82 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. January 12, 1917. Swansea. COAL. There was a good attendance on 'Change, but conditions in all sections of the coal trade were quiet, owing to the absence of adequate supplies of tonnage. The enquiry for anthracite coals was very slow, and transactions few, and sellers were prepared to make concessions for early ship- ments in order to obtain empty wagons. Steam coals were in rather better demand, but prices generally remained unchanged. Prices are all net f.o.b. (cash in 30 days). Current .prices. L’stweek’s prices. Last year’s prices. 30/ -32/ 30/ -32/ 33/ -35/ 27/ -29/ 27/ -29/ 31/ -33/ 24/ -27/ 24/ -27/ 29' -30/ 22/ -25/ 22/ -25/ 27/ -30/ 37/6—40/ 37/6-40/ 43/ —45/ 37/6-40/ 37/6-40/ 4f7f -49/6 36/6-39/ 36/6-39/ 44/ -47/6 27/6-29/ 27/6-29/ 32/ -34/6 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ 18/6-19/6 12/ -12/6 12/ -12/6 6/~9/ 6/ - 6/6 6/ - 6/6 2/ - 2/6 27/ -28/ 27/ -28/ 21/ -24/ ■ 25/ -26/ 25/ -26/ 17/6-20/ 20/ -24/ 20/ -24/ 14/ -16/6 12/ -18/ 12/ -18/ 6/ - 8/ Anthracite:— Best malting large (handpicked) __....... Secondary do. . ... Big Vein Valley large... Red Vein large ...... Machine - made cobbles Paris nuts _____........ French do.......__.... Stove do............. Beans ............... Machine - made large peas ................ Do. fine peas ... Rubbly culm.......... Duff.........__....... Steam coals:— Best large Seconds ............__ Bunker throughs...... Small ____________ Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— Large___ _____ Thro'-and-thro’.... Small ___________ Patent fuel ... __.._____ 28/ -30/ 18/ -20/ 34) -35/ 28/ -30/ 18/ -20/ 34/ -35/ 23/6-26/ 15/6-16/6 22/ -23/ Llanelly. COAL. The position of the market is still unchanged, owing to the absence* of adequate supplies of tonnage. Collieries have enough orders on their books to keep their pits working full time, but the shortage of empties, owing to the poor shipments made at the docks, is forcing them to have several “play-days” each week. Stocks on hand are heavy for several qualities, and, until a satisfactory number of vessels arrive, it will be impossible to give clearance to order books. Large anthracite kinds are still weak with concessions in prices offered for prompt clearance of wagons. Machine-made qualities are, however, firmer, and inland customers experience delays in execution of their orders; The steam-coal section of the market has a slightly better tone, with large kinds in good demand. The inland enquiry continues satisfactory. Manufacturing coals are unchanged, with little “ free ” coal offering. This week's quotations are approximately as follow :— Prices f.o.b. Anthracite:— Best malting large ...... Secondary do. ....... Big Vein large....... Red Vein do.......... Machine-made cobbles... Stove nuts____.......... French do. ......__... Paris do. __.......... Machine-made beans ... Do. peas......... Culm ................ Duff.............___.... Other sorts:— Large steam coal..... Through-and-through... Small __.............. Bituminous small coal... Current prices. 29/6-32/ 27/6-30/ 25/6-28/ 24/ -25/ 37/6-40/ 37/6-39/6 38/ -40/ 37/ -39/ 28/6-29/6 20/ -22/ 12/ -12/6 6/ - 6/6 27/ -28/6 20/ -23/6 13/6-17/ 17/ -19/6 L'st week's I prices, j29/6-32/ 27/6-30/ 25/6-28/ 24/ -25/ 37/6-40/ 37/6-39/6 38/ -40/ 37/ -39/ 28/6-29/6 20/ -22/ 10/6-11/6 6/ - 6/6 27/ -28/6 19/6-22/ 13/6-17/ ■ 17/ -19/6 Last year’s prices. 33/ -35/ 32/ -34/ 29/ -31/ 27/ -29/ 43/6-45/ 44/6-47/ 47/ -49/ 44/6-47/ 32/ -34/ 19/ -20/ 6/3— 6/9 . 2/ - 2/6 22/ -24/ 17/ -19/ 7/6- 9/6 15/6-16/6 ____________________________________________ THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, January 11. _____________ Dublin. There is no change in prices since the year opened, and demand generally continues to be, active for all classes of fuel in this port. The following are the current quotations in the city:—Best Orrell, 44s. per ton net; Yorkshire bright®, 43s.; best Wigan, 42 s.; best slack,. 36s.; retail prices, 2s. lOd. to 3s. per sack of 10 st.; best coke, 44s. per ton; steam coal, from about 40s. per ton. Present prices of Irish c'oals from the Wolf hill Collieries, Queen’s County, are : Malting coal, 45s. per ton; house and gas coal, 40s.; coarse culm, 15s. per ton—all f.o.r. Athy, the nearest rail- way connection with the mines. The coal vessels arriving during the past-week amounted to 60, as compared with 35 the week previously, the total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays being 25,000 tons, as against 14,262 tons in the previous week. Belfast. The household trade has scarcely recovered since the holi- days, and shipmentis from Scotch ports have been consider- ably less owing to the stoppage at New Year. Prices of household coals are unchanged at the following rates :— Best Arley, 43s. 6d. per ton; Orrell nuts, 42s. 6d.; English house, 41s. 6d.; Scotch house, 39s. 6d.; Orrell slack, 39s. 6d. Approximate prices of steam coals are : Scotch, 35s. per ton; best English and Welsh steam, 40s. per ton. Gas coke runs from about 37s. 6d. to 40s. per ton, and foundry coke is commanding from 60s. to 64s. per ton delivered. The total number of coal-laden vessels entering the harbour from December 17 to 30 was’116. _______________________________ A paper on “ The Occurrence of Petroleum in England,” by Prof. J. Cadman, will be read at a meeting of the Insti- tution of Petroleum Technologists, in the house of the Royal Society of Arts, John-street, Adelphi, London, on January 16, commencing at 8 p.m. LABOUR AND WAGES. South Wales and Monmouthshire. The executive council of the South Wales Federation met on Saturday in Cardiff, and in the course of. the proceedings it was stated that Mr. Alfred Onions, the treasurer, was seriously ill. A resolution was passed against “ the attitude of the coal owners in going outside the Federation to nego- tiate with a new union nroselytising in the coal field,” and that Sir George Askwith should be communicated with— calling attention to the trouble that is likely to arise in this matter owing to the owners’ non-observance of the trade union agreement entered into. Reference was made to the Central Labour College, which is without students, owing to the operation of the Military Service Act; and it was resolved to bring this matter before the next conference. A deputation from the Cilely Colliery asked permission to tender notices, because of failure to agree upon payment for the change from naked lights to electric lamps; and it was decided that if the matter had not been settled by the next Conciliation Board meeting, permission to tender notices should be given. A deputation from the Llanhilleth Collieries submitted facts concerning a dispute for payment of clod in coal; and it was decided to bring up the question at the Conciliation Board. Workmen at Llanhilleth were given permission to tender notices regarding a dispute as to pay- ments to surface craftsmen. The result of the ballot vote for an additional agent of the South Wales Colliery Enginemen, Stokers, and Craftsmen’s Association, is that Mr. J. W. Grant, of Mountain Ash, has bden elected by an overwhelming majority—receiving over 3,000 votes as against the next highest, which was 916. Mr. Grant hitherto has worked as a boilermaker at Nixon’s Colliery, Mountain Ash. : South Wales pit examiners’ executive, council met in Cardiff, and reported general unrest among the members, a. uniform- wage rate being desired. It is proposed to approach the Employers’ Association on the subject. . . The question at issue between the iron and steel workers and the employers who are jinder the Joint Sliding Scale Committee has gone a step further, the men having decided on Saturday to reject the employers’ offer of a 2J per cent, increase in wages. The joint audit of accounts for the three months ended November showed that prices had increased by 4| per cent., and the employers (following the recent award of the Committee on Production)' offered one- half of the increased selling price; but the men are not satisfied with that award, and they are preparing a state- ment of facts to be put before Mr. John Hodge, Minister of Labour, in order to secure a review of the circumstances of the industry. North of England. Mr. Edward Key, who has been re-elected, for the 19 th successive year, as president of the Whitburn branch of the Northumberland and Durham Miners’ Permanent Relief Fund, worked in the mine for over 50 years prior to his retirement into private life. Representatives of the Northumberland Miners’ Associa- tion, and deputies, colliery mechanics, enginemen, and fire- men are to meet the county coal owners to state. their case against a reduction in wages for the duration of the war. The high cost of living is the foundation for the men’s contention. The final ballot in conection with the appointment of six members of the executive committee of the Durham Miners’ Association has resulted in the election of Messrs. J. 'Sum- merbell, J. Ryans, J. Shaw, S. Whiteley, F. Chapman, and J. Lawson. The “ runners-up ” were Messrs. F. Bell, R. Darby, G. R. Brown, J. Bell, P. Clark, and E. Cook. After serving for 39 years as secretary of the Springwell branch of the Northumberland and Durham Miners’ Per- manent Relief Fund, Mr. John Graham, who has now reached his 74th year, has resigned, and been succeeded by his eldest son, Mr. W. Graham. A dispute occurred at the Ough'terside Colliery, in Mary- port, last week. About 300 hewers (travel by rail from Maryport to Bullgill, the station nearest the pit, and the trouble arose over the new train arrangements. It was agreed that in future men who travel by train would be allowed to come to bank at the usual time, and instead of having to walk from the colliery to Bullgill, the railway company have decided to run a special train, which will call at the colliery sidings, and 'run to Maryport a little in front of the ordinary passenger train. Most of the Maryport men : were idle for the greater part of last week, but the whole of the men resumed work with the first shift on Monday morning. Federated Area. A -resolution of protest against the 50 per cent, increase in railway fares was passed by the council of the Derbyshire Miners’ Association at Chesterfield on Saturday. The council contended that the alterations were unfair to the working classes. It wals also pointed out that in some cases miners were inconvenienced. A copy of the resolution is to be sent to the National Railway Executive. The council instructed Mr. Frank Hall (general secretary) ■ to co-operate with certain colliery owners, with a view to trying to get, better arrangements for workmen’s trains, both in regard to fares and times of running. At meetings of Lord Ellesmere’s and the Clifton and Kersley Coal Company’s miners, held on Monday in the Manchester district, it was reported that certain grievances relating to working conditions had been remedied as a result of interviews with the officials. The Minister of Labour, Mr. John Hodge, has intervened in the wages dispute between the colliery firemen and the coal owners of Lancashire and Cheshire, which had led to notices being tendered by the Lancashire and Cheshire Colliery Firemen’s Association on behalf of the men. The application is for an advance in wages to 10s. 4d. per day, with an eight hours day, and a shorter shift of seven hours in case of work during week ends, the present minimum wage being about 7s. 9d., with recent .percentages and bonuses added to this basis, and the working shift ranging from 8J to 9J hours per day, there being no shorter shift during the week ends except in a few isolated cases. The representatives had offered on behalf of the firemen to accept - a wage rate of 9s. 6d. per day, with an 8J hours day, and a shortened week-end -shift of 7J hours. Another effort at settlement is to be made before, proceeding to arbitration, and coal owners and colliery firemen’s representatives have agreed to meet in conference to-morrow (Saturday). The dispute between the Nottinghamshire (Erewash Valley) opal owners and the enginemen and firemen has now been settled by arbitration, and the result is a decided advance in wages for the 400 men affected. The men’s representatives met the coal owners several times and also Sir George Askwith, the parties eventually referring the matter to Mr. William W. Mackenzie, whose award is Winding enginemen, 10s. 9d. per shift; firemen, 8s.; fan 'enginemen, 7s. fid.; hauling enginemen, 7s. 9d.; pump enginemen, 7s. 9d.; power house enginemen,- 8s. 3d.; loco- motive drivers, 9s.; and screen enginemen, 7s. 3d.‘ . No reduction is to be made in the case of men earning more than the figure mentioned. On January 6, the miners of the Somerset coal field were paid on the basis of the arrangement of December 19 last, .namely, 50 per cent, .would be added to the old standards, and the remaining 42| per cent, will then become 28| on the new figure, of which 18J is the maximum under the rules of the Board, plus the 10 per cent, war bonus. Scotland. The executive of the Scottish Mine Workers’ Union have agreed to accept the award of Sir -George Askwith in regard to the advance of surface Workers' at the coal pits in Scot- land. It was resolved to direct the attention of Sir George Askwith to a clause in a poster issued by the Lanarkshire coal masters in relation to the advance, and to ask his views upon the matter. At a meeting of delegates of Midlothian and Haddington- shire miners, reports showed that a satisfactory 'restart had been made after the holidays, workmen being determined to give as full an output as working facilities will permit. A good proportion of miners returned from the Army were obtained. There was reason for hoping that the lost time caused 1—- the absence of wagons would be mitigated. Through the exhaustion of part of the seams in operation ait^ the Parkneuk Colliery, a number of miners have had to leave. Great difficulty, it is stated, is experienced in obtain- ing new employment. The arbiters appointed in connection with ton rate dis- putes at Kenmuir and Hallside collieries have issued their awards, which have been accepted by both parties. Trouble has arisen at Springside owing to a threatened eviction of miners from houses at Kirkland. The houses have been recently acquired by Messrs. W. Baird and Com- pany, and were formerly owned by Messrs. Finnic and Sons, whose pits were acquired by Messrs. J. and R. Howie, with the.result that most of the occupants work for Messrs. Howie and the houses belong to Messrs. Baird. The latter firm have now issued eviction proceedings against .several of the tenants. • ' Judgment has been given by Sheriff Moffatt in Falkirk Sheriff Court, in an action for compensation by James Hunter, tableman, against the Carron Company, Carron. Pursuer averred he was employed at their Craigend Colliery as tableman, and that-his duties included oiling the screen- ing plant. In May, while he was oiling the machinery, his right hand was caught in a pinion cog-wheel, causing per- manent injuries. He submitted that since he had received an injury in the course of his employment he was entitled to' compensation. Defenders denied that the accident wais one which was caused during the course of employment, and they contended that the injury was due to pursuer’s own serious and wilful misconduct. Sheriff' Moffatt finds in favour of defenders. The claimant here was not in the course of his employment. He was only employed to oil machinery when not in motion. The Sheriff is further of opinion that he was guilty of serious and wilful misconduct. Arrangements have been made betwieen the coal owners of Mid and East Lothian, whereby the contributions from the workmen’s wages for the medical fund shall be deducted at the colliery office as formerly, but instead of being paid to the doctors, will be paid to a representative of the work- men. From the money thus collected, the accounts for medical attendance on dependants will be met. Iron, Steel and Engineering Trades. A meeting of the Cleveland ironstone mine owners and miners’ representatives was held at Middlesbrough, to con- sider the wages to be paid to the men at the mines during the ensuing three months. It was agreed that wages be advanced by 2J; per cent, from the 22nd inst. The average net selling price of No. 3 Cleveland pig iron for the three months ended December 31 was certified at 89s. 0*17d. per bon, as compared with 87s. ll-31d. per ton for the previous three months. There was thus an advance in price of Is. 0*86d. per ton during the last quarter of 1916, and under sliding scale arrangements, blast furnace- men’-s wages are advanced by 1-50 (1J per cent.), raising wages from 69-75 (69f) per cent, above the standard, to 71*25 (71|) per cent, above the standard. The scrutineers to the Board of Conciliation and Arbitra- tion for the Manufactured Iron and Steel Trade of the North of England announce that the average net selling price of steel plates made at Consett during September, October, and November 1916 was such as to increase wages of -steel mill- men by 5 per cent, in the current quarter -commencing January 1, bringing wages to 60 per cent, above the stan- dard. Never before have wages at Consett reached such a phenomenal figure, the previous highest wages in normal times being 27|,per cent, above the basis, at the end of ■December 1900. The wages were 15 per cent, above the standard in June 1914,-and in the subsequent quarter they were reduced 2| per cent. In April 1915 there was an increase of 2J per cent., and from then to the present time the rate has advanced by 47J per cent. _______________________________ Grimsby Coal Exports.—The returns for the week ended January 5 show that the coal exported from Grimsby totalled 2,427 tons foreign. During the corresponding week of last year the totals were 6,459 tons foreign and 920 tons coast- wise. Hull Coal Exports and Imports.—The official, return of the exports of coal from Hull to foreign countries for the week ended January 2 is as follows :—Dunkirk, 1,967 tons; Dieppe, 2,089; Fecamp,. 247; Gothenburg, 786; Nantes, 1,428; Harlingen, 549; Rouen, 5,767; Rotterdam, 1,616; Stockholm, 825; Treport, 315—total, 15,589 tons. This compares with 19,613 tons for 1916 , 50,032 tons for 1915, and 59,515 tons for 1914. These figures do not include bunker coal, shipments for the British Admiralty, nor the Allies’ Governments. The exports during January aggre- gated 60,295 tons (representing four weeks), as compared with 85,619 tons in the corresponding period last year (four weeks). The year’s total was 1,062,135 tons, or less than half the-quantity (2,449,936 tons) exported in 1915. The coastwise shipments in December totalled 21,109 tons, and similar shipments during the year yielded a total of 318,896 tons. The December imparts were 219,913 ton® (202,065 tons by rail and 17,848 tons by river). During the 12 months the imports totalled 3,290,281 tons, as against 4,667,733 tons in 1915.