STEEL PLANTS CLOSED

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24867, 6 May 1946, Page 5

STEEL PLANTS CLOSED

EFFECT OF U.S. COAL STRIKE

(Rec. 6.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, May 4. “Steel production throughout the United States is falling drastically aS the effects of the coal shortage become felt over a more widespread area/’ reports the “New York Times.” “A majority of ihe nation’s steel plants have already closed down a large proportion of th6ir furnaces, and within a few days production will either cease altogether or be reduced to as low a degree as possible without wholly closing down.” Meanwhile, negotiators for a settlement in the 33-day-old strike of miners of soft cogl are unable to report progfess in any direction. A major stumbling block at present in the negotiations is the miners’ demand for a union-administered health welfare fund financed by a tonnage levy on production. GENERAL FREYBERG LEAVES FOR N.Z. LONDON, May 3. A crowd of officials and services representatives gathered at Liverpool Street Station to' bid farewell to Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg and .Lady Freyberg, who left to join the Ruahlne for New Zealand. Lord Pakennam represented the King. The High Commissioner fot New Zealand (the Ht. Hon. W. J. Jordan), the Secretary at State for the Dominions (Lhrd AddisOh), Air Mar-’ shal Sir Arthur Coningham and Lady Coningham, and Mrs Nash wife of the Deputy-Prime .'Minister of New Zealand. were among those present. General Freyberg said that he was looking forward to a rest on the long voyage, so that he would arrive in New Zealand fresh for some really hard work. Air Marshal Coningham and Lady Coningham will visit New Zealand early next year.