COAL POSITION DETERIORATES

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5327, 13 February 1947, Page 5

COAL POSITION DETERIORATES

( Prcss Assn-

lower production SHIPS AND TRAINS. IMMOBILISED

-Rec. 9.30 p.m. j

/ LONDON, Feb. 12. Railway conditions are still bad, though thousands of British and Polish troops are helping to clear the tracks. Only a trickle of coal is reaching London, where even Big Ben is to remain in darkness during the crisis. Reduced steam services ih the London suburbs will begin uext Monday. Carvying 195.000 tons of coal, 125 .Nips are weather bound in the Tyne. ^ Mue are still loading. others are un- •'} le to get away because of ice. ycven, however, sailed for London ; -i-night and the others are preparing sail in a few hours. The East Midland Divisional Coal Board said 8000 co^l waggons- of 11 ' ms eaeh were standing fully loaded >n main lines and an other 43,000 vcre on colliery sidings. The North ern Divisional Coal Board announced that in spite of the weather the output last week in the division was estimated at only 43,000 tons less than in the previous week. The output was higher than for the •un'e week of 1946. South Wales miners announced ihat as a result of a maximum effort South Wales in January produ'ced 128,000 tons more, with 1000 fewer men, than in January, 1946. They veaffirmed confidence in the Governlnent's policy and in the Minister of vuel. Mr. Shinwell. In spite of tbese reports it is officially stated that overall production at the pits is falling. Last week it was 3,520,000 tons, comj pared _ v/ith 3,790,000 tons in the j previous week. \ Road conditic/ns have deteriorated | i'urther. More than 120 roads are j blocked throughout England. Canal barges in various areas are ""••o?.en in the water, sometimes to a depth of 12 inches. Even ice-break-j its sometimes fail to break them out. : Tlve Royal Air Force will drop ! 'ood containers to-morrow to several i ■■'lowbound villages, j A War Office official said he i doubted whether N flametbrowers j eould be used to clear a path for rail ! trucks. Large flaniethrowers' tracks j were likely to damage the permanent i way, and the use of small infantry | ffiunethrowers would be uneconomic- ; il as they needed frequent refuelling. | The first official figures showing | the elfect of the crisis on employment ; are expected to be available on Thursday.