POWER SHORTAGE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20025, 5 September 1930, Page 11

POWER SHORTAGE.

STREET LIGHTING CURTAILED. CITY'S ECONOMIES. FINAL APPEAL UNDER THREAT. Active measures to economise electric power in the City and so to avoid a shortage at Lake Coleridge were decided at a meeting yesterday afternoon of the Christchurch City Council's Electricity Committee which had been given complete authority by the Council. They are:—

(1) All street-lighting will be switched off at midnight. This chief economy was put into effect last night. (2) Under a threat of more drastic curtailment, shop and sign lighting, and electric displays generally, are not to be used after hours.

(3) Under a similar threat, the public is required to discontinue the use of office and shop radiators, domestic radiators, water-heaters, and non-essen-tial house-lighting. "We are putting the public on probation," said the chairman (Cr. H. T. J. Thacker) following the committee meeting. "If the shop-lighting is not cut out to-morrow evening, then we will have to consider shutting it off ourselves on Saturday. Sky-signs and all other displays will have to go. The public, too, must realise that the position is serious and take pains to economise. A further meeting of the committee will be held at 4 p.m. on Monday, and then, if our requests are not carried out, they will be compulsorily enforced. If necessary, an emergency meeting will be called earlier. Department Blamed. "All the suggestions and information from tho Progress League were belated," continued Cr. Thacker. "For a long time we have known all they could tell us, and more. We do feel, however, that since the Public Works Department must have realised the position three months ago, it should have given the City longer notice, before the situation had reached extremes."

The generating plant at the destructor and the gas stand-by pumping plant at Cashmere, are both in readiness, and may be brought into operation next Monday. The Electricity Committee will itself visit Lake Coleridge early next week. In Tub Pkess to-day the Municipal Electricity Department publicly advertises its appeal, emphasising that the choice now lies between voluntary economy or compulsory inconvenience. Early this morning all shopkeepers in the City will be circularised to the effect that unless their co-oper-ation is immediately given, more drastic methods of enforcing economics will have to be considered. If there is an actual shortage of power, the limited amount available will be offered to different areas in rotation. Before this, however, if the public does not heed the Council's appeal, periodic cuttingoff of supply in different districts may be resorted to. A start has been mndc with the curtailment of street-lighting during a period of moonlight so that the effect of the black-out will not bo too severe.

A Valuable Lead. The committee's decision was warmly commended last evening by the District Electrical Engineer (Mr R. G. Mac Gibbon). "The measures of economy are a decided step in the right direction," said Mr Mac Gibbon. "It remains now for consumers to follow the instructions that have been given. I trust that the threat of compulsory curtailment will not have to be put into effect." The decision, he thought, would be most valuable in giving the lead to the other consuming authorities, none of which seemed willing to take the first step. To judge by enquiries made by Ihe Pukss Tho heads of business horses realise the gravity of the position, and are willing to meet the demands asked of them. "We will not hesitate to cut out our display lighting at onc <V' Charles Ogilvic, manager of Beath and Co., Ltd. ""We are prepared to do anything that will help them. It may leave our customers cold, but I will look into the question of cutting off the electric heating. I am sure that the attitude of shopkeepers generally will be sympathetic.'' Mr Mark Armstrong, one of the principals of Armstrong and Co., Ltd., also stated his sympathy with the appeal and promised co-operation. Although the police prefer the assistance of street lighting, they do not ananv rlifficutlv in carrying out their duty without it.

Not Released. Since reports that the lake is being maintained even at such a low level are having the effect of making consumers believe that the need for economy is more imaginary than real, Mr Mac Gibbon has decided to discontinue releasing the daily readings at Lake Coleridge, A slight fall of rain has done nothing to improve the situation. Em phasising that the position is serious, Mr Mac Gibbon has sent a second, and more emphatic, warning to the 18 consuming authorities supplied from Lake Coleridge. "I must express regret at the poor response made to the Department in its request for economy," the letter begins. "Apart from the relief obtained from the Christchurch Tramway Board and the discontinuance by the Christchurch City Council of electrically heating the Municipal baths, the reduction of demand on Lake Coleridge is so small that it is obvious that local authorities and consumers have not realised or will not admit, the serious position of supply at present. I would strongly reiterate that despite what may have appeared in the Press, the situation today is so critical that unless drastic economies are effected immediately the Department will be forced so to curtail the supply that the amount available will be totally insufficient to meet the urgent needs of consumers.

Economy or No Supply. "In making this second appeal I would stress the fact that it is in the interests of all consumers to make some small sacrifice at the present time a olunt.arily, rather than be faced wtih complete cutting off of their supply in the very near future. As a supply authority I would strongly recommend that you take immediate steps to cut down your demand in such directions as may cause least hardship. The number and time of operation of street lights should be reduced to a minimum. All commercial radiators, advertising signs, and shop window displays after shopping hours should be cut out, and all fixed rate water heaters, particularly those with no thermostat control and unlagged cylinders, disconnected until further notice." It is only by prompt and concerted action on the part of both supply authorities and consumers alike, he em-