COAL SHORTAGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 September 1942, Page 4

COAL SHORTAGE

VERY SERIOUS IN BRITAIN COMPULSORY RATIONING URGED. SOME FACTORIES MAY HAVE TO CLOSE. (Special P.A. Correspondent.) (Received This Day, 11.50 a.m.) LONDON, September 14. Coal and Service pay continue to be the chief topics of discussion in Britain’s domestic front and will probably remain so for some time. The coal situation is universally regarded as serious. Mi - Arthur Horner, of the South Wales Miners’ Federation, declared: “It is more desperate now than ever it has been since the commencement of the war. Unless sufficient coal is produced it is a sheer waste of time for industries that depend on coal to talk of the possibility of increased production. We can visualise no, measures which will remove from this country the danger of a serious and critical situation with regard to coal supplies during the coming winter.” Major Lloyd George, Minister of Fuel and Power, declared: “The position of coal in Britain is serious for our safety at the present juncture.” Referring to declining poduction. he added: “We must either inflict hardship on our people or let soine factories close down this winter.” He stressed that Britain was faced by a gigantic task in making up for the loss by the Russians of half their coal production, sixty per cent of their iron ore and fifty per cent of their steel. The “Daily Herald,” declared that the Government, instead of waiting to see whether voluntary rationing would succeed or fail, should impose compulsory rationing immediately and make sure. SERVICE PAY DEMANDS. The small increases in Service pay announced in the House of Commons last week generally have not pleased Parliament. There is no doubt that more will be heard on the question when the House meets again. MINOR RESTRICTIONS. Restrictions caused by the war are gradually increasing on Britain’s home from, even in many things hitherto seemingly of minor importance. Thus the shortage of paper is causing drastic restrictions. The public are asked to write the shortest letters and to use both sides of the paper. Calendars must not weigh more than ounces. Menu cards must be under 56 square inches and playing cards under eight square incnes. In addition to the prohibition of the manufacture of ice cream, it will be impossible to send flowers by rail, after October, while utility socks are being cut from 14J inches to nine inches in length. There is a growing shortage of pennies. None have been minted for two years, for which reason the public are asked to use shillings in gas meters instead of pennies. The extra tobacco tax introduced last April resulted in a reduced cigarette consumption in the period to June by over seven million pounds weight, but two million pounds weight more pipe tobacco was sold. Travelling restrictions will result in a saving - of 11J million miles when Green line bus routes are suspended, from the end of September. There are so few private cars on the roads now that people are beginning to look twice at those they do see, wondering what is their business. WAR WORK OF WOMEN. It has become superfluous to comment on the increasing part taken in the war by women. The latest developments include that women are soon going to operate practically all barrage balloon sites throughout Britain and to drive and maintain all Army motor vehicles up to three ions. Women balloon operators are replacing men as they become fully trained by R.A.F. instructors. No more men are being trained as balloon operators. It is said to be popular work with the women, these incidentally being me W.A.A.F’s. second-highest paid trade group, Thousands of men will also be released for other Army duties by women drivers, who are given a ten weeks’ course ,After which they know every part of the vehicle they are likely to handle.