GREAT CUTS TO-DAY IN N.S.W. COAL RATIONS

Grey River Argus, 18 June 1949, Page 5

GREAT CUTS TO-DAY IN N.S.W. COAL RATIONS

SYDNEY, June 17.

The Joint Coal Board, which con* trols the distribution of the coal produced in New South Wales, has tonight announced the most drastic coal rationing that ever has been imposed in Australia.

This results from the miners’ decision to hold a general strike from June 27 unless their claims are satisfied.

The coal supplies for the railway and tram services, for electricity and gas utilities will be halved, as from midnight tomorrow. The coal supplies for general industry will be reduced by seventy-five pe” cent.

The steel industry, which has been exempt from this order, must, however, gradually reduce its consumption of coal from forty thousand tons per week to three thousand tons a week.

Victoria Will Import Coal

MELBOURNE, June 17.

The Premier of Victoria (Mr T. T. Hollway) said to-day that Victoria planned to import 400,000 tons of coal from overseas. Two extra shipments of Indian coal, totalling 15,000 tons,., had been ordered, and a further 150,000 tons was sought. Mr Hollway’s announcement followed a breakdown in negotiations between Victoria and Queensland for coal.

• “Victoria will obtain coal from every available source, whatever the cost”, said Mi’ Hollway. “If other Australian Governments will not provide it, we shall get it where we can. I know there are influences at work trying to restrict our supplies to the minimum”