To the Editor of the "Nonmu-Cinwa Darwy New Si—The papers are full of news concerning the acute shortage of coal and fuel in Shanghai. The Power Company has issued regulations enforcing economy In power consumption and we have learned that, the Gas Company is going to do the same, with the S.M.C. already considering new rules to this effect.
You would think, therefore, that anybody trying to decrease his home consumption of gas is doing exactly! the thing the Council and the Gas Ca, want him to do. That is what I have thought. anyway, but I have been greatly mistaken' as appears from. the gas bill T have received today. I find myself charged with "Minimum charge for gas payable by all consumers of less than 150 units a month" as a punishment for having used only 190 units during the last 28 days. The total of the bill amounts to $1625, which docs not seem to be so terribly low for a lone bachelor's one-man household. Anyway, T have been fined §210 to be ald' for 20 units of gas consumption which I have been silly enough to economize instead of consuming them. And T am afraid I do not feel very encouraged for further economy tasks on behalf of the Power or Gas! 'Companies' managements, Does the Gas Ca. honestly want gas to be economized or docs it not docs, what ig the Idea of Introd: Gr ing, without fair notice, that new fine for non-consumption of a mini mum number of 150 unlts—which, by the way, is above the standard consumption' needed for preparing four meals a day for two persons.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.