CITY IN DARKNESS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue XXXXI, 15 June 1920, Page 5

CITY IN DARKNESS

St .CABIIs—rKESS ASSOCIATION—COPYBIGHT

MELBOURNE,, Jiihe 14

The city is almost in total darkness. Flares* are being used at the railway otations and hurrisane lamps in the public buildings. Congregations m the churches yesterday were exhorted to bring their own lights.

A limited supply of electricity is available, but not sufficient to enable the factories to carry on. Volunteer workers at the gasworks are engaged getting up a supply of coal and coke, but, the gasworks have been declared black and it may not be moved.

The trouble may extend to the trams, as owing to the employment of a nonunionist driver on one service the men threaten to cease work. It is also probable that the wharf laborers will refuse to handle coal for the gasworks.

The electric tram services are suspended, thousands of people having to walk to work. The great fear at present is for the sewerage if the engineers of the service carry their threat into execution and cease work.

The dismal outlook is made worse by . a fuel shortage, and steady rain which s sot in yesterday.