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COAL SUPPLY CRISIS

Four Australian States

RATIONING OF POWER (N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) (Rec. 10.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 24. The coal shortage has -reached a crisis in New South Wales. Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland. The New South Wales Minister of Local Government (Mr J. J. Cahill) today warned industry . that although for the present he will impose no more power cuts additional restrictions appear to be inevitable, and they may be applied suddenly. Mr Cahill advised any major supply authority which finds that it cannot carry on to communicate at once with him. Rationing will then be reviewed. This statement was made after the Minister had examined recommendations from the Government’s power committee which met this morning. “I am aware that the position .is grave,” said Mr Cahill, “but I feel that while we can carry on from day to day we should restrict industry as little as possible.’’ The possibilities of greater generation of electricity by oil fuel are being investigated. The existing restrictions will save about 700 tons of coal a week. From next week-end trams will not run in Sydney and Newcastle, after 2 p.m. on Saturday until the normal starting time on Monday morning. The Minister of Transport (Mr M. O Sullivan) said the required 25 per cent, saving in electricity had not been effected by the deletion of. the trams last Sunday and the reduction of off-peak running. Bus services would run as usual during the week-end and time-tables would be rearranged to follow as closely as possible the normal tram routes. ' The secretary of the Australian Railways Union (Mr J. Ferguson, M.L.C.) said that unless steps were taken to avoid a repetition of the dangerous congestion caused by racegoers on Saturday railwaymen might refuse to run any trains on Saturdays during the restriction of services. He added that it was better to lose trains than lives.

The failure of coal deliveries in New South Wales for one day would mean that the generation of electricity at the Cunnerong power house and of gas at the Australian Gas Light Company’s works would cease. Train -and tram services have already been drastically curtailed and minor restrictions placed on the commercial use of electricity.

In Queensland, where the miners have stopped work in sympathy with the meat strikers, the State Labour Government is expected to proclaim a state of emergency this week. Details of severe power rationing will be announced later. The proclamation, if issued, will give the Governmeilt wide powers, including that of compulsory drafting of labour under penalty of crippling fines for non-compliance. The waterside workers are also on strike in support of the meat industry strikers, and only a Court order stopped numbers of key railway unions doing likewise. Victoria has no reserves of New South Wales gas coal, and rationing has been in,force for some time.

South Australia’s electricity supply is in peril because a collier from Newcastle has been delayed by bad weather.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19460625.2.75

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24910, 25 June 1946, Page 5

Word count
Tapeke kupu
492

COAL SUPPLY CRISIS Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24910, 25 June 1946, Page 5

COAL SUPPLY CRISIS Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24910, 25 June 1946, Page 5

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