BRITISH INDUSTRIAL DIFFICULTIES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 69, 6 January 1947, Page 3

BRITISH INDUSTRIAL DIFFICULTIES

ACUTE SHORTAGE OF COAL

FACTORIES FORCED TO CLOSE

The critical position now facing British industry is shown by reports from the industrial areas in the Midlands and the Birmingham electricity undertaking, says the Daily Telegraph. Industrial leaders fear that unless coal supplies can be increas-

ed within a few weeks the shedding

of loads by the electricity undertaking will cause the widespread closing of factories. Leyland Motors’ iron foundry near Preston was closed for a fortnight and 600 workers were stood off because of the exhaustion of coke stocks.

The Austin Co., which is producing between 2000 and 2200 motor vehicles a week, has notified its 14,000 factory employees that the factory will remain closed indefinitely after the Christmas holidays as a result of the fuel shortage.

Mr L. P. Lord, the chairman of the company, said that his company had not yet been advised by the Ministry of Fuel of additional coal supplies. Five hundred employees of the Caxton Printery, in Suffolk, have received preliminary notice that the works must close unless the Ministry of Fuel provides more coal within three weeks, says the Evening Standard.

The Dudley Foundry Co., in Staffordshire, announced .that it was closing because of fuel shortage. Two hundred employees have been put off. An official said that applications for more fuel had been with-

out avail. Altogether 15,300 employees are affected in these four factories.

The Ministry, in a statement pointing out that the coal allocation scheme was designed to ensure that every consumer received a fair share, said that the Austin Co. had announced its decision to shut down before consulting the Ministry to see whether emergency arrangements could be made.

“It is significant that the Nuffield organisation and other firms have been able to effect coal economies which they believe will see them through,” the statement added. “Possibly they have shown more foresight. We are doing everything possible to see that supplies are maintained.”

Reuter’s news agency says a Ministry assessor visited the Austin works to check supplies. A poster urging miners to work every possible shift during the holiday weeks will be put in every mine in Britain. The poster is signed by Mr Will Lawther, the president, and by other officials of the National Union of Mine Workers.