ILLEGAL USE OF ELECTRICITY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 25 June 1945, Page 2

ILLEGAL USE OF ELECTRICITY

£SOO PENALTY IN N.S. WALES Sydney, June 22. A maximum penalty of £SOO for illeral use of electricity in New South Wale* ifter Monday next is provided by the State Government regulations gazetted today. Electricity rationing is designed to save 20 per cent, of coal, and is expected to last for a minimum period of five weeks. By that time it is hoped the Sydney City Council electricity authority will have accumulated one week's reserve of coal. Special inspectors will be appointed to police the regulations. Rationing of ga* so far has been avoided, hut any further slump in coal pro duotion will mean an immediate cut in gas supplies. Only five collieries are idle in New South Wales today. Electricity will be rationed throughout New South Wales from Monday. Announcing this, the Acting-Premier. Mr. Baddeley. said the Government had been informed that unless rationing was introduced there was a grave risk that electricity supplies from the*coal-fired power stations would fail altogether and essential services would cease. The necessity for rationing was due entirely to the coal position, over which the State Government had no control.