LOST COAL.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18722, 19 June 1926, Page 20

LOST COAL.

AUSTRALIAN STRIKE. SHORTAGE OF STOCKS. (TBOU OUR OWK COBBEarONDIKT.) SYDNEY, June 10. The year ending this month will, from the point of view of the Australian statisticians,. rank as the worst industrially . since 1917. The main strikes causing this unhappy record are the seamen's dispute, the 44 hours' strike and lock-out (in New South Wales), and the engine-drivers and firemen's strike at the collieries. Th'e last-named has already been in progress for five weeks, and while only 1000 engine-drivers and firemen at collieries are directly on strike, in this State, nearly 30,000 have been thrown idle, and other workers unemployed through it number more than 20,000. The lost coal output is estimated at £1,000,000, the miners' lost wages at £400,000, other unionists' wages £250,000, and loss in rail freights, £IOO,OOO.

Efforts to Llitle. ' The State Ministers have made the moat frantic efforts to settle the strike, as it has been one of the most vital factors in converting an estimated surplus for the 1925-26 financial year into aii expected substantial deficit. But their efforts have failed, and so have the efforts so far made by the Federal authorities, including the Special Coal Tribunal. The real seriousness of the situation was only brought home to the people of Sydney this week, by the announcement that- the consumption of gas by household users on the southern side of the harbour would be restricted. |So serious is the depletion of coal stocks that the Government brought into operation the Electric Lighting and Gas Emergency Act, 1917'. This will mean that consumers must limit their gas consumption by half. Consumers of gas were given 24 hours' notice to read their meters, and forward the readings to the gas office within another 24 hours. This strict demand brought home to the public the real seriousness of the situation.

Serious Results. There have been other results of the srtike, and others are threatening. Interstate steamer services have in some cases been stopped, in others, curtailed. Sydney ferry boats are running to slower time-tables, necessitated by the burning of less coal. Eailways and tramways are at present normal, but tho commissioners in this State fear that continuation of the strike will mean curtailment of services. Electric light and power are not yet affected, but hero again the consequences will be serious if the strike continues, for all tho time coal reserves are rapidly dwindling and there are no means of replenishing them. In the meantime, every effort is being bent by State and Federal Ministers to bring peace to the industry, but both sides are equally stubborn, and union officials have stati ed that they expect the struggle to last at least another five weeks.