The Amman Valley Chronicle and East Carmarthen News

DOG SAVES BOY'S LIFE. The eight-year-old son of Mr. John Black- burn, proprietor of the Old Milt Inn, Lathom, near Orrnskirk, was saved this week from drowning by a retriever dog belonging to Mr. Robert Hawarth, the village postman at Rufford. The boy, with a number of com- panions, was reaching for a toy nshing-rod which be had thrown into the canal, and he fell in himself. He had gone under the water twice when the dog. aroused by the other children's screams, went plunging into the water in splendid style. The retriever seized the lad's clothing .and dragged him to the side quickly. He was little the worse for his ducking.

CHESTERFIELD ELECTION RESULT. Mr. B. EENYON RETURNED. Aa generally anticipated the Chesternetd miners' votes have returned Mr. Barnet Kenyon, their candidate, to be member of Pariament for the division. The fact that they have done so, and by such an emphatic m aj(;rlty, is something of a blow to the prestige of the Independent Labour Party, who issud a manifesto disowning the Pro- gressive candidate because of his friendship for Liberalism. The result of the polling was dclared oSlciaHy at one o'clock on Thurs- day. as follows :— M. B. Kenvon (Lib-Lab.) 7,725 Mr. E. Christie (Con.) 5,539 Mr. J. Ccurr (Socialist) .583

DRAYMAN INJURED AT SWANSEA. In trying to save a child from being injured by a rolling barrel, a drayman, named John Dubberley, was serevety injured at Swansea on Monday, by the barrel falling upon him- self.

GOWER LIGHT RAILWAY GRANT. I The promoters of the Gower Light Railway have now secured a certificate from the Board of Agriculture that the line is for the benefit of agriculture, and a grant from the Treasury will, therefore, follow.

The Miners' New Demands. BETTER PRICE LISTS AND A HIGHER MINIMUM. DRASTIC CONDITIONS LAID DOWN. Those who followed the trend of the re- marks of Mr. Vernon Hartshorn at Cross Hands, last week, cannot have lost sight of the importance of the point mentioned as to the new demands formulated by the Central Executive and adopted by the recent Cardiff Conference. As will be seen from the de- tailed list in our Welsh page, under the heading of "Y Byd Glofaol, the schedule of rates now to become applicable in every new seam opened out is given, together with the percentages making up the wages payable to every class of underground worker under that schedule. It, therefore, need not be repeated here, but this is the schedule which Mr. Hartshorn de- clared will be fought for, not only when the next new Agreement for South Wales is under consideration, but it is to be the minimum that can be accepted for every new colliery, and any new seam, that may in the meantime be opened out. In addition to the list given in our Welsh article, we may add :—"The Rat& for any workman not included in the above grades shall be 3s. 9d. per day. Subject to mutual agreement between the representatives of the workmen and the management, aged and in- firm workmen may be employed as lamp- lighters or lamp-lockers or other light employ- ment at a tower rate." GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS. The following general instructions are re- commended "COLLIERS' MINIMUM.—That pending the settlement of a price list for any new seam or colliery the following clause should be in- sisted upon. "In the event of a collier failing to earn 5a. 4d. per day plus percentages on the above list of rates, he shall receive the difference by way of an allowance, such allowance to be put in for the current pay. In every case it shall be assumed that the failure is due to causes over which the workman has no control, unless the manage- ment can prove to the contrary." PERSONS UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE.- No- thing in this schedule shall preclude any person under 21 years being given charge of a work- ing place as a collier providing be has the necessary experience and competency, but all such persons shall be paid the rates and minimum applicable to colliers in charge of working places. PniCE Jjis'r.—AIl price lists to contain a clause limiting the hours of all workmen employed underground and on the surface to 8 hours per day.—Also a provision for the payment of six shifts for five worked upon the afternoon and night shifts. Payment to be made at the rate of a turn and one-ntth for each shift worked.—Every price list shall pro- vide a separate payment for each item of labour, t.c., no list shall be agreed to which includes payment for dead work in the cutting price. MACHINERY FOR CARRYING OCT SCHEDULE PROPOSALS.—The General Secretary shall im- mediately issue a circular to. every Lodge Secretary and Miners' Agent asking for par- ticulars rsepecting- (a) Any new pits being sunk, or drift being opened. (b) Any old shaft being sunk to a lower seam. (e) Any cross measure heading being driven for the purpose of winning a new seam. (d) Any new seam being worked at pre- sent for which a cutting price has not been fixed, with full particulars as to the conditions under which such seams are being worked. A list of a]! new developments shall be kept at the Central Office, showing when coal is reached and what action is taken. KEWI CoLHERiES. —In the case of new col- lieries. it shall be the duty of the General Secretary to ascertain when the coal is reached and see that steps are taken to pre- vent any coat being worked unti! the new schedule is aocepted in its entirety. NEW SEAMS.—In the case of new seams in existing collieries, no men shall be allowed to work there until the new schedule has been agreed to for all the men who wi!J work in that seam. CcTTi\G PRICE i\ NEW SEAMS.—In the case of any t,eam at present being worked and in which a list of rates for day wage men have been agreed upon, but in which no cutting price has been arranged, no cutting price sha!! be agreed to which does not contain all the rates and conditions for colliers provided for in the new schedule. SuB-coMMiTTEB.—The Executive Committee shall appoint a sub-committee from its mem- bers to consider the details of every new price list, and no member of the Federation, whether Miners' Agent or other person shall agree to any price list until it has received the approval of the aforementioned sub-com- mittee.—The sub-committee shall not approve any list which does not contain all the rates and conditions of the new schedule.—The sub- committee shal! with-bo!d its approval in any case where the proposed list contains any provisions likely to prejudice the interests of workmen employed at other collieries. PENALTY.—Any person who shall agree to any price list in future in contravention of the foregoing shall be immediately expelled from the Federation. It shall be the duty of the Executive Council to see that this is carried out. AGREED LisT.—When a price list has been agreed to and signed, the Miners' Agent of the district shall immediately get the list printed. A sumcient number shall be sent to the Lodge to enable every workman to receive a copy, and the General Secretary shall be supplied with a copy for the Central Office and one for each member of the Executive Council. The cost of printing the list shall be charged to the Lodge. ASSISTANCE or CouxciL.—The Executive Council shall render every possible assistance to the Miners' Agents in their respective dis- tricts to get the schedule adopted ,and any financial responsibility involved by insisting on the Schedule shall be undertaken by the Federation. LODGE SECRETARY.—To enable the Execu- tive Council to draw up a 1st of dead work rates for adoption in all future price lists, the General Secretary shall request each Lodge Secretary to furnish him with the price lists in operation at his colliery, and when he has received the same he shall tabulate the rates paid for—Standing double timber, standing nats, standing cogs, standing road posts, drawing timber, driving headings, un- loading rubbish, clod scale, etc. CoAL CcTTERMEN.—The Committee, net be- ing in possession of the necessary informa- tion in connection with this class of labour, has deferred its further consideration. OTHER SURFACE WORKMEN.—The General Secretary has been instructed to ask for a return from the lodge Secretaries of the rates paid to surface workmen not included in this schedule, viz. :—Winding enginemen, fan enginemen, haulage enginemen, electric en- ginemen, carpenters, smiths, fitters, strikers, masons, lampmen, loco enginemen, assistant loco enginemen, blocklayers, etc. (Signed) THOMAS RICHARDS, General Secretary. May 28th, 1913. PROPOSED RATES FOR WORKMEN EMPLOYED UPON THE SURFACE. WORKMEN OVER 21 YEARS OF AGE. Standard Standard Rate, 1879. Rate, 1877. Banksmen 4s. 9d. 5s 4d. Assistant banksmen 4s. 3d. 4s 91d. Men pushing trams 3s. 9d. 4s. 2!d. Brakesmen 3s. 9d. 4s. 21d. Trimmers 3s. 9d. 4s.. 21d. All others 3s. 6d. 3s. llid. Boys UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE. Standard Standard Age. Rate, 1879. Rate, 1877. 14 to 15 Is. 9(1. Is. ll,"d. 15 to 16 2s. Od. 2s. 3d. 16 to 17 2s. 3d. 2s. 61d. 17 to 18 2s. 6d. 2s. 9!ld. 18 to 19 2s. 9d. 3s. Id. 19 to 20 3s. Od. 3s. 41d. 20 to 21 3s. 3d. 3s. 8d. Over 21 years, as per list. PROPOSED RATE FOR BOYS. Standard Rate Standard Rate Age. 1879. 1877. 14 2s. Od. 2s. 3d. 15 2a. 3d. 2s. 61d. 1'' 2s. Gd. 2s. 9ïd. 17 2s. 9d. 3s. Id. 18 3s. Od. 3s. 4d 19 3s. 3d. 3s. 8d. 20 3s. M. 3s. llFl. 21 3s. 9d. 4s. 21d.

LIVE CARTRIDGE IN STARTING PISTOL. At the conclusion of the sports at Waunar- Iwydd, near Swansea, on Saturday, some consolation races were organised, and as one race was being started a girl named Gladys Thomas was seen to fall. Investigation showed that by some means a live cartridge must have accidentally got into the pistol, for on the examination of the girl at Dr. Davies's surgery it was found that a bullet had passed right through her thigh.

WELSH COLLEGE FEES. It is stated in a Board of Education Blue Book on Universities and University Col- leges for 1911-12, that in Wales the income from fees, X18,117, increased by about 4:1,iOQ. The net annual grants from local authorities increased in England (.t95,875) by about XIO,000, and in Wales (.M,283) by about j;800.

THE "BINGYILE BUGLE" ON I THE SITUATION IN AMERICA. The time has come when we feel it our sacred duty as editor and prop.. of the Bing- ville "Bugie" to show President Witson wher he is wrong. With the mer- .cury in the thermometer standing up round 98 in the shade of the "Bugle othce, and with the blamed flies pestering the life out of us, we take our editorial pen in hand to attack the present Administration.—.Btn</pt//e "Bugle" (U.S.A.).

Credehtials. IT IS A COMMON THING to talk of the fierce light of publicity beating on the Throne. The man who wrote the sentence knew exactly what publicity is. The nerce light of publicity does beat upqrt i Throne. Those who live in the centre of the "world's stage are closely observed and criticised. And the exactions of publicity do not only apply to the Throne Wherever the nerce light burns there also is unsparing criticism-the kind of criticism that guarantees a standard of conduct. THERE IS A LESSON in this for all who read the advertisements in the papers. Some people eye an advertisement with suspicion, and wonder whether the statement made is true. Surely the ap- pearance of the advertisement is the best answer. The smallest advertisement costs a considerable amount of money. Each an- nouncement is seen by probably twenty thousand eyes. Each purchaser, impelled by an advertisement becomes a critic—an un- sparing one. It is open to every buyer, once he has the goods purchased, to test them in the light of the statement made in the advertisement. If he is not satisfied lie buys no more. The advertising fails and the man who pays for the advertising loses his money. ADVERTISING really is the CREDENTIAL of the trader-a monev guarantee, offered" by him to the public that he has faith in the goods he sells. The advertiser lives in the fierce light of publicity and must make his statements good to hundreds or thou- sands of readers or he fails. It may, therefore, be taken for granted that when he spends hundreds of pounds on helping the public to appreciate the quality of his goods, he means what he says—is sure that the goods themselves will bear out every state- ment made.

Miners' Minimum Wage Award. PROPOSALS BY EMPLOYERS AND WORKMEN The owners' and workmen's representa- tives have drawn up proposals for varying the minimum wage award, and these will be submitted to the Joint District Board of South Wales and Monmouthshire and to Lord St. Aldwyn, the indpendent chairman. The clause fixing the colliers' standard rate of day wage reads Collier in charge of a working place, who is a regular piece-worker, and is pre- vented from earning piecework wages by fault in the seam or other cause arising in the colliery and beyond his own control, or by a request from the management to work away from his working place on more than seven days during a period of three months- 4s. 7d. (standard rate of day wage). OWNERS' REQUEST. The owners ask that it should he varied to read Collier in charge of a working place who is a regular piece-worker and is pre- vented, owing to a fault in the seam or other cause arising at the colliery beyond his control, from earning during any period of two consecutive weeks wages which, when divided by the num- ber of shifts and parts of shift he has worked during such period, shall be equal to a standard wage rate of 4s. 7d., or by a request from the management to work away from his working place on more than seven days during a period of three months. The workmen suggest the omission of the words from the clause On more than seven days during a period of three months. (In any other case the minimum day wage rate of such a collier working at day wages away from his working place shall be the minimum day wage rate applicable to the class in which be is working.) WHAT THE WORKMEN ASK. The workmen also ask that the day wage t of a collier in charge of a working place who is not a warker at piecework should be raised from 4s. 3d. to 4s. 7d. of timbermen, from 4s. 3d. to 4s. 7d.; ostlers, labourers, sub- sidiary haulage men, smali pumpsmen, shack lers, apraymen, and watermen, from 3s. 2d. to 3s. 4d.; lamplockers, lamplighters, and oilers, 3s. to 3s. 4d.; night hauliers, 3s. 8d. to 3s. lid. and trammers, aboue 18 years of age, from 3s. 3d. to 3s. 4d. The workmen's representatives further ask that Part III. of the wage award be varied by adding a condi- tion that where payment of six turns for five turns worked has hitherto been paid to work- men working on the afternoon or night shifts the payment for each of the six turns shall be made at an amount not less than the minimum rate for the time being applicable to the class or grade in which the particular workmen entitled to the payment shall be working. BEYOND THEIR COl'TROL. The owners apply for the addition of the following words after "regular piece- workers" who are prevented, owing to causes arising at the colliery beyond their control, from earning during any period of two consecutive weeks wages which, when divided by the number of shifts and parts of shifts worked during such period, shall be equal to a standard day wage rate of 4s. 7d. The owners ask for the insertion of the fol- lowing words in Part III. of the award Where prior to the Act extra or addi- tional wages were given to make up the standard rate then existing, and such extra or additional wages continue to be paid, they shall be included for the pur- pose of ascertaining whether the work- man's earnings are above or below the minimum rate. STANDARD DAY WAGE. The standard day wage In the South Wales coalned is plus 60 per cent., and the earnings and output are now higher than since the boom year of 1907. The applications of the owners and work- men will be considered by the Joint Board and by Lord St. A!dwyn three months hence.

Letters to the Editor. — 0 — THE VAGARIES OF THE FISHERY BOARD. Sir,—I do Dot know whether the following will be of any interest to you. While travelling in the train the other day, I happened to be with some of the Cockle women" from Penclawdd. They were up in arms at the treatment which they were receiv- ing from the Fishery Board. It appears that a Fishery Board Onicial, together with a police officer, visited them on the sands, and produced a sieve, and in- structed them that no cockles which would pass through this sieve had to be taken from the sands. The old iady, my informant, told me she had been gathering cockles for years and years, and that there were just as many cockles now as there were years and years ago. Furthermore, they did not gather small cockles for their own convenience. It would be interesting to know what these poor people had to do with the cockles which they sieve, and if they would be supposed to carry a sort of cockle planter, whereby to dig a hole and re-plant the wee ones.—Yours faithfully, SAMFEL J. GREEN. This by no means is the limit of the Fishery Board's Administration. You might be surprised to know that foreign steam traw- lers have the privilege of nsbing in the bays around our islands, where British owned vessels are not allowed to cast their trawl. The International Law which calls for all steam trawlers keeping outside the three mile limit, is the only restriction placed upon foreign vessels. Not so, however, with our vessels, as the Fishery Board draw imaginary lines from cape to cape, and headland to headland, and which practically shuts out all the bays around the coast of Great Britain and Ireland, and our steam trawlers are not al- lowed to fish inside this line, under a heavy penalty, and subject to the confiscation of her catch and fishing gear. It is a well known fact that in some of the bays around the coasts of Ireland our boats have to keep more than twenty miles off the land, while the foreign owned boats are work- ing inside and reaping a good harvest. 8.J.G.

RUNAWAY TRAM ACCIDENT. MINER KILLED AT DUNVANT. FOUR COMPANIONS INJURED. A serious accident happened at the Killay Colliery, Dunvant, near Swansea, on Monday afternoon, resulting in the dea.th of a youth and injuries to four young men whose ages ranged' from 17 to 20. They were leaving work when, on going down an incline the hitchings connecting two out of eight trams, broke, and the trams ran wild. Albert Jones (17), residing at Dunvant, was thrown be- tween the trams and so badly crushed that his death must have ben instantaneous. The body was covered with heavy debris. and some hours elapsed before it was extri- cated. Jones was very popular among the workmen. The body was taken home at a late hour. Two of the deceased's comrades, Thomas Edward and Stanley CoIIins, were badly in- jured through their heavy falls, and the motor ambulance van had to be sent for to take them to the Swansea Hospital. The former was badly injured about the body while the latter had his ankles broken. Edwin Jones and Brinley Rees were also injured, but not as to require their removal to the hospital. They received prompt medical attention from Dr. Gardner, Gowerton, Dr. E. T. Morgan, Sketty, and Dr. Cameron, Swansea, who all got to the scene of the accident with com- mendable promptitude. The colliery is owned by Messrs. W. W. Holmes, Swansea, and give employment to about 400 men. Inquiry at the Swansea Hospital showed that the two injured men detained there were in a serious condition. They were suffering from internal complaints of a somewhat serious character besides the external injuries. ACCIDENTS AT TARRENI COLLIERY. Two accidents occurred on Monday at the Tarreni Colliery. The more serious resulting in injuries to Lev! Cook (50), a widower, of Swansfield, Ystalyfera, who was buried be- neath a fall of roof. He was sitting under a portion of the roof eating his lunch when the fall occurred. He was dug out with all speed and conveyed to the Swansea Hospital. where it was found that lie had sustained a punctured lung, several fractured ribs, and injuries to the head. He lies in a serious condition. Another accident occurred later to Emiyn Thomas, a collier, of Ynysmeudwy, whose left arm was broken.

While watching the machinery in a mill at Welsh Back, a little boy who lived at Grwilliam-street, Bedminster, failed to notice the approach of a lorry, and was knocked down. He died from the in juries, and at the inquest on Friday a verdict of "Accidental Death was returned, the driver being ex- onerated from blame. The Rev. Canon Thomas Jones. Rector of Penboyr, Newcastle Emivn. is resigning his benefice .and intends to live at Lampeter. As a result of the great amount of emigra- tion during the last four years, Scotland has lost 200,000 of its population.

TO SECURE FULL PUBLICITY, BUSINESS ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND ALL SALES AND WANTS SHOULD APPEAR IN THE "AMMAN VALLEY CHRONICLE & East Carmarthen News."

Titbits and Rare=Bits of To-day and Yesterday. Some Wise; Some Otherwise. "Ah." the man said, "she has an artist' s face!" "Yes," the woman sneered, "and she uses it instead of a canvas!" Guest "I have eaten many a better stew than this." Landlord (enraged): "Not in 4 this house." Nelly: What's chaos, Johnny' Johnny: Chaos.' Uh—er—yes—chaos is a great heap of nothing and nowhere to put it The Fare "But my good man, it's barely a iii lie is the crow flies. a)nt nothing'to go by. Tills ores a cab, notabloomjng airyplane." At a West-end hotel one of the party asked "Have you got any celery, waiter' No, sir, was the signihcant answer, "I relies on my tips." Is Parliament All Talk?- One Parliamentary wag wishes us to give the following amusmg holiday skit upon the word "Parliament" :— "This long word comes from poWer, to speak, As best etymologists trace; So you see all is parle, and nothing is mearit Too often the truth of the case. Tite Old IVay.- "There are many ways of drinking —— says the advertisement of a beverage. Yet the old-fashioned plan of putting the glass to one's lips has never been improved upon.— Globe. Rural Ititellige)ice.- "With the exception of the better educated class of dwellers in towns, the average t"- telligence of the rural population is above that of the city in the case of those who might be classed of equal station. Especially does this apply to the fanner and small holder. —Mn W. C. HoLMES, in SYlftem. A Milliller's CarJ.— When lovely woman longs to marry, And snatch a victim irorn the beaux. What charms the soft design will carry What art will make the men proposed The on!y art her schemes to cover, To gie her wishee; sure success, To gam, to fix, a captive lover, And "wring his bosom" is—to DRESS. Tiie "Square" Lover.- She "No, Wiltie. The man who gets me jnust be upright and square." He A w, chuck it, old girl. You don't want a man; you want a piano." Brown's OptKtOM.— Brown came into the office with a large bruise on his forehead. "Hello, old chap,' another clerk hailed him, what'a happened' "Collided with tne hatstand last night," re- plied Brown curth. "Aecidentany.* asked the inquisitive one. "No, my boy," said Brown earnestly. "I have every reason to believe that the cowardly thing waited unfit it was dark, and then attacked me pur- posety. A Nod Case.— ?_ A pathetic illustration of the disadvantages of obesity is afforded by the case of a member of a )oc!il band. 'hat has become of the big man who used to beat the bass drum' once asked a returned citizen of the leader of the bund. He left us more than a year ago, was the answer. "Good man, wasn't, a,,o, "ExceHent man, but he got so fat that, when he marched, he couldn't hit the drum in the middle. The man who makes his mark in the w'or)d is usuatty pretty careful in the nrst place about picking out his target. -Jolin P. Mitcliel. To err is masculine; to forgive feminine. -G. PretzeL More people fail in the attempt to become centenarians than in any other business. -Lillian Russell. The reason why some of us never fal! is that we always stay at the bottom. -Citarlei t,. Sclitcab. Slie illiglit Be.- A woman stopped at a counter in a busy shop one day and said she wished to look at some blankets. The tired-looking assistant pulled down blanket after blanket from the shelves until there was only one left on the top shelf. Then the woman pleasantly re- marked "We)l, I was only looking for :) friend and didn't expect to buy." To which the assistant replied "If you think she is in that other blanket up there I'll take it down for you. Not lvitat He Me<ntt.— An actor who recently was "taken" white on the stage by a cinematograph was great )y pleased with the resutt. Talking about it to a prominent dramatic critic, he said "It was the most extraordinary experience I ever went through, actually to see myself acting- "Now," replied the critic, "you will under- stand what we have to put up with." JIig rg/l111(,11t.- Two men were hotly discussing the merits of a book. Finally one ot them, an author himseX'. said to the other: "No. John, you cant appreciate it. You never wrote a b'ook yourse)).' No, retorted John. ''and I nevel- laid an egg, but I am a better judge of all omelette than any hen in our parish." T/te Hauntig Ad.- We believe, because we "Irish to belicH'. that the pleasing is better than the strident advertisement, and we can give a reason flr the faith that is in us. The munin-man s bell makes at the moment the greater din your ears, but it is the I aVeTidcr- seller's tune which haunts them. A good advertisement. will repeat itself, for the grateful memory w')t retain it.Tii, Natwn. A Parrot Story.- Purchaser: "But is the pa'rot a good bird-' I mean I hops he doesn't use dreadful language." Dealer: "'E's a said, lady: sings '\tnns beautiful. I 'ad some parrots wot used to swear something awful, but. if you'I) beHeve me. Ia,dy, thts 'ere bird con- verted the tot. "-The Bystander. Audience in Tears.- "What do you do when you Forget your lines' "I Just repeat the rnultipJication tah!c in a muffled voice." said the erootional actress. "I had the house in tears the other night over nine times nine are etght-one." Like Muzzling a Dog's Tail.- When the Home Secretary wormed Mr. Nobte of the N.C.U., that motor-buses are being fitted with sideguards. he seemed to forrret that ¡not-or-buses do not travel side- ways. This peculiar precaution seems to 11:5 something like muzzling a vicious dog's tail.