188

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

January 25, 1918.

succeed Mr. W. A. Jones as sales agent for Lord Bute’s
Duffryn-Aberdare coal.

The coal retailers at Aberavon went “on strike,” in
order to force the local committee to increase the price
allowed, and the result was that the committee made an
increase from 5s. to 6s. 9d. for ton lots—the actual cost
to be verified. At the council meeting this matter was
discussed, it being pointed out that the Coal Merchants’
Federation was a recent formation, and that their action
in Aberavon was a first attempt to bring pressure on con-
sumers. A suggestion was made, consequently, that a
municipal coal depot should be established. Upon the
mayor pointing out that notice of motion was necessary,
this was formally given, and the proposition will be under
discussion at the next meeting.

Park Slip Explosion Fund Committee held its annual
meeting, on Friday, at Bridgend, and a letter was read
from Colonel Picton Turberville (the chairman), who is
80 years of age, resigning his position. The members
expressed great unwillingness to accept the resignation,
and desired that the Colonel would allow himself to be
re-elected, even though he were unable to attend the meet-
ings. A resolution to this effect was carried unanimously.
Canon David Davies was re-elected vice-chairman. The
present value of the securities of the fund, upon which
there are about 27 dependants, is <£3,783, whereas their
cost was <£6,798. The original number of dependants was
223.

An important statement with regard to medical certifi-
cates was made by Colonel Pearson, H.M. inspector, who
was chairman at the South-West Wales Colliery Tribunal,
in Swansea, on Friday. He stated that the military were
now examining doctors’ books to see if they had really
attended the men. In a new National Service book they
would have to enter every day they had attended a man,
and it would then be ascertained how long he had been out
of work through illness, how often he had attended the
surgery, and what medicine had been given him.

On the question of recruiting men from the mines, it was
reported that certain proposals had been made by the
Government department, but the agent recommended that
the delegates should obtain instructions from their lodges
as to the course to be taken at the coal field conference
at the end of January. Instructions were given the agent
to deal with the income tax authorities so that discharged
soldiers should be relieved from paying income-tax upon
pensions.

Northumberland and Durham.

River Wear Commission—Parliamentary Candidates—Fire
at North Seaton Collieries—Carnegie Medallist—
Safety of Cross-Planking — Reservoir and Colliery
Workings.

The Marquis of Londonderry, Mr. H. M. Stobart, and
Mr. J. B. Bailey Hawkins, all of whom are on active ser-
vice, recently became disqualified, by reason of non-attend-
ance, as coal owners’ representatives on the River Wear
Commission. Their constituents, however, re-elected them
to the Commission.

Mr. C. R. Barrett, colliery engineer, of Whitehill Hall,
Chester-le-Street, who died on September 28 last, left
estate valued at £54,050.

The final ballot for the selection of Parliamentary candi-
dates to be run under the auspices of the Durham Miners’
Association at the next Parliamentary General Election has
resulted in the selection of the following eight from 16 can-
didates in the final running:—Aid. Robt. Richardson,
checkweighman, Ryhope; Mr. John Gilliland, political
agent, Chester-le-Street; Mr. T. Neville, checkweighman,
Bewicke Main; Mr. J. Cullen, miner, Marsden; Mr. J. E.
Swan, checkweighman, Delight; Mr. Wm. Whiteley,
miners’ agent, Durham; Mr. J. Herriotts, checkweighman,
Windlestone; and Mr. J. Ritson, checkweighman, Monk-
wearmouth. To these must be added the names of five
chosen some time ago, viz. : Mr. Jas. Robson, president of
the Durham Miners’ Association; Mr. W. P. Richardson,
miners’ agent; Mr. Jas. Gilliland, checkweighman, Ouston
E pit; Mr. Jos. Batey, miners’ agent; and Mr. J. Lawson,
checkweighman, of Alma Colliery. We imagine that there
will be a difficulty in finding seats—or even potential seats
—for all these 13 gentlemen in the county of Durham.

Lieut. John Hunter, R.E., who was severely wounded in
France in April 1916, has been appointed manager of the
Frodingham Ironstone Mines, Lincolnshire.

A fire which occurred at the stables of North Seaton
Colliery last week, resulted in the death of several of the
ponies. The part of the pit in which the stables were
situated had not been worked for about two years, and
was isolated from that part of the pit in which about 230
men and lads were employed at the time of the outbreak.
The workers were withdrawn from the pit without mishap.
The Ashington and Elswick collieries’ fire brigades were
both summoned, and succeeded in confining the fire to the
scene of its outbreak, although hampered by a consider-
able fall of stone. In this connection, of course, the Ash-
ington brigade was earliest on the scene, and did the
pioneering work. The origin of the fire is unknown. It
could not be electrical, as there are no electric cables in
that part of the pit; it is surmised that it may have been
caused by a spark from a lamp.

A Leamside miner named Richardson has been recom-
mended for the Carnegie Medal, in connection with an
explosion which occurred at the Adventure pit, which is
worked with naked lights, on September 4 last.

Mr. Geo. Daykin, who, after 33 years in the service of
Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan and Company Limited, during
17 years of which he has been under-manager at Auckland
Park Colliery, is now leaving to become manager of the
Carterthorne Colliery.

At the inquest touching the death of Wm. Carroll, who
was fatally crushed by a stone which apparently came
away from a “ slip ” in Littleburn Colliery, Mr. Martin
Eddy, representing the Durham Miners’ Association, was
very insistent in suggesting that, in any case of doubt,
cross-planking was safer as a roof support than running
planks. It having been stated, however, that the roof
“ jowled ” quite soundly before the accident, the coroner
(Mr. Proud) remarked that there did not seem to have been
any cause for suspicion in that instance. The mines
inspector (Mr. Poole) added that the height of the place—
not 3 ft. in some parts—would have proved a difficulty to
cross-planking. Mr. G. H. Allison, manager of the colliery,
intimated that whatever was required for the safety of the
men was at hand. If a roof was considered bad, the man
was taken out of the place until it had been attended to
by the master shifter. The men’s inspectors certified that
the place could not have been better timbered, and Jos.
Hodgkiss, one of the inspectors, said that, if he had been
in the place of the deputy, he would not have suggested
cross-planking unless he saw any unusual danger. The

coroner remarked that the stone that fell was of the kind
that deceived experienced men. The jury returned a ver-
dict of 1 ‘Accidentally killed.”

Sir Hugh Bell has been re-elected chairman, and Messrs.
A. F. Pease and W. W. Storr have been re-appointed vice-
chairmen of the Cleveland Mine Owners’ Association for
the ensuing year.

The Trimdon Council has had before it a letter from
Messrs. Walter Scott Limited, asking if the Council wished
them to reserve a barrier of coal for the support of the
site on which the reservoir was situated at Quarrington
Hill. The surveyor (Mr. Gregson) said he did not think it
would be worth while to buy the coal, as it would probably
cost far more than the reservoir. The reservoir was built
of reinforced concrete, and he did not think it would take
any harm. Mr. Lund asked if there was nothing in the
agreement as to compensation for damages by colliery
workings. The clerk replied that it was specially provided
that the council was not to claim compensation. Mr.
Lund said it was a nice thing if the colliery company could
let the reservoir down and pay no damages. The clerk
answered that these were the only terms on which they
could get land either from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners
or the University. They could not get land if they were
going to claim compensation. It was agreed that the
Council did not wish the barrier of coal to be left.

A breakdown of machinery connected with the coal
washery at Brancepeth Colliery resulted in the A pit, the
Harvey Drift, and Oakenshaw Colliery being laid idle for
part of last week, thereby rendering over 1,000 workmen
temporarily unemployed.

The final voting for six members to serve on the execu-
tive of the Durham Miners’ Association has resulted in the
appointment of the following : John Cullen, Marsden; John
Hind, Wingate; Thomas Neville, Bewicke Main; Thomas
Foster, East Hetton; Thomas Davies, Gordon House; and
John E. Swan, Delight.

Cumberland.

Whitehaven Harbour Board on Friday of last week,
decided that application be made to the Board of Trade
for power to levy, during the continuance of the war, on
all coal exported or sent coastwise, additional dues not
exceeding 50 per cent, of the amount at present authorised
by statute, and on all ships’ dues, additional rates and dues
not exceeding 25 per cent, of the amounts at present
authorised by statute.

Yorkshire.

The annual meeting of the Humber Coal Exporters’ and
Shippers’ Association was held at the offices of the Hull
Chamber of Commerce, on Wednesday. Mr. E. J.
Adderley (Messrs. William Cory and Son) was re-elected
chairman for the sixth consecutive year, at the unanimous
wish of the whole of the members of the association, which
took the form of a letter signed by every member, and
framed and presented to Mr. Adderley. Mr. Adderley
is an elected member of the Hull Chamber of Commerce
and shipping, also vice-chairman of the Local Committee
(Federated Area) for the supply of Coal to France and
Italy; chairman of the Coal Exporters’ Section (Feder-
ated area) for the Supply of Coal to France and Italy,
also one of the Coal Exporters’ representatives (Federated
Area) on the Central Executive Committee for the Supply
of Coal to France and Italy. Commander Regan was re-
elected vice-chairman.

Robert Wilkinson, 56, and John McBarrie, 44, lost their
lives in the Central Silkstone Colliery, Barnsley, on
Sunday night. They were engaged in erecting a girder
when a fall of roof buried them.

The scarcity of food caused murmurings in some portions
of the South Yorkshire coal field last week, and the
men of some collieries even threatened to go so far as to
cease work if matters did not improve. They were
assured that the Food Control Committees are doing all
in their power, and they have continued at work.

The question of the “ butty ” system in the South
Yorkshire collieries now looks like being settled. At a
meeting of the men of the Yorkshire Main Colliery, at
Edlington, Doncaster, last week, it was stated that a con-
ference on the matter had been held at Doncaster, at which
the representatives of the coal owners were present. The
men’s representatives from six different collieries were in
favour of abolishing the butty system, and Maltby and
Edlington were the only two pits standing out. Mr.
Humble, managing director of Bullcroft Colliery, who
was in the chair, said that where the sharing system had
been tried the output had risen from 3 tons 5 cwts. to
5 tons 12 cwts. of coal per man per day. The matter is
to be settled by ballot, and there seems little doubt it
will result in the abolition of the “ butty.”

Notts and Derbyshire.

We understand that Mr. Hubert O. Bishop, who is
agent and mining engineer to the Manners Colliery Com-
pany Limited, Ilkeston, has been appointed a director.
Mr. J. H. Goodrich, who has been commercial manager
and secretary for 16 years, is retiring from that position
at the end of April.

The Council of the Derbyshire Miners Association
decided, on Saturday last, that two of the three constitu-
encies in the division should be contested in the Labour
interest at the next Parliamentary election.

The Midlands.

The Coal Controller and the Lord Mayor of Birmingham
are again in communication concering the domestic coal
supply of the city. The point which has just arisen is
that it is alleged that the city is not receiving its allotted
amount of mineral, with the result that the poor are suffer-
ing. Complaint to this effect has been made to the Lord
Mayor by the coal yards and bag wagon dealers. Unless
these small dealers are kept going there will be no proper
means of distributing coal to the working classes during
the remainder of the winter. Statements have been sub-
mitted to the Lord Mayor that merchants have a very
small quantity of domestic coal in stock, and that supplies
delivered to the coal yards are passing immediately into
the hands of consumers, without enabling any stock to be
reserved.

Kent.

The quantity of coal raised last week at the Tilmanstone
and Snowdown Collieries was about 5,300 tons.

At Canterbury Town Council meeting, a letter was
received from Mr. Joseph Shaw, K.C., chairman of
Chislet Colliery Limited, near Canterbury, requesting the
Town Council’s support in obtaining a reconsideration by
the Government department of the order to close down

the colliery. Mr. Shaw stated in his letter that one shaft
of the colliery is sunk into the coal bearing measures,
within a comparatively short distance of several valuable
coal seams. They are now doing some work in this
shaft preparatory to closing down until the end of the war,
and Mr. Shaw pointed out that before closing down they
would take all the material in the shaft out, and once this
was done and the workmen and staff disbanded, it would
be very much more difficult to restart operations than it
would be now. Mr. Shaw stated he was satisfied that
if the whole question was examined by those having know-
ledge of both the colliery and transport problems, a deci-
sion to complete the sinking would be given. Referring
to doubts that had been expressed as to the quality of
the coal, Mr. Shaw said it is suitable for household,
manufacturing, bunkering, and probably for gas making
purposes, and there is every indication that it is very much
harder than that now being worked in Kent. It was men-
tioned by Aiderman Anderson during the Council discus-
sion that as a result of boring 300 feet lower than the
present pit bottom a seam of coal 4 ft. 9 in. has been
found. After a discussion that was very favourable to the
colliery application, it was decided to ask Mr. Kearton,
the manager of the colliery, to attend before the Finance
Committee and give some further information before any
steps are taken by the Council.

Ordinary general meetings of the Sondage and Foncage
Syndicates Limited, which were formed in connection with
Kent Coal Concessions and Allied Companies, are to be
held on the 30th inst., when the accounts and balance
sheets will be presented, and the shareholders will be
asked to appoint committees, “ to consider what resolu-
tions and alterations are necessary to vary the constitu-
tions of the syndicates so as to legalise the election of
boards of directors to administer the business of the
syndicates ; the committees to report to the shareholders
at a subsequent meeting.”

Scotland.

Possibility of Subsidences—Cable Complaints—New Sink-
ing Suspended—Co-operative Managers and Military
Service—Fire Damage at Locligelly.

At a meeting of Hamilton Town Council, it was reported
that Messrs. McCreaths and Stevenson, mining engineers,
Glasgow, had been consulted as to the possibility of damage
by mineral workings to the embankment at Wellbrae reser-
voir, Hamilton. The engineers expressed the opinion that
the workings from Earnock Colliery, Hamilton, had not
affected, and would not in future affect, the embankment.
They pointed out, however, that the workings were draw-
ing close to the mechanical filters at Townhill, and that
subsidences would probably occur. They suggested that
slide joints or other appliances should be fitted between
the three tanks to prevent a breakdown in the machinery.

At a joint meeting of the West of Scotland branch of
the Association of Mining Electrical Engineers and the
Scottish branch of the National Association of Colliery
Managers, a paper was read by Mr. J. H. C. Brooking on
“ Cable Complaints.” The author contended that with
the disorganisation of skilled labour owing to the War, it
was necessary that cables should be frequently tested.
Moisture was a source of trouble, but it was possible to
tell whether complaints were against the maker of the
cable, or were due to natural causes. He contended it
was wrong to lay bitumen cables in the ground if there
were corrosive or heated materials about. Messrs. F.
Anslow, J. P. C. Kivlen, H. A. McGuffie, Matthew Brown,
and R. Wilson took part in the discussion.

Messrs. Wm. Dixon Limited, who are engaged sinking a
new pit in the south-west of Whitburn, Bathgate district,
have intimated to the workers that operations will be sus-
pended until after the war. Upwards of 100 men will, in
consequence, be released for work elsewhere.

At a meeting of the executive of the National Union of
Scottish Mine Workers, it was reported that hardship was
likely to be experienced in several mining districts by the
enlistment for military service of managers and managing
secretaries of Scottish co-operative societies. It was
agreed to send a resolution to Sir Auckland Geddes, the
Coal Controller, and Lord Rhondda, calling their atten-
tion to the matter, and asking Sir Auckland Geddes to
suspend the calling-up of one or two managers of co-oper-
ative societies until he received a deputation.

Mr. Jas. Ormiston Tranent, the vice-president of the
Lothians Miners’ Association has been appointed to assist
in the agency work until a successor to the late Provost
Brown has been elected.

Damage amounting to several thousands of pounds was
done by fire at Minto Colliery, Lochgelly. A large wash-
ing plant was rendered useless. Two pits had to cease
work for some time. At Lochside Brick Works a serious
fire threw a large number of people out of employment.
The coal and fireclay mines at the brick works were also
stopped.

Burntisland coal shipments last week aggregated 10,390
tons, an increase of 3,750 tons on the corresponding week of
1917. The coal shipments of Methil last week were 17,844
tons, against 19,587 tons in the previous week.

Mr. Gompers, president of the American Labour
Alliance, speaking at a convention of mine workers at
Indianapolis, proposed a universal seven-hour day during
the war, instead of intermittent suspension of industries
for the purpose of conserving coal and relieving railway
congestion.

Vanadium in Coal Seams.—Stockholm papers report that
the Swedish Industrial Credit Institution and the Udde-
holm Company have applied for a concession to mine the
newly-discovered coal deposits at Billingen, in West Goth-
land. The seams are very thin, but with the present high
prices of coal it will pay to work them, especially so as the
coal contains vanadium, which Sweden has hitherto been
obliged to obtain abroad.

Water Power and Coal Saving. — Sir Dugald Clerk,
speaking at the Royal Society of Arts on Wednesday, said
that a Conjoint Board of Scientific Societies was enquiring
into the great water power resources of the British Empire.
It did not seem possible that in England we could replace
heat engine power to any very large extent, but it was
absolutely necessary for Britain’s future to economise coal
to the utmost, and use every possible means, including
water power, of lengthening Britain’s industrial life. By
exhausting our coal supplies we might terminate our indus-
trial existence in about 500 years.