"TOUCH AND GO"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 106, 6 May 1943, Page 6

"TOUCH AND GO"

POSITION CRITICAL

AUCKLAND GAS SUPPLY

"It will be touch and go from now on, whether the supply will last," said Mr. Rupert Worley, manager of the Auckland Gas Company, shortly after 2 o'clock this afternoon. "The holders are very low. I should say that there are not more than 50,000 cubic feet left. We. might be able to maintain the supply for an hour or two yet, and we may not. Everyone seems to be cooking meals earlier to-day."

Mi*. Worley added that the position was on the borderline, and the companv would need a great deal more co-operation from the public. He suggested that where it was expedient to do so neighbours might be able to cook two or more meals together. Inquiries from city restaurants early this afternoon revealed that in most cases cooking operations were then able to proceed as usual. One restaurant, however, reported tnat the gas was very poor this morning and continued to be so throughout the lunch period. Another catering firm stated that the gas was ' a bit weak." , . . The company is pushing ahead as quickly as possible with additional plant, and when a number of new ovens are in full use the output will be considerably increased. In view of the urgent necessity for conserving gas the Railway Department has been compelled to reduce the lighting of all gas-lighted cars by 50 per cent until the gas supply position in Auckland improves. The Department has also been compelled considerably to reduce the lighting of electrically-lighted cars owing to a shortage of light globes, which are of a special imported low voltage type. . . , . Commenting on the lighting position affecting both gas and electri-cally-lighted cars, Departmental officials stated to-day that ttJ* restoration of full lighting on all services will be contingent on an improvement in the gas supply position in Auckland and also the supply of electric light globes of the type required.

BIG GROWTH IN DEMAND

POSITION IN WELLINGTON (P.A.) WELLINGTON, this day. There is no immediate acute problem over the gas supply in Wellington, taut the abnormal demand and the manpower problems at the company's works have combined to create a position that can be best met by users co-operating with the company during the winter months and practising consistent and helptui economies, which the company has set out in detail. In a statement to-day the manager, Mr. M. J. Kennedy, says the company is seriously disturbed by the suspension of coal supplies from Australia, as it has in the past depended on this class of coal to assist in meeting abnormal demands, Newcastle coal being more readily carbonised,, producing a greater volume of gas and requiring less plant and labour in treatment. War conditions have caused a tremendous increase in the demand. The company has been in constant touch with the Government and appreciates that the Government has done everything possible to assist. Figures for the first four days of May show that consumption has risen from 10,776,000 cubic feet in May, 1942, to 13,365,000, or 25 per cent.