EMERGENCY MEETING

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 16, 14 October 1943, Page 5

EMERGENCY MEETING

Australian Cabinet And Coal Crisis

(By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.)

SYDNEY, October 13. N Reductions in electricity, gas and tram services, as well as further reductions in rail transport, are beiug considered oy the Commonwealth Government because of the coal shortage. The full Cabinet has held an emergency meeting, aud ma;/ meet again today to approve the completed plan to reduce coal consumption. The Prime Minister, Mr. Curtiu, has already made it clear that a number of services using coal will have to stop or be reduced. If the coal stoppages continue at their present rate, it is understood 1 that the production level ni IJlo will fall substantially below that of 11H-, aud possibly below that of 1941. . The most serious result of the crisis will be in some war industries where many thousands of workers may have to be put off temporarily, or be put on restricted time. Other steps which are reported to be under consideration by the Government include the resumption of control ot all exterior lighting, which will result in the virtual reimposition of the “brown-out, the rationing of electricity aud gas -or domestic purposes, the rationing of power to undertakings engaged in non-essential work, an extensive reduction in rail aua tram services, particularly in the couutry trains and in the slack hours, of suburban traffic, and the cancellation or ail Christmas and other holiday traffic. Possible Cabinet Reprisal. It has been suggested that Cabinet may decide to put persistent troublemakers among the coal miners into the Civilian Construction Corps or into Lie Army. At the emergency meeting of Cabinet emphasis was. placed on the effect on community opinion bound to be produced by the deprivations and inconveniences which coal rationing wou.d bring about. . "The essential maintenance of lull production from tlie mines plainly can only be secured by removing habitual aud irresponsible trouble-makers from the con. industry,” says the "Sydney Morning Herald” in an editorial today, declaring that the present crisis was rendered inevitable by the “chronic anarchy on the coalfields. "A showdown on this issue is overdue and nothing is to be gained by postponing it further,” adds, the paper. “In justice to Mr. Curtin, it must be said, however, that if his approach to the coal problem has seemed hesitant ana fumbling in contrast to his decisive handling of the waterfront strike and the recent shipping hold-up, the difficulties ot ensuring continuity of work on the coalfields are very much greater than in the maritime and other industries, ihe 1 rime Minister has lacked not the will but Lie ready means to suppress the coitiery stoppages.” Manpower surveys are understood to have disclosed large numbers ot skilled miners iu the Australian munitions industry. These men will be sent back to the pits. Some Ministers are reported to have stated that 100,000 workers would be put out of employment if Australian coal production was only maintained at its present level for any length of time. The Victorian Railways Commissioners report that their reserves of coal are sufficient for a little more than two weeks normal running of the State railway system.