250,750 MINERS IN ARMS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2717, 11 March 1916, Page 15

250,750 MINERS IN ARMS

DECREASE IN COAL OUTPUT FOR WAR YEAR. 1 s The loss of output of con! in the United Kingdom over tho first twelve months of tho war, state tho Coal Mining Organisation Committee in their second report, issued recontly, as com. pared with the like pre-war period, wis 29,924,727 tons, or a decrease 'oi about 11 per cent. This loss is not as great as anticipated, "owing, w'e believe, to the effect of the remedial measures taken' to mitigate loss due to depletion of labour." Over tho period August, September, and October, 1915, tne output was greater than in the like period of 1914 by 1,500,000 tons. Tho falling off compared with the same months in 1913 was 7,250,000 .toll s. The number of enlistments over the l first thirteen mdmths of the war waa 250,750, and of these 50,850 had enlist ed during March to August, 1915, inclusive. Taking into consideration the amount of labour which had come into the mines, tho loss of labour amounted to nearly 16 per cent. The committer- are pleased to be able to state that absenteeism has not increased, but remained the same' as dur. ing tho first seven months of the war—■ vik.j 9.8 por cent. For th'e like period during the pre-war months it was 10.5 por cent. "Were there no avoidable absenteeism the output would be increased by from 13 to 14 million tons a year." Absenteeism is lowest .in Scotland and highest in England, North Staffordshire and Yovkshiro being tho least satisfactory in this respect, ..tho average for the former districts being 13.4 per cent. (March to August, 1915) and ill tho latter 12.7 per cciit. Tho committee stato that tho general regularity of the pits and the sacrifice of regular holidays have prevented the loss of output being as great ns was expected. With regard to the problems of trans, port, the committee recommend thai without delay the Railway Executive be advised to prepare a scheme of pool, ing suitublo to the different districts. "Lack of tonnage at the South Wales ports has of late, operated adversely on tho coal trade of that district Many of the mines lately have lost several days a week solely through want of ships to carry away the coal under order."