1054 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN June 2, 1916: A. T. Watson; William Milburn and Company; George Jenkins and Company; G. de Loriol, Huntley Brothers; H. A. Brightman and Company; D. M. Stevenson and Company, and McKenzie and Phy Ison. The Northumberland and Durham miners have, decided /against having their usual festival days this year. The Ashington miners, however, are breaking away from this decision, and propose to hold .a demonstration in the People’s Park at Ashington on a Saturday approximating to the date on which the county picnic would in the usual course have been held. The speakers at the demonstration are to include Mr. Robert Smillie, president of the Miners’ Federa- tion of Great Britain, .and Mr. James Winstone, president of the South Wales Miners’ Federation. Mr. George Robson, general secretary of the Northumber- land and Durham Miners’ Permanent Relief Fund, has issued a circular to allay alarm which might be caused by certain, utterances with reference to the fund’s position at a meeting of the board of management held last Saturday. He states : “ No provident or self-help society in existence is on sounder basis than your fund. Whilst the initial shock in consequence of the war has temporarily shaken its foundation, the drain thereon, to all intent and results, has gone to its extreme, showing distinctly the patriotism of the miners in this district. You may rest assured that, in every way, even with our depleted membership, we shall maintain that firmness that characterises self-help and combination to hold on till victory has been attained. Your society holds a position second to none, and beyond the idea of failure. . . . The deficiency is only on the year’s working, which is redeemable by the increased contributions given at the special meeting last year.” The scheme for the promotion of a joint organisation of Northumbrian mine-workers, to be entitled the Northumber- land Mine Workers’ Federation, and to be formed of the Northumberland Miners’ Association, the Northumberland Deputies’ Association, the Northumberland Colliery Enginemen’s and Firemen’s Association, and the Northumberland Colliery Mechanics’ Association, has been considerably weakened by the withdrawal of the Deputies’ Association. In a circular explaining the position of the deputies, Mr. Samuel Coulthard, general secretary, states that the question of linking up with the Miners’ Federation has formed the greatest difficulty in their consultations with reference to the proposed federation. Having regard to all the circumstances, including the dual position occupied by the deputies'as workmen and officials, they had come to the conclusion that anything in the suggested rules -and objects which would necessitate their becoming linked up with the Miners’ Federation at present or in the future could not be entertained by their committee. A notice posted on Newcastle Commercial Exchange on Wednesday stated that the local committee which has been formed takes full control immediately of the chartering of the British, allied, and neutral tonnage. As the French organisation is not yet complete, French importers may, for the moment, buy direct from British exporters, who must advise the local committee so that the committee may allot tonnage. Ships must apply as usual for licences for ship- ment. The maximum freight rates apply to British, allied, and neutral tonnage. Shippers are requested to send immediately a list of their orders to the committee, and shipowners a list of the steamers 'available for North France and Bay ports. It is understood that an effort will be made to prevent the diversion of neutral tonnage to more profitable trades by the refusal of licences to load coal from British ports to other destinations and by the withholding of bunker supplies. In his latest circular to the members of the Durham Miners’ Association, Mr. T. H. Cann replies to Mr. Tate’s strictures on British miners by saying : “It is impossible to gainsay the statement that the output per man, so far as our county is concerned, has materially decreased, and to even attempt to do so would simply be blind folly,” but he goes on to say, inter alia, that “ much of the decrease in the individual output is due to the insatiable greed for large profits, and the question of the needs of the nation has ever been'made subservient to the avarice of shareholders,” without, however, making .any attempt to trace the connec- tion between this alleged cause and the 'admitted effect. During his recent leave from the front, Mr. J. Evelyn Carr, managing director of the Scremerston Coal Company Limited, formerly a private in the London Scottish, and now a captain with the Sherwood Foresters, was presented by the residents of Scremerston with a solid silver cup, a replica of the gold cup offered by the Highland Agricultural Society at the Hawick Show in 1914, .and won by Mr. Carr with a rare exhibit of Leicester sheep bred by the coal company. The Flower Day Committee in connection with the Durham Aged Mine Workers’ Homes Association has fixed July 15 for the annual sale of flowers. The officials and workmen of the Spring well and Vale Collieries have decided to contribute £10 to any workman connected with the collieries who has lost a son, or to any wife who has lost her husband in the war. Cleveland. A meeting will be held in Middlesbrough shortly to discuss the question of erecting a joint technical college. The neces- sity of research work in metallurgy was emphasised by Dr. J. E. Stead not long ago. The Cleveland Miners’ Association and the mine owners will confer on Monday regarding ironstone outfit. Returns from the lodges of the Cleveland Miners’ Associa- tion show that just under 1,800 members are now with the Colours. This is a fifth of the total. In view of the great importance of maintaining the coal output, enlistments are now stopped. Cumberland. Problems connected with increasing the output of coal in the county were discussed at a special meeting of the Cumber- land Coal Trade Conciliation Board at Workington last week, Mr. Wm. Graham (chairman) presiding. Com- mittees dealing with absenteeism at the pits have already been appointed, and the rules will be revised to allow of investigation as to why work has not been provided for men who have sought work at collieries unsuccessfully. Messrs. T. P. Martin and T. Cape reported on the joint conference of the miners’ and coal owners’ executives in London. The Board declared against any suspension of the Eight Hours Act, or the extension of the 60 hours clause at present. It was further agreed that boys under 14 were not at present needed in the Cumberland collieries, which are chiefly suffer- ( ing from a want of boys of higher age; but it was resolved not to oppose the suspension, for the duration of the war, of section 92 of the local Mines Act, so as to permit the employ- ment of boys under 16 on the surface between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Messrs. Martin and Cape will attend a conference in London on June 22, when these questions will be nationally considered. A shiftman named G. Morgan was killed in No. 10 pit, Lowca, when clearing up a place in the 4 ft. seam alter shot-firing. A stone weighing 'about four tons fell from the roof and jammed his neck and chest across the edge of a tub. His dead body was discovered by another workman. Evidence at the inquest pointed to the place being con- sidered safe to work in, and the jury returned a verdict of “ Accidental death.” Yorkshire. Cruelty of a brutal character was alleged against Ernest Waterhouse, of Woodlands, a stallman, employed at the Brodsiworth Colliery, at the Doncaster West Riding Police Court last Saturday. It was stated that because a pony, finding itself on a steeper gradient than it had been accus- tomed to, would not pull, defendant unmercifully belaboured it with a pick shaft, and continued to do so until he (the defendant) fell exhausted over a tub. When the pony was returned to the stable it had 12 bleeding wounds on it. Some of the magistrates wanted to send the defendant direct to gaol, but a small majority were in favour of a fine. 'The man was ordered to pay £5. In some way not clearly ascertained, a youth named E. Plowman, haulage hand, was fatally injured in the Brods- worth Colliery. Immediately after speaking to the driver of four loaded tubs he uttered a sudden exclamation, and was found to be badly injured. He said he struck his head against a bar in the roof, but that seemed peculiar, for the roof was 6 in. above his head. His spine was fractured, and the only suggestion .advanced at the inquest was that he must have injured himself .against the passing tubs. A verdict of “ Accidental death” was returned. A meeting between representatives of the West York- shire Coal Owners’ Association and the Yorkshire Miners’ Association was held on Monday to discuss the question of loss of output at West Yorkshire collieries, and was adjourned to a date to be 'agreed upon. Lancashire and Cheshire. Go-operative Coal Mining—New Work at Astley Green— Opening Out at Lostock Lane—Miners' Offences. A correspondent says a strong agitation has been initiated amongst co-operative societies in Central and South-East Lancashire for acquiring coal mines of their own, and the executive council of the Co-operative Wholesale Society (Manchester), which comprises about 1,500 retail societies, is to be asked to move in the matter. In connection with the opening out of new seams and mines at the Clifton and Kersley Coal Company’s Astley Green collieries, additional surface buildings and screening plant are being provided. We understand that new seams are to be opened out and improvements effected on the surface at the Lostock Lane Colliery, near Bolton. A Tyldesley miner, named P. Meakin, aged 15 years, was summoned at Leigh Police Court on Monday , for removing part of his safety lamp in the Cleworth Hall Pit of the Tyldesley Coal Company. He was fined 27s.—At the same court, J. Skeat, a colliery stoker, was summoned for being asleep while in charge of two boilers, and having the water 4 in. below the proper level. Defendant, who said he felt i'll at the time, was ordered to pay a fine of £3 6s. Notts and Derbyshire. In pursuance of the scheme evolved by Col. Sir Lancelot Rolleston to organise the miners of Nottingham- shire for home defence, a largely-attended meeting of the miners of Wollaton and Radford was held in Nottingham on Tuesday. The men unanimously decided to devote one evening a week to being organised, drilled, and instructed in order that they may be in a position to defend the country in case of invasion. Col. Rolleston said he was given permission by the military authorities at York to requisition picks, spades, and trench tools to the number of 16,000. His idea was to enrol 10,000 men. Wher they were organised an Engineers’ officer would be sent from London to explain and superintend the construction of entrenchments. Judge Allen, in the Nottingham County Court, is consider- ing a claim which raises the question whether a war bonus should be considered when an injured workman receives- compensation. The applicant is T. Saunders, employed by the Shireoaks Colliery Company. The Midlands. The question whether boys should be permitted to use the manholes in collieries arose at an inquest last week relative to the death of a youth, who sustained fatal injuries while at work at Lord Dudley’s Baggeridge Colliery, Dudley. . The traffic manager at the colliery .said it was the duty of the lad to release tubs from a chain as they came up the “ kip,” and allow them to glide down the gradient. Before the tubs had arrived, lads had been known to shelter in the manhole. Deceased had been in the manhole, and it was witness’s opinion that he came out too late to get clear of the tubs in order to perform his duties. Witness noticed the chain had ceased running, and was informed some tubs were off the rails. He found two tubs, one upside down, and the other on top of it. He found deceased lying between the rails, and, in answer to a question, said he was coming out of a manhole when the accident happened. Witness could only suggest, with a view to prevent accidents of this kind, that boys should not be permitted tire use of the man- holes. Verdict : “ Accidental death.” Mr. S. J. Keeling, of Dudley, owing to pressure of other business, owing to pressure of other business, has resigned bis position 'as secretary of the Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Shropshire District Coal .and Coke Supplies Committee. Mr. J. Selby Gardner, secretary to the Cannock Chase Coal Owners’ Association, has been appointed to the vacancy. Towards a local relief fund the workmen of the Silverdale Company’s collieries, Staffordshire, have, subscribed £501 since February 13, 1915. Balance in hand over £36, supple- mented with £50 from the Silverdale Company. Over 80 cases have received weekly relief. Kent. Wage Bill—Progress at Snowdown—Dams for Water. The wages bill in connection with the Snowdown and Tilmanstone collieries is now about £2,000 weekly. The deep sinking at Snowdown Colliery is now down to 2,360 ft., the distance sunk in the week ending May 27 being 16 ft. The sinking is still proceeding through hard bind and sandstone. Some important works are at present being carried out at Tilmanstone Colliery, concurrently with the coal getting, which is now averaging nearly 2,000 tons a week. The con- struction of four large dams, each 40 yds. in length,- is making good progress. These dams are for the purpose of dealing with the water which two years ago broke into the colliery, and for a time caused the suspension of operations. Their construction will result in a great economy in the pumping bill, which has been a heavy item since the mishap. A system of mechanical haulage is also being introduced, and here again a considerable saving will be achieved. The sus- pension of a balance rope under the cages in the No. 1 pit will, it is anticipated, enable the winding to be effected with about half the consumption of steam now required, and will effect a corresponding saving in boiler coal. The work of constructing the dams and in connection with the mechanical haulage is employing a considerable number of men, who will be available for normal operations at the colliery as soon as this special work is completed, and the output from the Five- feet seam, which is now being worked, will then be largely increased. There are sufficient working places in the colliery for about double the number of men who are now employed in the workings. There are three shafts into the seam of coal