SYDNEY POWER SUPPLY

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24883, 24 May 1946, Page 6

SYDNEY POWER SUPPLY

STOPPAGE LIKELY NEXT WEEK

REDUCTION OF COAL STOCKS

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) • s SYDNEY, May 23. It is now possible that electric power from the Bunnerong power house, which supplies Sydney, will be curtailed next week. The coal stocks held are barely sufficient to operate the plant for more than a day. Severe power rationing similar to that which took place in December would throw 400,000 people out of work, cause big cuts in transport services, and dislocate Government plans to build 10,000 houses this year. Foodstuffs would be in a much more precarious position than during the summer strike.

The threat of a crisis is increased with the decision of the Illawarra Deputies and Shotfirers’ Association to tie up all southern mines from Monday unless a satisfactory arrangement on the association’s dust compensation claims is reached by the week-end. The Western District miners’ request to the federation’s central council to call a general strike unless the contract for miners’ wages is adjusted without delay is also complicating the position. “The needless upsetting of industry to obtain industrial objectives of economic security, shorter working hours and higher standards of living has slowed down production, and in the long run has delayed and made harder the achievements of the workers’ aims.” This view wks expressed in a statement by the Federal executive of the Australian Labour Party at Melbourne after it had discussed the effect which industrial stoppages might have on the Federal elections.

The executive urged Australian workers to submit their disputes to the constitutional authority provided for the settlement of industrial differ-, [ encea.