LONDON FROST

Grey River Argus, 22 February 1947, Page 3

LONDON FROST

BREAKING RECORDS LONDON, Feb. 21. London had five and a-half days of continuous frost by 6 p.m. on Thursday, which is a record for February in this century. If it lasts another three and a half days it will equal the 1841 record. MORE SNOW IN ENGLAND Snow, which had almost vanished from central London, again started tn fall this morning. At 10 o’clock this morning London had had 134 hours of continuous frost. London has now had the lowest continuous period of frost experienced in this century. In the whole area south of the line from Humber to Shrewsbury similar conditions prevailed, with threats of renewed snowstorms. Snow is falling in places on the south coast, and heavily in south-east Essex. A heavy fall is reported from most parts of Yorkshire after a night with five to ten degrees of frost. Road traffic is again seriously hampered in Yorkshire countrv areas.

NIGHT WORK IN FACTORIES.

TO STAGGER HOURS.

(Rec. 10.10.) LONDON, Feb. 21. It is now certain that the Government’s remedies to prevent the overloading of power stations include the staggering of factory hours and tire working of night shifts, says the Daily Herald’s political correspondent. In some districts the problem may be solved by the least essential industries working a shorter week, but other areas and other industries may switcli completely to night work. In certain industries where female and juvenile labour is employed, the Factory Act controlling nightwork may be relaxed, but the Government would provide safeguards to health and wellbeing. THE COAL PROBLEM The Fuel Ministry issued a statement, saying: “The weather is again menacing. It is too early to predict the effect of this further hardening of the weather on deliveries, but it can only be serious”. Twenty-six loaded ships are unable to sail from north-eastern ports. The stocks at the power stations have increased to 14£ days’ supply over the whole country. London power stations have 12 days’ supply. MINERS WANT MORE PAY

Mr Arthur Horner, secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers, in a speech, said that to raise coal production the Government must pay the miners the highest wages in the country, and give them food and goods to buy. The introduction of Poles into the pits- would not solve the problem, and the Poles would take at least six months to train. Ten times the amount of money the Government proposed to spend upon mechanisation would not give an adequate output, unless the manpower were also increased. Mr Horner added that the miners strongly resented the fact that the essential works order still confined them to their jobs, while other classes of workers were allowed to pick and choose. They would not tolerate this discrimination much longer. INDUSTRIAL OUTLOOK

Interest centres on the extent to which industries in the Midlands will be able to start work again next week. They will not be able to count on more than 30 per cent, of the coal they were getting prior to January 20. Many industrialists' are not optimistic that'they will be able to begin production again immediately on Monday. Those which use electricity will, he able to do so. Austins will not be able to resume for three weeks. Some firms will work a three-day week. The potteries will soon be in full produc‘ion again There is satisfaction that the Midlands are on the road back to work. Uncertainty as to the time when London and the north-west re-

gion can start up again continues. People are foregoing entertainment, and in London it is reported that the majorjty go straight home from work. The only new joke to be heard' during the crisis fortnight has been: “Be sure your Shinwell find you out”. The sight of Mr Churchill, sitting huddled in a long black overcoat on the Opposition front bench when the Prime Minister, Mr Attlee, made hi.s statement on the partial restoration of the electricity cuts was a sign of the times.

It was very cold in the chamber, for throughout the fuel cris ; s its central heating has been strictly regulated to the national level. Mr Churchill was taking no chances of a chill, and, as one onlooker remarked, it was one of those rare parlia mentary occasions when the Hous? seemed to reflect exactly. the spirit of the rest of.the country. Sir Ben Smith, chairman of the Coal Board’s Midland Division, said it will be necessary to close the Cannock pits on Sunday next for maintenance purposes. He points out that, during the war these pits went without maintenance for six years. He said: “It is our view that they can be worked for two Sundays, and then have two Sundays set aside for maintenance.”