The seriousness of the fuel problem and its relation to the electricity Supply question was stressed yester= day in a coramuniqué issued by the Council urging all consumers to re~ strict the use of electricity consumption to avert other drastic compulsory restrictions in future. The com= munique follows:
"The report of the Special Com mittee appointed by the Shanghat Municipal Couneit t© investigate and recommend allocations of supplies of clectrielty 10 the various classes of Users in the event of continued short~ age of fuel has been received and Will be considered by the incoming Council. "In view of the far reach ing consequences of any drastic restriction in the supply of electricity, particularly for industrial purposes Which absorb approximately 72 per ent. of the Shanghai Power Com pany's output, the Committee's re-ort will require thorough study and consideration which will take time. ing restriction scheme, under sumer of over 1,000 Kilo-hours monthly are allotted only 1 por cent. of the established usage fat current rates and are charged three times current rates for excess twaige over their allotments, has fail> ex to achieve ite purpose of restriet-Ing consumption and fuel is being constimed at a rate substantially in excess of replacements. On February 24 the company's stocks of fuel amounted to the equivalent of 180,700 tons of coal, while on April 1 these had. been Feeuced to approximately continued depletion of the company's fuel reserves and ending consideration of the recommendations contained in the Special Committee's report the Council hax approved of continuation of the exist-Inge restriction scheme applying to users of over 1,000 kilowatt hours han. increase in the strietive charge for consumption excess of allotments from three to six times the average all-in charge made for allotments.
In agreeing to this increase in the restrictive charge for consumption excess of allotments, the Counc!
iches partiewlarly to emphasize that he company will not profit by the restrictive charge, and that all revenue therefrom In excess of current rates will be credited to a fuel conservation reserve which will be Utilized as may be agreed upon by the Council and the company in the Dest interests of consumers. One of the uses to which this reserve may bbe put is to finance the purchase of inordinately high-priced coal, if such obtainable, so as t© keep industry going, without calling upon consumers who do not exceed their attthorised allotments to bear the full cost of stich high priced coal.
"The Council also desires to emphasize the seriousness of the position
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.