FUEL RATIONING PLAN PREPARED FOR BRITISH HOMES

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 March 1947, Page 5

FUEL RATIONING PLAN PREPARED FOR BRITISH HOMES

(Rec 11.45 p.m.) LONDON, March 21. The Government coal committee has decided to recommend to Cabinet a “very mild” domestic rationing plan for electricity, gas and coal, propably based on the size of dwellings, the number of dwellings and the number of occupants, says Reuter’s correspondent. , He believes that the proposed scheme is flexible and that there is no question of legal penalties except for gross misuse. The scheme is designed to replace the existing domestic restriction. The President of the Board ol Trade, Sir Stafford Cripps, discussing at a press conference the effects of the recent industrial slow-down, said that even- at- its peak only about 15 2 - per cent, of insured workers were unemployed. The miners’ weekly average during February, despite the adverse weather was 3,777,000 tons which was only exceeded in three months during 1946. Motor-car production in February was 40 per cent, below the January level. Steel production was 86 per cent, of January. Britain, if it had an unlimited fuel supply, could sell at least 25 per cent, more than the present output. The Minister of Food, Mr Strachey, announced that the sweet ration, which was halved for the current 28day period owing to the loss of production in the fuel shortage will be fully restored to four ounces weekly for the period beginning March 30.