MUST ECONOMISE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 109, 10 May 1943, Page 2

MUST ECONOMISE

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

HOMES AND FACTORIES

"We have to save 15,000,000 units a year to keep within our quota," said the general manager of the Auckland Electric Power Board, Mr. Bartley, to-day, when referring to the need for all users to economise. "The only way that consumption can be reduced is by the people co-operating with the board and doing everything necessary to curtail the use of current.

"The appeal that is being made now is general. It applies to industry as well as to 'domestic users. The board requests every user not to waste electricity. Thousands of units can be saved by a little thought. Industry can help by cutting out the running of motors when they are not actually required, while householders can effect economies in various ways." Position Becoming Acute Mr. Bartley said the position was becoming so acute that failure to reduce consumption voluntarily would make necessary the total disconnection of areas from time to time as required by the Government. The Dominion controller had advised that consumption of electricity must be limited to within the capacity of the Government's generating plants.

Householders could assist greatly in respect to water heating and by lighting economies, Mr. Bartley added. A light should not be allowed to remain on a moment longer than necessary. Many people were careless in this respect and had lights burning in practically every room at once. If they remembered the shortage they would turn out lights not required and in the aggregate there would be a considerable saving. Mr. Bartley said a great deal of electricity could be saved in electric cooking if users would turn off their power switches when a joint or other food was three-quarters cooked, thus allowing the accumulated current to complete the job. How to Save in Heating In respect to the saving of current in water heating where there was thermostatic control, the apparatus should be set to the lowest temperature. If users could not adjust their thermostats they should call upon the meter readers to do so. Where fiat-rate heating was in operation householders should not let the water boil and go to waste. They should turn the power off at the switch. They would soon find out how much current was needed for normal usage.