Gas will be limited to one meal period daily from midnight tonight, and use of briquettes for hot water services will be prohibited.

Further restrictions to be considered by Cabinet this week will include a blackout in industry for one day in five; reduction in tram services in off-peak periods and at weekends, and restrictions on sale and use of electrical appliances.

The Premier (Mr. Holloway) last night emphasised the need for saving every ounce of coal in anticipation of the strike becoming a long and bitter struggle.

Passenger train services to the country will be curtailed from tomorrow. The reduced schedules were published in “The Age” yesterday. An amplified list appears today.

A further reduction will be made on Monday.

Goods train services will also be further reduced on Monday and rail transport of store stock will stop from tomorrow except where trucks would run empty.

The Railway department has been asked to reduce coal consumption from 8000 tons to 5000 tons a week.

Hours for the use of gas are: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 5:30 pm till 6:30pm; Saturday and Sunday, 12 midday till 1 pm.

Gas hours today are 7am-7:30am, 5:30pm-6pm

Urgent Appeal

Mr. Holloway made two special appeals:

Users of electricity and gas should make the greatest possible savings.

Motorists and all road users should conserve petrol for essential purposes.

Mr. Holloway warned private motorists that abuse of free petrol marketing in the present crisis would be the greatest argument for drastic curtailment of petrol consumption.

“Petrol stocks are essential for use in the present emergency,” Mr. Holloway added.

“Every gallon used unnecessarily by private motorists will weaken Victoria’s stand against the lawlessness of the Communists.”

Long Struggle

Mr. Holloway expressed regret for the hardship being caused in the worst period of the year, but said the Government would be lacking in its duty if it did not prepare immediately for the bad times ahead.

“I am afraid the people of Victoria must be prepared for a long drawn out struggle,” he said.

“The Government will do its utmost to alleviate suffering wherever possible, and to spread the hardships equitably over the whole community”.

Mr. Holloway said the Government was seeking to place orders for additional overseas coal. It would be some time before the Government knew if it could be obtained.

More drastic restrictions would have become essential without the importation of overseas coal and the rapid development made during the past 18 months with the production and use of raw brown coal.

“All Must Help”

The Premier said the Victorian Government would stand behind all Governments and organization intent upon upholding the principle of arbitration.

“Every person in Victoria is involved in this struggle,” Mr. Holloway said.

“Every motorist, factory manager, employee and housewife must combine to ensure that not one ounce of coals, not one gallon of petrol, not one unit of electricity or gas is wasted.

“Upon the way in which the people cooperate will depend whether law and order shall prevail or whether industrial anarchy shall run riot.”