FUEL RATIONED

Grey River Argus, 19 March 1942, Page 8

FUEL RATIONED

BRITAIN’S COAL

“More Precious Than Gold’

[British Official Wireless] R*UGBY, March 17. A comprehensive system of fuel rationing was announced in the commons by the President of the Board of Trade (Dr. H. Daiton), who said: In time of war, coal is more precious than gold. We are now at the end ot a very severe winter. Stocks of coal at the beginning of the Winter were much - higher than in the Winter before, but are much too low. We have just scraped through so far. By next Autumn, we must build up stocks to a much-higher level, otherwise, if we had a bad turn in the war, we should be in a critical position. The Minister invited Sir Wili am Beveridge to report on the most effective and equitable method of restricting and rationing the consumption of fuel and power. He would have the assistance of Sir Stephen Tallents. Dr. Dalton added that he had already taken steps to prevent the forestalling of rationing restrictions, and a new process of restriction on deliveres had to-day come into force over the whole country. Sir John Anderson said Britain was spending almost 60 per cent, of her resources on Government purposes, as compared with under 20 per cent, before the war. Though that was a great advance, we could go still further. The cost to the State of preventing prices from rising to heights which the war-time shortage of many goods would push them, was over £100,000,000 yearly. So that we would be in a position to reverse the serious setbacks of the past, every ton of shipping and every ounce of labour power that could be spared from meeting civil needs was required, said Sir John Anderson. “We have alreadv cut down a great deal, but there is still a margin on which we can draw in an emergency. and in the months ahead we shall have to draw on it. The confidence of our allies will be confirmed, and the hopes of our enemies confounded, by the knowledge that this free people is ready to accept any necessary privation, and know that the cause for which we are fighting is one for which no sacrifice Is too

great.” ■' •" The Germans are worried bv a report that Britain has developed _ a new petrol concentrate, which increases the range of tanks and nlanes by approximately one-third. This Is reported by the Associated Press Istanbul correspondent, who adds that, the German Military Intelligence has been ordered to Investigate the report.