452

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

August 30, 1918.

Department of Scotland Yard, London, made enquiries
because three live cartridges had been found in coal
delivered to a national shell factory; and it was as a
result of his investigation that the prosecution was insti-
tuted. The manager had not kept a book recording the
number of shots fired in the mine, although a book had
been provided by the company for the purpose. No record
had been made during a period of 18 months. No control
had been exercised in regard to the keeping of detonators.
The defence was that owing to the number of reports the
manager had to make, and the great amount of work
necessary to maintain output, some of his duties had been
overlooked. He was fined <£40 and ordered to pay <£10
advocate’s fee. The charge against the proprietors was
that they had in their possession over 100 lb. of explosives,
whereas they were entitled to only 60 lb. A fine of
£4 10s., with an additional <£5 advocate’s fee, was
imposed. It was recognised that the company had to rely
upon the manager, and it was urged in their defence that
the offence was technical. The Chairman of the Bench
stated that they had been bound to take a serious view
of the charges against the manager, especially as he had
been guilty of such culpable laxity. Cartridges were
found in coal delivered at the shell factory, to the danger
of life there.

At an inquest held in Forth, Rhondda Valley, evidence
was given as to the death of a collier who was electro-
cuted at the Hafod pit. He was waiting his turn at the
pit bottom to ascend the shaft, and in some way came
into contact with an electric cable. A fellow workman
took hold of deceased’s trousers and pulled him away from
the live wire. Artificial respiration was tried, but without
success. The cable had been examined on the previous
day, and was found to be all right, but when examined
after the accident it was broken in half, and the electrician
stated that anyone coming in contact with one of the ends
would reecive a shock of 220 volts. The verdict of “ Acci-
dental death ” was returned, the jury stating that no
blame attached to anyone.

It having been announced that the Admiralty would
pay Is. 6d. per ton in respect of coal supplied from the
collieries after June 30, some questions arose as to the
precise meaning of the announcement. A meeting of
gentlemen connected with the Admiralty collieries took
place on Friday, when there was expression of opinion
that this sum did not satisfy their claim for increased pay-
ment seeing that Admiralty coal prices are still substan-
tially below the schedule rates, which run up to 40s. They
will therefore approach the authorities with the request
for a still further increase.

A. claim for compensation was made by a collier boy.
of 14 in the Merthyr County Court against the Rhymney
Iron Company. He had been sent for clay while working
underground and, later, was found lying unconscious,
having been crushed by the trams. A doctor called on his
behalf stated that he would never be able to undertake
heavy work. In cross-examination, the boy denied that
he was riding on a buffer of the last tram of the journey
and had come into contact with the door frame. The
judge, after hearing the evidence, stated that he was satis-
fied the boy, though sent to get clay, was at the time of
the accident simply “out for a ride,” far away from his
working place. He did not believe the story told on his
behalf, and therefore gave a verdict for the respondent
company, with costs.

The announcement made on Wednesday that Col.
Godfrey Jones, D.S.O., had been nominated a brigadier-
general was of peculiar interest to the mining community,
Col. Jones having had what can only be described as a
meteoric career in the Army. Originally a miner under
the Ebbw Vale Company, he was an under-official at the
time war broke out, and on Sunday a meeting was held
in Ebbw Vale to make a presentation of a gold watch
in celebration of his having secured the Distinguished
Service Order. Mr. F. Mills, managing director of the
Ebbw Vale Company, made the presentation, and stated
that the man they had with them that night had had
a most marvellous record. He knew of nothing like it
before in the British Army. Col. Jones joined the Cardiff
“ Pals ” battalion in 1914 as a private, but went rapidly
through the non-commissioned ranks, gained a commis-
sion, had become lieutenant-colonel, and his name had
been sent forward for commission as brigadier-general.
Col. Jones has served in Salonica, and returned home on
leave last week in order to be married.

In the course of his remarks at that meeting, Mr. Mills
stated that recently the demand had been made to the
miners to get more coal. He did not want to touch on
any controversial questions, but gentlemen in London and
elsewhere had been telling employers their business and
telling the collier his business, but in both cases the
tellings were wrong. A few months ago they worked only
four days a week in the local collieries. He was not
blaming anyone, because he knew the difficulties. Many
reasons had been given for the shortage of coal, but in his
opinion the real reason was the existence of an unsatis-
factory custom, namely, that if a man did well in the
mine his rate was accordingly reduced. Such a system
did not prevail in the iron and steel industry. He had
never reduced tonnage rate in his life, and they should
not allow their tonnage rates to be reduced. The colliers
should “ make hay while the sun shines,” and strive to
get as much coal as possible and take home as much
wages as they could.

At the Pontypridd Police Court, on Wednesday, 20
hauliers were summoned for breach of contract, the case
against them being that on July 18 they failed to descend
the pit. There was a meeting of the hauliers at the pit
head that morning, and a deputation was sent to the
manager asking for a guarantee that certain stoppages
from wages which had been agreed upon by the workmen’s
committee should not be deducted from the hauliers’
wages. Having had the reply that this matter was be-
tween the men and their committee, it was stated they
showed a desire to descend the pit, but they were refused
permission because it was after time. The defence was
that the men were prepared to go down,* but were refused
permission. Judgment was given for the employers, £3
against each defendant, but intimation was made that
the company would not enforce payment of more than 30s.

Northumberland and Durham.

Managerial Changes—Criticism of Miners' Houses—Dis-
obeying Instructions—Juries at Inquests—Arbitration
Committee's Decisions.

Mr. Morton Hedley, of Stobilee House, Langley Park,
manager of the Langley Park Colliery of the Consett Iron
Company Limited, has been appointed manager of the
Hedley Hope Colliery, recently taken over by Messrs.
Dorman, Long and Company Limited, from Sir B. Samuel-
son and Company Limited. He will be succeeded at
Langley Park by Mr. W. Goodenough, manager of the
Spen Colliery of the Consett Iron Company.

There was some forcible criticism of colliery houses at

Framwellgate Moor at Monday’s meeting of the Durham
Rural Council. Mr. J. Lund stated that, despite the fact
that notices had been served upon the owners to repair
the property, nothing had been done, and, as a result, the
windows were falling out, doors were hanging on bad
frames, and ceilings were falling in. Building opera-
tions could not be commenced until after the war, and
as people would have to live in the houses, his object was
to have the houses made more comfortable for the coming
winter. Mr. Grey added that the Coal Controller had
asked for an increased output, and the authorities should
see that the miners were decently housed. The council
decided that the property owners and the colliery company
to whom the houses were leased should be given one
month’s notice to repair the dwellings, failing which the
council would repair the houses and sue both parties for
the cost.

A smash-up occurring on the engine-plane at Sherburn
House Colliery, Ralph Foster, a shifter, was set, with
two stonemen, to clear up the coal and stones. Foster,
who was a datal hand, and was working out a 14 days’
notice, had a step-son employed in the same pit as a pony-
putter, but on a different shift, and being paid by the
score. Foster was left with a certain amount of coal and
rubbish to fill into tubs, and it was alleged that to two
tubs of coal he attached his step-son’s tokens, thus falsely
indicating that the lad had both hewed and put the coal.
The attempt to defraud was, however, discovered as soon
as the tubs arrived at bank. Charged at Durham City
with the offence, Foster denied his guilt, and stated that,
having been a miner since he was 11 years of age, he
had a little more sense than to put tokens upon tubs of
coal on behalf of a man or boy not in the mine. He alleged
animus on the part of the manager. He was fined <£5,
with the option of a month’s imprisonment.

Charged, at Houghton-le-Spring, with failing to recog-
nise instructions with a view to the effective working of
the mine, it was stated that Clifton Smith, 16, datal lad
at Houghton Colliery, was told to go to the 14-pillar land-
ing, and refused to go. Only the day before he had been
reported for neglecting instructions, and had promised the
manager that he would obey orders in future. On the
occasion of the second offence, therefore, he was sent out
of the mine. Mr. W. H. Bell, prosecuting, said the
Lambton and Hetton Collieries Limited looked upon the
case as very serious, under the circumstances, when it was
necessary for every employee to do all he could to assist
coal production. Instead of increasing the output, some
of the men, with imaginary grievances, refused to obey
orders. Defendant said he had declined to obey the order
because he had been told that he would not get certain
pay for which he asked. He was now working at the
Hazard Pit. He was fined 20s.

. Mr. Thomas Harbottle, of Collingwood-buildings, New-
castle, fitter to the Weardale Steel, Coal and Coke Com-
pany Limited, has received news that his son, Second
Lieut. George Harbottle, of the Machine Gun Corps, has
been awarded the French Croix de Guerre, with the Palm
Leaf.

It is stated that Lance-Corpl. Charles Adams, son of
the late Mr. Charles Adams, for many years engineer
at South Medomsley Colliery, has been awarded the Italian
War Medal.

At an Ashington inquest touching the death of Thos.
J. Finlay, 44, stoneman, who was killed by a fall of stone,
Albert W. Morgan, chargeman, stated that he examined
the place before the accident, and considered it safe, He
had “ jowled ” the roof with a stick. Coroner Percy dis-
sented from the trustworthiness of this method, and gave
it as his opinion that some iron implement, such as a pick,
was a preferable weapon to use.

At the same, inquest, Coroner Percy referred to the
permission that had been given to coroners to dispense
with juries at inquests, and said that he did not intend
to avail himself of this permission in the case of mining
accidents and other important inquiries.

Mr. Jas. Robson, compensation agent to the Durham
Miners’ Association, reports the decisions on 14 fatal and
18 non-fatal cases discussed by the Arbitration Committee
last month. None of the fatalities presented any unusual
feature of interest, and only two of the non-fatal cases call
for special mention. One of these was the case of a black-
smith’s striker at Eppleton, who sprained his hand whilst
striking. The hand swelled rapidly, but he finished his
shift. The doctor certified synovitis of the knuckle, which,
it was alleged, was caused by the jar of the hammer and
the anvil. The claim was allowed. There was a similar
decision in the case of a stoneman at Brancepeth who,
whilst stowing some stone, had his finger cut by a sharp
piece. His “ marrow ” pulled the piece of stone out of
the finger, and a deputy bandaged up the wound. The
manager refused to pay compensation because he had
received a certificate stating “ abscess of the finger,” and
had received no compensation claim or report of the
accident.

Mr. J. T. Middleton, presiding over the 18th annual
meeting of shareholders of Walter Scott Limited, held at
Newcastle, said the net profits were £100,900, which, with
the exception of those for the preceding year—£127,903—
were the best in the company’s history. To the general
reserve £20,000 had been added for depreciation, and that
account now stood at £181,447. The total reserves were
now £330,619. The collieries at East Hetton and Trimdon
Grange continued to be worked under the agreement
between the Coal Controller and the Mining. Association of
Great Britain, and with respect to the output the directors
were simply Government agents. The pits had worked
almost continuously, but the output had fallen 5 per cent,
as compared with that of the previous year, a decrease
due to so many of the younger and skilled hands having
joined the forces. The recent “ comb out ” had brought
about a fall in output of 7 per cent, during the past four
months. Dividends of 3 per cent, to preference and 2s.
per share to ordinary shareholders were voted.

Lancashire and Cheshire.

More pit-brow lasses are to be engaged at various col-
lieries in Wigan, Bolton, and Manchester districts. At
branch meetings of local miners consent has been given
to their employment.

Large quantities of Canadian pit props are now being
imported by South Lancashire colliery proprietors.

North Wales.

A main coal seam, 14 in. thick, at Coed Talon, Flintshire,
will be opened shortly. The first wagon load of coal will
be presented to local charities.

Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

A resolution was passed by the council of the Notts
Miners’ Association at a meeting, on Tuesday, in favour
of the continuance of the Conciliation Board for the Mid-
land area for six months after the declaration of peace.

Considerable discussion has arisen in Nottinghamshire
mining areas as to the desirability or otherwise of district
officials, when elected as members of Parliament, retaining

their positions. The matter was debated at a meeting
of the council of the County Miners’ Association, on
Tuesday, when the view was generally expressed that
resignation of official positions ought not to be called for,
it being decided to refer the matter to members of the
Association for their decision.

Kent*

The quantity of coal raised at the Tilmanstone Colliery
last week was 2,494 tons. The question of sinking to the
deeper seams at this colliery has been occupying the atten-
tion of the directors of the East Kent Colliery Company
Limited, and this will be one of the most important
matters for consideration at the annual meeting of the
company on September 17. The coal in the deeper seams
is of a harder quality than the Beresford seam that is
now being worked, and in view of the brighter outlook
for the Kent coal field generally it is believed that the
shareholders will now take up at least a large proportion
of the unissued second debentures, and thus provide the
money for the further sinking. Arrangements are being
made in connection with the various Kentish collieries
which will ensure a very busy programme of work imme-
diately war conditions allow. Everything is in readiness
for the partially sunk Stonehall and Guilford collieries,
which are French concerns, to go promptly ahead as soon
as permission can be obtained and labour is available.
Similar arrangements have been made as to the develop-
ment of colliery areas in British hands;

Scotland.

At a largely-attended meeting of the Scottish branch
of the National Association of Colliery Managers held in
Glasgow consideration was given to the terms of the draft
agreement entered into by the Controller of Coal Mines
and the Miners’ Federation. Discussion centred round
Clause 5, which, in connection with the functions of pit
committees, provided amongst other things that the
management shall supply the committee weekly with par-
ticulars showing the average output per man in the case
of coal getters, and also the average output per person
employed in and about the mines. The feeling of the
members was that the establishment of committees at pits
was likely to cause an interference with the work of
management. It was held that the views of the managers
as a class ought in the first instance to have been ascer-
tained through the medium of the association. Those
present at the meeting, while emphasising their anxiety
to expedite the output of coal and to further the national
interests in every possible way, decided before taking
definite action to approach the Scottish coal owners by
deputation to ascertain their views as to the establish-
ment of pit committees;

At Stanrigg Colliery the workings have been entered.
Certain articles belonging to the entombed men have been
recovered, and one body has been found.

Two miners were suffocated in Woolmet Colliery, Mid-
lothian, with fumes resulting from an explosion of gelignite
which they were using for blasting.

Mr. W. Spalding, for some years manager at Donibristle
Colliery, has been appointed manager at Aitken Colliery.
Mr. Stewart, formerly manager at Aitken Pit, is now at
Lochore Colliery.

Mr. D. Gilmour, formerly of the Lanarkshire Miners’
Union, and now attached to the Labour Advisory Com-
mittee working in conjunction with the Ministry of
National Service, stated at a meeting on Saturday that
he did not consider there was in this country serving with
the Colours a total number of soldiers of the lower medical
categories sufficient to make up the complement of 25,000
men promised by the Government. It appeared to him
(Mr. Gilmour) that the War Office would have to extend
the categories in order to include Bl men, because it was
quite apparent to him that there were in home units a
large proportion of miners who were in that particular
medical classification. Mr. Gilmour added that when the
situation cleared somewhat in France it might be possible
to restore to civil employment miners who were meanwhile
on service behind the lines.

Mersey Coal Workers.—A ballot on the question of
coalmen working overtime after 5 p.m. was taken on
Saturday at Liverpool, Birkenhead and Bootle. This
method was decided upon by the executive of the National
Union of Dock Labourers and Riverside Workers. The
ballot paper was in the following form : “ Are you in
favour of the resolution of the executive—That the men
agree to resume work after 5 p.m. on the following con-
ditions : That the application be submitted to arbitra-
tion and the question settled not later than September 9,
1918?” The result of the voting was: Against, 227;
For, 171. ^Majority against, 106. Out of a total of 2,000
men, only 440 voted.

Depreciation Allowances for Plant and Machinery.—
A memorandum has been issued by the Board of In-
land Revenue (Cd. 9134) on the subject of allowances for
depreciation and obsolescence of plant, machinery, etc.
There is no statutory limit to the amount which the
Income Tax Commissioners may allow in any year, but
the aggregate amount of the deductions from first to last
must not exceed the actual cost of the machinery and
plant to the person by whom the concern is carried on.
Although no fixed scale of allowance is prescribed by law,
definite rates of depreciation on different classes of
machinery have been agreed upon for uniform application
—subject to the concurrence of the respective bodies of
Income Tax Commissioners—in a number of important
industries. In addition to the allowance for wear and
tear of plant and machinery there has been in operation
since 1897 an allowance for obsolescence, and this allowance
has been made statutory by the Finance Act, 1918. The
necessity for this allowance arises from the fact that
machinery has frequently to be replaced before it is worn
out, owing to its having become obsolete and incapable
of competing with more up-to-date machinery. As an
alternative to the allowance for wear and tear and obso-
lescence of plant and machinery, the cost of renewing plant
and machinery may be claimed as a deduction in the
computation of income tax liability under Schedule D.
In the computation of the profits of his business for assess-
ment under Schedule D, a trader is allowed to deduct as
a trade expense his whole outlay on repairs, maintenance,
and insurance of his trade premises. Where machinery
or plant has been temporarily out of use through circum-
stances attributable directly or indirectly to the present
war, an allowance for depreciation is granted on the same
lines as if the diminished value had actually been caused
by wear and tear during the year.” (Finance Act, 1918,
Section 24 (2)) In concerns which are “ controlled " under
the Munitions of War Act, 1915, the income tax allowance
has been temporarily extended, by the Finance Acts of
1916 and 1917, to include the deductions for “ exceptional
depreciation or obsolescence of buildings, plant or
machinery,” which are allowed for excess profits duty and
munitions levy purposes.