the arbiters
have awarded the pursuer £91, and apportioned the expenses
between the parties.

An accident, involving the loss of three lives, occurred at
Dykehead, near Larkhall, Lanarkshire, on Monday, three
men working in a coal seam being entombed by a large fall
of roof. Several shifts of men took up the work of rescue,
but their operations were impeded by frequent falls of
material. The men entombed were Archibald Banks, of
Millheugh, his son Archibald, and Thomas Bussell, of
Victoria-street, Larkhall. After the rescuers had been at
work for a considerable time, they heard the elder Banks cry-
ing for help, but it was 5 a.m. on Tuesday before he was
rescued. Banks was then alive, but he died immediately
on being brought to the surface. His son’s body was
recovered about four hours later.

A paper on “ The Supervision of Boilers ” was read by
'Mr. H. G. Fraser, chief electrical engineer to the Fife Coal