TO CONTINUE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 167, 17 July 1941, Page 8

TO CONTINUE

REDUCED LIGHTS

GOVERNMENT FIRM NOT AN ECONOMY MEASURE (By Telegraph.— Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The whole question of blackouts and reduced lighting had been investigated recently, according to a statement made in the House of Representatives this afternoon by the acting-Prime Minister, the Hon. W. Nash. He declared that the present restriction must continue in the interests of national defence.

Mr. Nash refuted the statement that the restrictions were an economy measure to save electricity.

'The lights and consequent glare in coastal towns are of use to enemy raiders," said Mr. Nash. "As long as the war continues these raiders will seek to destroy shipping and possibly to attack and destroy trade ports. The purpose of reduced lighting is to make more difficult the task of the enemy in locating and identifying the most valuable points of attack." Depredations of Raiders The depredations of raiders in the Pacific last year had convinced the Government that th£ introduction of lighting restrictions could not long be delayed. The action taken by the Government had been based oh the advice of the chiefs of staff of the services. The actual means employed to produce the desired result had been the outcome of deliberations by a technical committee presided over by the Dominion lighting controller.

Lighting of Vehicles The restrictions on vehicle lighting were only imposed after full consideration by the chiefs of staff. Restrictions oh speed in reduced lighting areas were at present under consideration. and already the large passenger bus services had been slowed down. The necessity for the lighting restrictions was recently reviewed by the Reduced Lighting Committee of the organisation for national security. After full consideration they came to the conclusion that the restrictions were necessary and should remain in force.

"Statements have been published comparing the New Zealand precautions with those of other countries," said the Minister. "Those criticisms are based on an incorrect appreciation, and do not take into account the scale and type of attack which vary considerably in different localities.

"It has been suggested in some quarters that the restrictions were imposed to reduce consumption of available electric power. It is essential to economise in the use of electric power, more particularly in the North Island, where the nondelivery of plant from overseas has made the position serious, but the necessity for economy in this direction is completely unrelated to the imposition of reduced lighting. In any case economy in the use of lighting is negligible compared with the economy which could be effected in the use of power for heating, cooking, heating and industrial uses."