August 2, 1918.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

241

Although the-trade of Swansea port last week was less
satisfactory as a whole, the shipments of coal and patent
fuel reached 89,839 tons; while tin plates with iron and
steel totalled 6,890 tons.

At the recent Home Office examination, held at Cardiff,
Mr. Wm. Spray was a successful candidate for a first-class
colliery managing certificate. He is employed at the
Blaenserchan Colliery, Abersychan.

Invited to accept nomination as a miners’ candidate in
' two of the South Wales divisions, Mr. J. James, who is
sub-agent of the anthracite men, has declined. In his
opinion, the importance and urgency of industrial pro-
blems induce him to believe that he could best serve the
interests of the miners by confining himself to industrial
work. A delegate meeting of miners took place at Neath,
and, in addition to Mr. James, nomination was made of
Mr. Joseph Dicks, of Gwauncaegurwen. This name will
now be submitted to a ballot.

In answer to the resolution of protest which local ship-
owners have made against the increased tonnage rates
at South Wales ports, the Board of Trade has written
stating that these orders are liable to revocation or amend-
ment by the Board of Trade at any time, and will in
any case be operative only during the war and for so long
afterwards as the Defence of the Realm Regulations
continue in force.

With regard to this raising of the statutory charges it
has been pointed out that the 6d. per ton for the tipping
and weighing of coal is strongly objected to because upon
general charges the increase is only 50 per cent. ; and if
the tipping and weighing charge, which is now 2^d. per
ton, were dealt with on that basis the increase would only
be 3§d., and not 6d., as has been suggested. On the other
hand, it is contended that the extra costs incurred by
higher wages and other expenses makes the 6d. a ton
only a fair amount.

Northumberland and Durham.

Copies of Order Wanted—Householders and Storage—
River Wear Commission — Evening Classes and
Managerships—Bly th Council and “ Wasted ” Coal—
Report on Fatalities—Housing Question.

The Lord Mayor of Newcastle announced on Tuesday
that, owing to the difficulty of securing copies of the
Household Fuel and Lighting Order, not a single coal
merchant in the city had been registered, although the
appointed day on which registration was to have been
completed was now past.

Mr. W. G. Baty, coal merchants’ supervisor for New-
castle, is asking the newspapers to emphasise the advisa-
bility of those householders who have storage facilities
getting in supplies of coal for the winter. It is difficult to
see how 'householders can freely comply with Mr. Baty’s
advice without running the risk of severely limiting them-
selves, to the point of grave inconvenience, so far as their
possible needs of gas and electric light are concerned, for
it is obvious that, if they store their full yearly “ ration ”
of coal before the bad weather comes, there will be no
elasticity in their rations of gas and electricity.

Mr. R. D. Holt’s decision to withdraw, at the next
General Election, from the representation of the Hexham
division in Parliament should strengthen the appeal to
the electors likely, to be made in the Labour interests by
Mr. Wm. Weir, president of the Northumberland Miners’
Association, especially as Mr. Holt, in his letter of resigna-
tion, remarks that it is a handicap to have no local con-
nections and no special knowledge of the principal indus-
tries and trades of the division.

Mr. Thos. Elliot Parrington, of the Wearmouth Coal
Company Limited, has been elected as a representative of
the”coal owners on the River Wear Commission, in succes-
sion to Mr. J. 8. G. Pemberton.

When it was proposed, at Ashington Urban District
Council meeting, to give the usual grant of <£50 towards
the evening classes conducted by the Northumberland
Education Committee, Mr. R. Gilbertson remarked that
mining classes had been held' for many years, and he
questioned their utility. They could not tell him of one
student who had been made a colliery manager. One could
get as many certificates as one liked at these classes, but
could not become a manager. Many of the students got
certificates which were of no value and unrecognised in
competition. The motion was assented to.

Considerable resentment against the Household Fuel and
Lighting Order was expressed at a special meeting of Blyth
Council held to consider the Order and the appointment
of a local fuel overseer. The Board of Trade had been
requested to exempt the district from the Order, in view
of the fact that 75 per cent, of the population is connected
with coal mining. The Board replied, urging the Council
to proceed with the arrangements to carry the Order out.
It was not desirable that the district as a whole should
be excluded from the Order. Mr. Goulding expressed the
view that the Order would be an absolute farce in such
a place. It would mean the appointment of three salaried
officials and the expenditure of a sum of money equivalent
to 200 tons of coal per annum. What would they save?
They saw around them heaps of hundreds of thousands of
tons of small coal going to waste. Mr. Clark supported
the protest, and, after dealing with the inadequacy of the
allowances, said that if such an Order were put into opera-
tion, it would result in a reduction of the output at land-
sale collieries. ' The chairman (Mr. John Summers) re-
marked that it did seem a bit ridiculous that anyone
should be rationed in regard to fuel. Mr. Neale said that
if they took a house in which there was a big family,
where there was much coal consumed in the wash-house,
these people would not be allowed as much fuel as a
smaller family in a larger house where the washing was
given out. The Council decided to postpone taking any
action until the result of the Newcastle conference of
municipal representatives was ascertained.

Sir Johnstone Wallace, K.B.E., has been appointed
divisional officer under the Household Fuel and Lighting
Order for the counties of Northumberland and Durham.

The diversity of fatalities in mines is illustrated in the
report of Mr. Jas. Robson, compensation agent to the
Durham Miners’ Association, as to claims heard last month.
These related to a landing lad at Marsden, who was
crushed through a set of tubs leaving the rails; a creeper
attendant at Dawdon, who was found on top of the
creeper with his skull fractured ; a landing lad at Hebburn
whose pony stumbled and crushed the lad’s head against
the roof ; a raker-out after coal-cutters at South Hetton,
who was run over by two tubs; an assistant banksman at
Sacriston, who was crushed by a descending cage; an
Axwell hewer who, it was alleged, died from the effects
of injuries received 15 years ago, when a piece of stone
flew from his pick and injured his eye; and a Bowden
Close hewer, whose death from cancer was alleged to have
been accelerated by . his slipping whilst pushing a tub and
thereby spraining his abdomen. As to disputed non-fatal
cases, the following revealed points of interest : An Axwell
screen lad was crossing the belt when he fell. His right

foot was caught in the machinery, and, subsequently, had
to be amputated. He was stated to have been attending
to a jigger and to be returning to the belts when the
accident happened. The manager alleged that the lad
was trespassing, and that the accident did not arise out
of his employment. The committee failed to agree.
Failure to agree resulted, also, in the case of an Adventure
Pit bank lad, who got his right leg crushed between a
tub and a steel girder whilst taking a tub down the gang-
way. The manager alleged that the lad was riding on the
front end of the tub. The claim in respect of a Shildqn
Lodge screen lad, who got his fingers torn-by putting his
hand on an overhead rope, was allowed, although it was
contended that the accident did not arise out of his employ-
ment. A contrary decision was arrived at in the case of
a filler at the same colliery who received injuries to his
head and legs by a fall of roof, the manager stating that
the accident arose through the' man having broken the
timbering rules. A Swalwell helper-up, who stated that
whilst walking out-bye he caught his head against an iron
girder in a low place, was said by the manager to have
been riding outbye on a tub top. His claim was dis-
allowed. On the other hand, a pony putter at Littlebum,
whose back was crushed against the roof whilst he was
riding on a full tub, was awarded compensation, his con-
tention being that it was customary lor putters to ride
when coming out at loose. A Sacriston stoneman strained
his right side whilst lifting a kibble of stone on the way.
He received compensation for seven weeks, and. then
returned to work for two weeks, when he had to give up
again. The doctor filled in his “ permanent relief ” paper
to the effect that he was suffering from the former accident,
but reported to the manager that it was not a recurrence
of injuries arising from the former accident. The claim
was allowed. A like decision was come to in the case
of a Hetton shaftman who, whilst returning from work
in the early morning of April 13, fell down about 50 yards
from the pit mouth, injuring his face and ears. He was
off work for six weeks, and the manager’s contention was
that the accident arose away from the man’s work.

At a Labour conference on housing, held in Durham
city, Aid. G. W. Bartlett, chairman of the Health Com-
mittee of the Durham County Council, expressed the
belief that the bad housing conditions in the county arose
partly through the unfortunate system of free houses for
miners. It was manifest that, where persons occupied
houses that cost them nothing, there was an' absence of
a measure of criticism and public spirit that would inevit-
ably follow if the houses were rented in the ordinary
way. Aid. Robert Richardson (Ryhope) said that, at the
close of the war, hundreds of soldiers’ widows now occupy-
ing colliery houses would be thrown on the streets. The
chairman (Mr. T. H. Cann, secretary of the Durham
Miners’ Association) said that was a matter that the asso-
ciation would take up and upon which, they would see that
justice was done. County Councillor Peter Lee (Wheatley
Hill) said the free house question must be fought out,
not only on local boards but through the unions. The
miners must see to it that the house rent allowance was
such as would encourage life under decent conditions.
The county medical officer of health (Dr. T. Eustace
Hill) said he was receiving information every week of
cases of tuberculosis in two-roomed houses occupied by
from eight to 12 people.. Thirty-six local authorities, re-
presenting 740,000 people, estimated the total number of
houses required at 11,468. Seven other authorities, repre-
senting 184,000 people and including the rural districts
of Auckland and Chester-le-Street, had not sent in
returns. He said without hesitation that practically all
the local authorities had very seriously under-estimated
the needs of their district, and that at least 50,000 houses
were required to meet the overcrowded conditions, with
an additional 4,000 a year to meet the natural increase of
the population. It was a marvel to him that the working
population of the county had not taken steps earlier to
press on the housing question, and that opinion was shared
by the Local Government Board.

In view of the coal shortage, attention is being called
to the fact that peat is abundantly deposited in Durham
county dales, and it is suggested that local coal commit-
tees should take steps to ascertain the peat supplies obtain-
able and to make the fullest possible use of them.

Cleveland.

Mr. A. Varty, manager of the Liverton Mines of the
Cargo Fleet Iron Company, has received an important
mining appointment in Cumberland, and will be succeeded
at Liverton by Mr. Frank Robinson, at present manager
at North Skelton. He, in his turn, will be succeeded by
Mr. Palmer, manager at Belmont Mines, Guisborough.
Mr. C. H. Steavenson, manager of the Redheugh Colliery,
Gateshead, is expected at Belmont in succession to Mr.
Palmer.

Mr. J. J. Burton, whose association with the Cleveland
iron trade ranges over 40 years, states that, within a very
few days, steps for the recovery of potash in the manu-
facture of pig-iron will be taken on a commercial scale at
a Tees-side iron works, and that a committee of iron-
masters is preparing a scheme for the erection of a local
central works for dealing with the whole of the potash-
bearing material produced in the district. Meanwhile, the
raw material untreated is being widely distributed as a
fertiliser.

Yorkshire.

Mr. John Slater, Bradford, has been granted permission
to get coal from under land at “ Odsal Tip.” The permit
is for three years, and the royalty price is Is. 6d. per ton.

At a meeting of the Huddersfield Chamber of Com-
merce last week strong complaints were made at the
inadequate supplies of coal (both steam and house) in the
district. It was remarked that unless strong action was
taken only one day’s supply per week would be available,
and it was further pointed out that the 12J? per cent,
saving was impossible in face of the increased demands
made for military cloths. A delegation was appointed
from the Chamber to meet the Coal Controller upon the
matter.

A meeting of the coal merchants’ section of the Brad-
ford Chamber of Trade was held on July 25, under the
chairmanship of Mr. J. Smith. Mr. H. Mosley gave his
first report as merchants’ supervisor under the new Fuel
Order. He complained of the delay of many merchants in
filling in and returning the forms, and pointed out that
he would not be always in a position to state definitely
why he wanted any particular information. He asked
the trade to believe that he did not request information
without good reason, and if he was to carry out the work
successfully in the trade’s interests he must be supplied
with the necessary information. He pointed to the neces-
sity at a very early date of arriving at fixed retail prices
for coal. He suggested that where a man’s books were
not kept in such a fashion as to enable him to give informa-
tion in a complete form it would be better to return the
paper and say outright that he was _ unable to give the

information, as accurate and detailed information was
needed. Mr. Edward Smith reported on the first meeting
of the local Fuel and Lighting Committee. Speaking on
the subject of the new Road Transport Board, he said
an application had been received by the Bradford Cor-
poration Team Labour Committee, from the Bradford
Horse Owners’ Association, for an advance in daily cartage
rates. That had been referred to the local committee of
the Transport Board.

North Wales.

At a meeting of the North Wales coal merchants and
factors, held at Llandudno Junction, presided over by Mr.
T. B. Butterworth (Messrs. Barton and.Co.), Wrexham, it
was decided to form an association. Mr. T. B. Butter-
worth was elected president, Mr. R. Owen (Bangor) secre-
tary, and Mr. Harrop (Abergele) treasurer.

Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

The effect of the new call-up for the Army of men in
the mining industry was reflected in the membership
figures given at the quarterly meeting of the Midland
District Miners’ Fatal Accident Relief Society at Derby
on Tuesday. It was reported that the total of 50,623 was
a decrease of 1,751. There were 391 widows and 492
x children in receipt of benefit, increases of 41 and 65
respectively, compared with a year ago. The quinquen-
nial report showed a surplus at the end of the period of
=£8,000, while it was pointed out that llgd. out of every
shilling paid by members came back in benefits. Lieut. -
Col. R. E. Martin and Mr. W. Sewell were re-elected
chairman and vice-chairman of the board of management
respectively.

Members of the Midland branch of the Association of
Mining Electrical Engineers, by the kind permission of
the Butterley Company Limited, paid a visit of inspection
on Saturday afternoon to the electrical plant connected
with the Kirkby and Lowmoor collieries at East Kirkby,
Notts. A number of visitors descended Lowmoor pit and
inspected the electrical arrangements underground.

The Midlands.

The question of works coal is becoming an increasingly
difficult one in the Birmingham district, and supplies seem
to be rapidly diminishing. This week some of the
iron works were unable to make a start until mid-week,
with the double result of considerable irritation to the
iron workers and falling off in the amount of rolled iron
and steel material supplied to the Government for war
purposes.

Kent.

At the extraordinary general meeting of the Sondage
Syndicate Limited (an allied company of Kent Coal Con-
cessions), convened to consider the report of the share-
holders’ committee, Mr. J. J. Clark, chairman of Snow-
down Colliery Company, was voted to the chair. Mr.
Clark was a member of the shareholders’ committee, and
he fully explained the negotiations with Mr. Burr, after
which resolutions were unanimously passed, giving
approval to the provisional settlement arrived at between
the shareholders’ committee and Mr. Burr, who is to
receive an annuity of <£300, and the proposed alterations
of the articles of association were also unanimously
approved, as a result of which a board of directors can
be elected, the control of the syndicate having previously
been in the hands of Mr. Burr as life director. A hearty
vote of thanks was passed to the shareholders’ committee
for their success in bringing about an amicable settlement.
The confirmatory meeting is to be held on August 14.

The Tilmanstone and Snowdown collieries continue to
raise about 2,200 tons of coal each weekly.

The sinking of the South pit at Chislet Colliery, near
Canterbury, continues to make highly satisfactory progress,
and a very few weeks should see it in the thick seam of
coal which was entered by the North pit recently. This
seam is stated to lay about 1,500 ft. higher than any seam
of the same thickness and quality in any other part of the
Kent coalfield.

Scotland.

The coal shipments from Methil for the week were 16,981
tons. In the previous week work was suspended during
the holidays for repairs to the dock gates. At Burntis-
land the shipments were above the average for the period.
The coal exported for the week was 12,350 tons, against
10,473 tons in the corresponding week last year.

It is reported that one of the collieries in Fife contem-
plates opening up an entirely new mineral field in the
county.

A resolution has been passed at one of the union branches
for the release of conscientious objectors who are miners,
in order that they may return to the collieries.

Sheriff Mackenzie has issued his judgment in the appeal
against the decision of Sheriff-Substitute Lee in the action
at the instance of Messrs. Barr and Higgins, coalmasters,
Woodhall Colliery, Calderbank, against Allan Dunsmuir,
coalmaster, Lauchope Colliery, Chapelhall. Damages were
claimed in respect that defender encroached upon and
worked coals in the neighbouring colliery, belonging to
pursuers, at Woodhall. Sheriff Lee held that the defender’s
offer to the pursuer of Ils. per ton for the coal worked,
plus 50 per cent, subsequently offered, was a reasonable
sum in the circumstances, and he gave decree for <£424.
Sheriff-Principal Mackenzie recalled this decision. He
finds that from January 1, 1915, to May 31, 1916, the
defender worked and carried away coal belonging to the
pursuers; that he had no right to do so, and gave no
intimation to the pursuers of his intention, although aware
that his right was denied by the pursuers and that the
quantity of coal so worked and carried away amounted
to about 6,503 tons. His lordship finds that the measured
damages to which the pursuers are entitled is the price
which the coal fetched at the pithead, under deduction of
the cost of winning and bringing it to the bank, and he
assesses this at <£615, and gives decree for that sum and
costs.

A meeting of the council of the Scottish Association of
Mine Managers was held on Saturday in the Christian
Institute, Glasgow, Mr. J. Whiteside, vice-president, in
the chair. It was reported by the secretary (Mr. J. Black)
that the Scottish coal owners had requested a conference
with the officials of the association for the purpose of
discussing the claim by the managers for an increase of
salary at the rate of <£100 per annum. The chairman and
other members of the council commented on the fact that
the membership of the association is still rapidly
increasing.

On Saturday, at Stanrigg Colliery, Airdrie—the scene of
the recent disaster—a start was made with cutting the
first sods of a new shaft in order to reach the bodies
of the 19 entombed men. The shaft is being sunk at the
part of the moor where a bore had proved satisfactory.
A new development has taken place as a result of com-
plaints which have reached the headquarters of the Lanark-
shire Miners’ Union as to slow progress in recovering
the bodies at the colliery. The executive committee of