£500 Penalty Now

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 687, 12 June 1929, Page 9

£SOO Penalty Now

SYDNEY GAS RESTRICTION

Hard Hit By Coal Famine

(United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) Received 9.45 a.m. SYDNEY, Today. A £SOO penalty is provided for non-compliance with the Sydney gas restriction regulations, which have been made necessary by the coal-mine trouble. The various hospitals are having serious difficulty in preparing food for the patients.

The restrictions, which were proclaimed in Sydney yesterday, fixed hours for the use of the Australian Gaslight Company’s gas, with exemptions for certain classes of public consumers.

It is announced that special efforts will be made to improve the position. The curtailment of the city gas supply is having a serious effect in the various hospitals. The food in those institutions is being cooked under difficulties on improvised fires out of doors.

A number of small industries will be closed down next week in consequence of the shortage of coal. Supplies of firewood, which reached the city today, rose 3s a ton.

The shipping companies are alarmed at the prospect of a complete stoppage in the mines next week. The inter-State shipping services would have to be stopped within 10 days.

The Metropolitan Gas Company of Melbourne and the South Australian railway authorities have already cooperated in ordering 150,000 tons of coal from abroad. It is likely that substantial orders will be placed in New Zealand. Electricity restrictions are unnecessary.

The combined unions’ advisory committee meeting this morning is not expected to save a general coal stoppage. However, a number of unions are opposed to the plans of the engine-drivers for the closing of all pits, believing that this will mean an immediate collapse of the dispute, mainly because strike levies will cease.

Picketing is about to spread to the Newcastle fields. Threats have been made of action against men who are getting coal underground at the Killingworth and Seaham collieries.