Chaos Foreseen IN N.S.W.

Chronicle (Levin), 24 June 1946, Page 7

Chaos Foreseen IN N.S.W.

Press Assn.

urcent conference called

By Telegraph

-Copyright

Iieeeived Suiiday, 7.0 p.m. SYDNEY, Ju'ne 23. " The Commonweaith Priine JYlinister, Mr. Chifley, is hastening' to Sydiiey tonigh to meet Australian Railways Uhioii ofiftcials in an urgent' conference 011 the coal shortage wliich tvill attempt to prevent eoniplete industrial and transport ehaos in Sydiiey. The proposed railway cuts, are expectr ed to have serious results on tlie food position in the eity. Bailways Unioh . officials allege that anti-Labour I'oree.s are-.trying to imi>ose the present' ration schemes 011 the public in order to ereate hostility towards the Labour Party at the forthcoining elections.. Yesterday thousands of racegoers were stranded for niore than an -'hour at .Rosehill even though the cancellation of speeial trains meant a reduction of the usual raee crowd by a tliird. Today 110 trams were run iu Sydney or-.suburbs. Bnses are doing the best they ean to deal with the Sunday crowds in weather which is perfeet for inidwinter. With the poAver cuts alrcady inade and the easing of the load over the weekend, the Bnnnerong powerhousc is just maiiaging to meet the demands for electricity. Tbc conl crisis having gyown worso further restrictions 011 the usc of power and coal are believed to bn imminent. The chair-man of the Sydney C'ounty Councii,. Mr. J. Cramer, has issued ,a warning that Sydney mav .be plungeinto darlcness at a minute's notice. llf said: "The position is tragie. We don't know from hour to hour what 011 1 position will be. " At 9 a.in. yesterday Ihe councii liad coal for , only eiglu liours. Some eoal was received during the day, but Mr. Cramer was unable t' say if it was enough to- last over tlie week-end. . The Coal Commissioner (Alr. WiJ liams) said that,- unless there w^ls "a revolutionafy increase?J in coal produc tion, cuts in power • to. vital industric? were inevitable. . , . . The Misiistemiaf Laeat: Governmeni (Mr. Cahill) said that, if- coal stocks did not improve quickly, gas supplies would also be affectedi - • • As pointed out by thu. authorities the coal position in a nutslieli is that not enough coal is being iuined to meet Ihe demands. - Begulations gazetted yesterday pro vide for a line of £500 for failure to observe the electricity restrictions. As a result of the coal .shortage, the following restrictions have been imposed 011 the New Soutli . Wales com nunity. Electricity. — Outdoor liglits ano space heatiiig in eommefeial premises ire banned. Trams. — No- Sunday trams and reitricted serviees at week-day oil-peak [jeriods. Trains. — Ilourly suburban serviees instead of at quarter-hours at olf-peak periods; sleepers have bebn withdrawn and the number of mail trains reduced. Speeial race trains have been banned. In Melbourne gas ratioiiing has been imposed for the week-end, and is almost certain to be contimied next Yeek. Drastic rationing of gas and electricity will follow the conference in Bris>ane 011 Atonday. Queensland miners ire 011 strikc in sympathv with the neat sinkers. ' 1