June 28, 1918.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

1309

DIRECTIONS FOR THE SALE OF COAL.

The Controller of Coal Mines has issued Directions
(dated June 24) as to the Sale of Coal, amending in
certain particulars those issued on January 31 and
March 2 last. It is stated in the covering letter to
colliery companies that the object of the increase of
6d. per ton in the schedule prices of coal supplied
for the manufacture of patent fuel for export to all
destinations, except British Possessions and Pro-
tectorates, is to pass on to the colliery the amount
of the adjustment between coal prices and exporters’
remuneration which took place on March 2 last, and
which is continued with certain modifications in the
new Directions, except in the case of shipments to
British Possessions and Protectorates. Article 2 of
the Directions has been introduced in order to meet
so far as possible certain objections made by exporters
to both the scope and form of the Direction of
March 2. It was arranged that the alterations should
come into operation on July 1, and it is to be observed
that up to that date the Direction of March 2 con-
tinues in operation, and payment must be made in
accordance with its provisions. The Directions are
as follow : —

1.	(a) The prices specified in the schedules appended
to the Directions of the Controller of Coal Mines, dated
January 31, 1918, are hereby increased by 2s. 6d. per ton.

(b)	The prices in Schedule A, so increased, shall apply •
to shipments to France and Italy (including French and
Italian Possessions), and the footnote on the first page
of the schedule is hereby withdrawn.

(c)	These increases apply to the prices of all cargoes
and bunkers loading of which was commenced on or after
June 24, 1918.

2.	The Direction of March 2, 1918, as to the charge of
one-third of 5 per cent, brokerage on freight shall not
apply to any cargoes the loading of which is commenced
after June 30, 1918, but the charge shall be dealt with as
follows in respect of such cargoes for (a) British Pos-
sessions and Protectorates; (b) France and Italy (in-
cluding French and Italian Possessions) ; and (c) other
destinations respectively :—

(а)	British Possessions and Protectorates.—The charge
of one-third of 5 per cent, brokerage on freight to be
paid to the exporter by the shipowner, time-charterer or
buyer shall be paid over by the exporter to the owners
of the collieries, coke ovens or patent fuel works from
which the fuel is shipped, less 6d. per ton to be retained
by the exporter.

(б)	France and Italy.—The charge of one-third of 5 per
cent, brokerage on freight paid to the exporter by the
shipowner, time-charterer or buyer shall in respect of car-
goes for shipment to France or Italy (including French
and Italian Possessions), loading of which is commenced
after June 30, 1918, be retained by the exporter as in
the case of shipments prior to March 2; and the exporter
shall remit to the owners of the collieries, coke ovens
or patent fuel works from which the fuel is shipped 50
per cent, of the remuneration prescribed by Article 9 of
the Directions of the Controller of Coal Mines, dated
January 31, 1918, provided that the exporter shall in
no case retain less than 3d. per ton, out of which any
payments to agents abroad must be made.

(c) Other Destinations.—The charge of one-third of
5 per cent, brokerage on freight to be paid to the ex-
porter by the shipowner, time-charterer or buyer shall be
paid over in full by the exporter to the owners of the
collieries, coke ovens or patent fuel works from which
the fuel is shipped.

3.	In view of the provisions of paragraphs (5) and (c)
of Article 2 of these Directions, the schedule prices of
coal supplied to patent fuel works after June 30 for
the manufacture of patent fuel for shipment to destina-
tions abroad, other than British Possessions and Pro-
tectorates, are hereby increased by 6d. per ton, in addition
to the increase specified in Article 1.

THE TIN-PLATE TRADE.

Liverpool.

The official maximum price for coke tin-plates now stands
at round 32s. 3d. per basis box, net cash, f.o.t. at works.
Most of the makers are comfortably booked up over the
next couple of months, and are not anxious to sell beyond
this ; and it is only such works as are in want of a prompt
specification who will make any concession in price.
Wasters in 28 x 20 and large sizes are in good demand, but
small sizes can be bought at a discount. Terne plates in keg
quality are in fair request, and at round £26 per ton basis
net f.o.t. a number of orders have been placed.

Iron Ore Discovery in Queensland.—The investigations
of the Queensland Government geologist have resulted in
the discovery of a large quantity of iron ore about fourteen
miles from Warwick. Tests show the ore to contain 66
per cent, of iron, which is the same percentage as that
smelted at Newcastle. The Government will conduct its
first smelting operations at Ipswich, where 50 tons of
Biggenden ore will be treated.

Coal Traffic in South Africa.—In his valedictory address
at the annual meeting of the Johannesburg Chamber of
Commerce, the outgoing president, Mr. C. H. Leake, stated
that in 1917 the earnings from coal traffic increased from
£2,815,244 in 1916 to £3,209,944, an addition of £394,700.
The coal tonnage increased from 6,985,832 tons in 1913
to 7,982,624 tons in 1917, a rise of 996,772 tons or 14-3
per cent. In December last the railway rates on bunker
coal were increased by a further 4s. per ton, and it is
estimated that this will realise a further revenue of not
less than £400,000 per annum. South African coal for
bunkering purposes is lower in price than that in other
parts of the world.

Tillery Pit Dispute.—At the Home Office, on Wednes-
day, Mr. Brace received a deputation from the South
Wales Miners’ Federation with reference to the dispute
at the Tillery Colliery, Abertillery. The deputation in-
cluded Mr. James Winstone, Mr. G. Barker, the Right
Hon. T. Richards, M.P., and Mr. Alfred Onions. The
proceedings were private, but it is understood that the
deputation discussed with Mr. Brace section 16 of the
Coal Mines Act, which has relation to the workmen’s
examination of the mines. Mr. Brace promised to give
the matter his attention.

PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—June 21.

Workmen’s Compensation (Silicosis) Bill.

The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Depart-
ment (Mr. Brace), in moving the second reading, said that
it was proposed to overcome the difficulties due to the
slow growth of the disease by establishing a general com-
pensation fund, for the whole of any industry dealt with
by the Bill, to which employers would be required to
subscribe and from which all claims for compensation
would be paid. The burden would thus be destributed
over the trade, and no question of apportioning liability
among different employers would arise. The Bill provided
for the suspension from employment in the industry of
workmen who were found to be suffering from the disease
to a degree rendering it dangerous for them to continue
that work. In such cases if the committee which would
be set up decided that they were suffering from this
disease as a result of following their occupation they would
receive compensation. In this effort of prevention the
Home Office were issuing further Regulations under the
Mines Act and Factory Acts for the ganister industry,
and the settlement of the claims would be by a joint
committee representative of employers and workmen, with
an independent chairman. A scheme on these lines had
already been worked out for the ganister industry.

Sir J. Jardine asked whether the two classes affected by
this measure were agreed that it should be passed, or
whether there was any strong difference of opinion between*
employers and workmen.

In reply to Mr. Wing, Mr. Brace said he asked the
House to treat it as a war measure because owing to war
work the disease had reached an acute stage in a number
of individual cases. They hoped that as the result of the
Regulations issued by the Home Office they would eradicate
the disease altogether, but so long as it lasted it was
intended that men who suffered from it should get com-
pensation. Broadly speaking, it was an agreed method
between employers and workmen.

The Bill was read a second time, and committed to a
Committee of the whole House for Monday, June 24.

June 24.

Oil Production (Great Britain).

General Croft asked the President of the Board of
Trade if all steps were taken by the Government to
develop the production of oil from coal and shale deposits
in this country and what progress had been made in
developing this national industry.

Mr. Kellaway said the Ministry of Munitions was tak-
ing every possible step to increase the production of oil
from coal and shale deposits in the country and of creosote.
The work was hampered by the shortage of labour, but
very considerable progress had been made. It was not
desirable to quote figures, but he was considering the
possibility of giving further information of the progress
made in developing the production of oil from home
sources.

Coal Porters.

Mr. Smallwood asked the President of the Board of
Trade if he was aware that the committee of the National
Amalgamation of Coal Porters had tendered notice to
terminate all agreements between the Society of Coal
Merchants and the union on June 28, giving as the reason
that the work of the coal trade could not be carried on
owing to the call being made upon the man-power of
the coal trade, and that they recognised that their duty
to the community could best be served by taking this
.step than by allowing things to drift into chaos; and if
he would say what steps he proposed to take having regard
to this statement.

Sir A. Stanley said the Controller of Coal Mines had
arranged to receive a deputation from the union referred
to on Wednesday to consider the notice.

Mr. Smallwood asked the President of the Board of
Trade whether he was aware that owing to the recent
call-up for national service of coal porters and carmen
there were wharves in the London district without a
man left to work them; and whether he proposed to take
any steps to deal with such cases.

Sir A. Stanley replied that while the recruitment of
coal porters and carmen had interfered to a certain extent
with coal distribution, no cases of the kind mentioned had
come to the notice of the Controller of Coal Mines. The
Controller would enquire into these cases if furnished with
particulars. An arrangement had been come to between
the Board of Trade and the Ministry of National Service
which it was believed would relieve the situation.

Workmen’s Compensation (Silicosis) Bill.

During consideration of the Bill in Committee, after a
motion to report progress had been negatived, Mr. Ellis
Davies moved, in sub-section (1), to leave out the words
“ involving exposure to silica dust,” in order to afford
workmen the rights of the Workmen’s Compensation Act.
Instead of adopting the Report of the Committee on in-
dustrial diseases, which was a general one, and dealt
with fibroid phthisis in whatever trade or industry, the
Bill was limited to cases arising out of silica dust. The
Committee referred to reported that fibroid phthisis
arose out of silica dust, and affected slate quarry-
men and workers in slate mines. They recommended
that compensation should only be paid to those
people who contracted the disease, whether in the factory
or the quarry. The Bill limited it to those who appa-
rently were only working with silica. The result of the
amendment would be, not the immediate inclusion for
these workmen, but power would be given to the Home
Office, if they so desired, to include other workers by
proposing a scheme. It would be absurd that no work-
man should come within the scope of the Bill in these
later clauses.

Mr. Brace explained that there was really no difference
of opinion between them. If workmen were engaged in
the way Mr. Davies said, and they developed fibroid
phthisis or silicosis, then they would come within the
Bill and would receive compensation. It applied to stone
and tin mines in Cornwall, and to certain manufacturing
processes as to the Bill. If the men did not suffer from
silicosis, then they did not come within the provisions of
this Bill. He could not accept any extension of the Bill
beyond what was provided in the Bill then before the
House.

Mr. Watt said that Mr. Davies desired that his con-
stituents engaged in the slate trade and who got fibroid
phthisis should be included in the measure, as recom-
mended by a Committee of that House. This disease arose
from the working of slate quarries, and certainly, if

fibroid phthisis was to be dealt with it should be dealt
with thoroughly, and not only workers in British sand-
stone be given compensation for it, but workers also in
the slate quarries.

Mr. Brace said that it was only with difficulty that his
Department had found itself in a position to come to the
House with a Bill of this kind. It had taken more than
a year of negotiation with employers and workmen who
were engaged in that highly dangerous industry, and he
felt himself in the position that he had now almost
got a start in dealing with that great problem, and if
the most dangerous part of the industry was brought in
and he once got a scheme of compensation laid down
for it, the question of extending it would be much more
easily dealt with.

Mr. Wing hoped that members would not press the
Minister on the point. The Bill was an extension of a
very great advantage in relation to compensation. He
thought the Minister had put up a definite scheme, and
he (Mr. Wing) hoped they would assist him to build
up a foundation for including many other industries which
would still be left out of the Bill, even if the amendment
were adopted.

Mr. Ellis Davies said that whenever an attempt had
been made to induce the Home Office to extend this
proposal to the quarries in North Wales, the Home Office
had always turned a deaf ear to it. He asked Mr. Brace
not to include the quarrymen at once, but to take the
power to do so.	-----

June 25.

Afforestation (Exotic Trees).

Major Wheeler asked the President of the Board of
Agriculture whether steps were being taken to ensure
an adequate supply -of seed of valuable exotic trees such
as Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, and Japanese larch for sowing
in Great Britain in the spring of 1919.

Sir R. Winfrey, in reply, said the Board’s forestry
experts were engaged in making enquiries for seed of
these exotic trees for next year’s sowing, and they were
hopeful of getting an adequate supply.

Ship Canals (Scotland).

In reply to a question by Sir J. Ainsworth, the
Minister of Reconstruction (Dr. Addison) said he
was advised that there was no doubt as to the possi-
bility of constructing a ship canal from the Forth to the
Clyde, and of reconstructing the Crinan Canal. As re-
garded the former, he referred the hon. member to the
answer given on June 10. As regarded the Crinan Canal,
after an examination of the cost of the survey, and long
consultation with the Admiralty and the War Depart-
ment, it had been decided not to undertake the suggested
reconstruction.	_____

June 26.

Reconstruction (Timber Supplies).

Sir C. Kinloch-Cooke asked the Prime Minister
if any steps were being taken to encourage supplies of
timber from Canada and other parts of the Empire for
reconstruction purposes after the war; what Government
Department was giving consideration to this question;
and what stocks of timber were likely to be available from
the Baltic after the demands of the Allies had been met.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade
(Mr. Wardle) said the question was under consideration
by the Board of Trade and the Ministry of Reconstruction,
but no announcement could be made at present.

OBITUARY.

Mr. Wm. Derby, checkweighman and financial secre-
tary to the Wearmouth lodge of the Durham Miners’
Association, who died on Tuesday last at the age of 57
years, was a pioneer of the movement for homes for
aged miners. Whilst resident at Hetton-le-Hole, he repre-
sented the miners on the Urban District Council and on
the Houghton-le-Spring Board of Guardians.

Mr. George Oldham, of Durham city, who has died at
the age of 62 years, succeeded his father, the late Mr.
S. Oldham, in the management of the Framwellgate Iron
Foundry and carried on the business until it was wound
up some few years ago. He was also a director of the
City of Durham Gas Company.

Mr. Alfred Allhusen, who has died at his residence at
Beadnell, Northumberland, at the age of 74 years, was a
director of the United Alkali Company Limited, and of
the Newcastle and Gateshead Gas Company.

The death is announced, at the age of 77, of Mr. Alfred
W. Gower, of the firm of Messrs. Gower and Smyth, at
one time one of the most regular members of the London
Coal Exchange, and also connected with Messrs. Gower
and de Berenger, of the Tottenhoe Lime Works.

Lieut. Horace Vincent Blight, A.C.A., Royal Fusiliers,
who was killed in action on June 15, was a director and
secretary of Messrs. Charles Griffin and Company Limited,
publishers, and only son of Mr. F. J. Blight, managing
director of that company.

The 27th annual general meeting of the Association of
Private Owners of Railway Rolling Stock was held on
June 25, under the presidency of Mr. G. C. Locket, who
referred with satisfaction to the strong financial position
of the association, and mentioned the grounds the com-
mittee had for thinking that no further proposal for the
pooling of privately owned wagons would again be
brought forward at present, the patriotic surrender by a
large number of private owners of a percentage of their
wagons to the Railway Executive Committee having facili-
tated the withdrawal of the demand for general pooling.
A suggestion was favourably received that members might
help each other by supplying information as to each other’s
wagons observed to be standing idle on any railway.

The Glasgow Advisory Committee appointed at the
recent conference of Scottish local authorities in relation
to the coal rationing scheme, after going over the pro-
visions of the English Coal Rationing Order with the
view of considering what amendments should be made
in it to meet Scottish conditions, agreed to recommend
that an increase should be made in the case of Scotland
on the scale of allowances in England, and that this
should also apply to gas and electricity for lighting pur-
poses. It was intimated that the Treasury had agreed
to pay two-thirds of the expenses incurred by local
authorities in carrying out the Order. The recommenda-
tions will be communicated to the Coal Controller for
consideration in drafting the Scottish Order.