DELAY CONDEMNED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 May 1942, Page 3

DELAY CONDEMNED

NEED OF FUEL RATIONING IN BRITAIN EFFECT OF POSTPONEMENT MAY BE SERIOUS. CONSERVATIVE BACK-BENCHERS BLAMED. (Special P.A. Correspondent.) (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) LONDON, May 17. “Fiasco” is the term being applied to the fuel rationing scheme, which, after three weeks’ discussion in the House of Commons and the Press, has now been deferred until after the Whitsun recess. But there is a possibility of something more than a mere fiasco. There may be a strong reaction against those responsible for the deferment in the event of the present indecision resulting in a fuel shortage and hardship next winter. The position briefly is that the Gow ernment declared fuel rationing to be necessary and asked Sir William Beveridge to produce a scheme. This he did and Ministers approved it, but the Conservative 1922 Committee, which is described as the core of the Tory Party, disapproved. The “Observer” said: “The Government, not persuaded by debate on the floor of the Housed but intimidated by a party meeting upstairs, thrust the whole thing back into the melting pot, announcing that it would produce a new and more voluminous scheme, embracing not only fuel consumption but the organisation of the industry, after the recess. Responsible opinion considers that while it is . good news that the Government intends to deal with the coal problem as a whole, to promote efficiency, it is very bad news that rationing has been correspondingly delayed.” The “Economist” comments: “It is very bad news that the Government is likely 1 to defer, on the kind of rationing to be adopted, to the view of a phalanx of Conservative back-bench-ers which includes some of the most unprincipled, most unintelligent, most arrogant and most opinionated opposition eyen this House of Commons has witnessed. Every item of sordid and disingenuous criticism that, has clogged Parliament and the Press for three weeks has strengthened Sir William Beveridge’s original case. One of the reasons why fuel should be cut is in order to meet the needs of increasingly numerous munition factories. It is understood that Sir W. Beveridge’s scheme, to be effective, should be. operating by June 1, but whether that is now likely seems doubtful, for which reason there is a possibility that either ■ the public or the factories will go , short next winter. If it is the public, then the reaction against those causing the muddle can be taken for granted. If it is the factories, then war production will suffer. It’ is certain that a Government announcement after Whitsun will be awaited with impatience.”