GLOOM IN BRITAIN

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 February 1947, Page 7

GLOOM IN BRITAIN

Wheels Of Production Stopped UP TO 2,000,000 OUT OF WORK (Recd. 2 p.m.) LONDON, February 10. The wheels of production in a broad strip of England’s industrial heart, from the south-east to the Midlands, and as far north as Cumberland stopped when the power cuts were imposed this morning. The Evening Standard in a front page streamer exhorted the leaders to “Remember, Britain’s future is at stake—pull together.” Electricity undertakings unable for technical reasons to regulate supplies between essentia] consumers and non-essential consumers put their customers on their honour to switch put lights between the prohibited hours. Early reports from the Central Electricity Board suggested that the plan is working well.

It is estimated that between 1,000,000 and 2,000,000 workers throughout the qountry have been thrown out of work and that’ onethird of the nation’s industry is idle. Thousands of men and women who did not know whether their factories were closed reported for work as usual. Most of them had to go home again. Notices posted outside many factories told them when to report back for further instructions. Fog and Slush Fog and slush from the melting snow added to the gloom of the workers who queued outside labour exchanges in London looking for alternative work. Big London stores and essential undertakings continued to work. They supplemented a few electric lights with candles and hurricane lamps. The only place in the city where people could 'get unlimited warmth was the underground railway system. A mother with three children said “For a few pence we can ride round

! and round the inner circle of the railway. It keeps the children warm and amused. I have enough light to read a magazine.” The Government has decided that no electricity will be available for greyhound racing throughout the country. Another Cold Snap A thaw has begun in Southern England and is spreading north. There was brilliant sunshine in some places on the south-west coast today, but the Air Ministry warns that, another cold snap is coming. Sunshine and warmer temperatures continue in France. The weather is milder in Germany, but is still below freezing point. Berlin hospitals s are overcrowded with pneumonia cases. More than 40 degrees of frost were recorded in Moscow. Swiss aircraft flew through blizzards to-day to drop food to 2200 inhabitants of the island of Ameland, isolated by the weather. London worked by candlelight.