COAL SHORTAGES

Grey River Argus, 25 June 1946, Page 5

COAL SHORTAGES

IN AUSTRALIAN STATES Queensland Government MAY COMPEL STRIKERS TO WORK. SYDNEY, June 24. In Queensland, where miners stopped work in sympathy with meat strikers, the Government is expected to proclaim a state of emergency thisweek with rationing. If an emergency is proclaimed the Government would take wide powers, including compulsory drafting of labour under penalty of crippling fines for non-compli- 1 ance. In Queensland the watersiders are. also on strike in support of the meat industry strikers, and only a court order stopped members of the key'. railway unions doing likewise. In New South Wales a failure of coal deliveries for one day would mean that generation of electricity at the Bunnerong power-house and of gas at the Australian Gas Lip-ht Company’s works would cease. Train and tram services have been drastically curtailed and minor restrictions have been placed on commercial use of electricity. In spite of perfect weather yesterday mgst of ■ Sydney’s residents stayed home because of complete cancellation of tram services, and the limitatio nnf suburban trains made travel difficult. Additional buses were crowded but there was little overflow, except in the peak hours. South Australia’s electricity supply is in peril because a collier from Newcastle has been delayed by bad ' weather. Victoria has no reserve of New South Wales gas coal and rationing has. been in force for some time.

N.S.W. Restrictions SYDNEY, June 23. The Minister of Local Government (Mi’ J. Cahill) said that if coal stocks did not improve quickly gas supplies would be affected. Regulations gazetted provide for a; £5OO fine for failure to observe the electricity restrictions. The • following restrictions have been imposed on the New South Wales community:— Electricity: Outdoor lights' and space heating in commercial premises are banned. Trams: No Sun-, day trams, and restricted services at week-day off-peak periods. Trains:. Hourly suburban services instead of . quarter-hourly at off-peak periods, sleepers withdrawn, and the number of mail trains reduced, special race trains banned. In Melbourne, the gas rationing imposed for the week-end is almost" certain to be continued next week. Drastic rationing of gas and electricity will follow a conference in Brisbane on Monday. Queensland miners are on strike in sympathy with the meat strikers. The Coal Commissioner (Mr Wil- ■ liams) said that unless there was a “revolutionary increase” in coal production, cuts in power to vital industries were inevitable. Sydney Power Cuts AVERTED FOR TIME BEING. (Rec. 9.5). SYDNEY, June 24. The N.S.W. Minister for Local' Government, Hon. Mr Cahill, to-day warned industry that, though, for the ■- present, he will impose ho more power' cuts, additional restrictions appear to be inevitable, and that they may be applied suddenly. The Minister has advised that any • major supply authority which finds that it cannot carry on is to communicate at once with him. The rationing will then be reviewed. HM statemer.it was made after the Minister had examined recommendations from the Government’s Power Committee, which met this morning. “I am aware that the position is grave,” said Mr Cahill. “But I feel that, while we can carry on from day to day, we should restrict industry as little as possible”. Possibilities of a greater generation of electricity by oil fuel are being now investigated. The existing restrictions will save about seven hun- ' dred tons of coal weekly.