POWER SHORTAGE

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20026, 6 September 1930, Page 15

POWER SHORTAGE

AUTHORITIES TAKE ACTION. ECONOMIES THROUGHOUT THE PROVINCE. Following a second urgent appeal by the District Electrical Engineer (Mr R. G. MacGiibbon), and the example of the Christchurch City Council, practically all of the 18 consuming authorities supplied by the Public Works Department have put into effect economies to lessen the load on Lake Coleridge, and to obviate any shortage of power. Almost throughout the Province street and display lighting has been curtailed, and consumers have been urged not to use radiators or water-heaters. The engineer to the Malvern Power Board (Mr H. H. Barrs) has suggested a roundtable conference of the authorities, and this plan commends itself to Mr MacGibbon as a means of securing concerted action. The economies already in force should mean a substantial saving of power. The Public Works Department has issued no further report of the level of the lake and the inflow. Following is a summary of the economies adopted in the districts covered by the different consuming authorities: Christchurch City Council—Following an advertised appeal to the public and to business men, the Electricity Committee yesterday sent out to shops in the City 4000 circulars appealing for economies in the use of display lighting under a threat of more drastic curtailment. Street lights are switched off at midnight. Domestic consumers are required to economise under a similar threat. The District Electrical _ Engineer yesterday asked several private firms to bring into operation their standby generating, plants. The manager of the Municipal Electricity Department (Mr E. Hitchcock) reports many telephone calls from consumers stating their, own economies and complaining of their neighbours' wastefulness. After 9 o'clock last evening City shopkeepers responded well to the appeal made of them. Picture-theatre displays and sky ; signs were switched off early in the evening. Other City economies will be considered at a further meeting of the Electricity Committee on Monday. Riccarton Borough Council —The Electricity Committee, which was given full power by the Council, has declared that street lighting is to be cut out at midnight or earlier on moonlit nights; that excess shop-lighting and displays will be disconnected if found in use; and that all water-heaterß must be disconnected within three days except in cases where extreme hardship would result. Lyttelton Borough Council—Blocklighting is cut off when the shops close, and street-lighting is curtailed. An appeal has been made to consumers not to use radiators or water-heaters. An inspection of leaky taps has the amount of electricity used at the Heathcote pumping station by 20 per' cent. The Lyttelton Harbour Board has decided to switch off all wharf lights at midnight, except in cases of emergency, and to reduce to a minimum the working of its refrigerating machinery. Vessels arriving in the stream after midnight will be asked to wait until daybreak before berthing. , . Heathcote County Council—Streetlighting is now cut off at midnight. Attention is being given to uninsulated water-heaters, which the engineer (Mr J. E. Templin) considers waste much, power. . It- may, be necessary to..j)rohibit their use ,where othey , inpana of heating are available. . Waimairi County Council—Streetlighting has been cut off at iriiihnght for- the past week. Water-heaters are being cut off where consumers have other means of heating. A frequent inspection is being Hiade of meters to see that radiators are not being :nsed to excess. Owners of electric pumps are asked to use them before 18 a.m. Banks Peninsula Power Board—Standby plant, wKichftakes 10 per cent, of the load, is -• now in operation.' The Board controls no' street-lighting. Halswell County Council—Streetlighting, of which there is very, little, is switched off at midnight. \ Otherwise, the Council has very little opportunity to conserve power. Kaiapoi Borough Council—The cutting off of street-lighting, will be considered by the Couneil at a special meeting on Tuesday. • Because of 'the bad state of the roads, it is doubtful whether this step would be advisable. > Thjere are few water-heaters in the area.

Bangiora Borough lighting cut off at midnight. There are only a few water-heaters, in#the bbrough, and no stand-by .plant. , Malvern Power Board—No furt'her steps have been taken. The engineer has suggested to- Mr Mac Gibbon a round-table conference of-the consuming authorities. Timaru Borough Council—The Council will consider on Monday evening the curtailment of street-lighting and restrictions on water-heaters. Waitald Power. Board—One of two stand-by plants is being need.,. Streetlighting ,is switched off at midnight, and, in the small country townships, altogether. There are very few wuterheaters. The Board is appealing for economies by advertisement., Sumner Borough Council—Streetlighting extinguished at midnight (for the past two months it has been cut off at 1 a.m.). There are only about a. dozen water-heaters in the borough. South Canterbury Power Board—No street-lighting after midnight. Waterheaters without thermostats' are not permitted. The position will' be further discussed at a meeting of the Board on Tuesday. Aahburton Electric Power, Board— The Board has arranged to, cut out flood-lighting and hasßequested consumers to reduce window-lighting. Streetlighting is cut off at midnight, and under-verandah lighting, is discontinued* Large power consumers have been consulted regarding a restriction of supply. The flat-rate system'for waterheating has not been adopted, and all cylinders are effectively lagged so that this service does not cause a groat, deal.of waste.

Appeal to Shop-keepers. Following is. the full text of . the appeal which was circularised yesterday to shop-keepers by the general manager of the M.E.D. (Mr E. Hitchcock): — "As has already teen'intimated in the newspapers, the critical situation at Lake Coleridge makes it necessary to call upon all consumers of electricity to economise to the maximum possiblo extent. This is no longer a matter of discussion of possible measures, but one of immediate seriousness, fraught with grave, possibilities for every business dependent upon electrical supply. Voluntary economy promptly exercised • will undoubtedly postpone more drastic; curtailment, and may enable periods of complete cut-off to be avoided. "The imperative need is that, no electric radiators should now., be used. Under; present circumstances,'' the use of a radiator is an injustice to all consumers requiring supply for much more vital purposes. - It is equally imperative that shop-lighting during business hours be reduced to an absolute minimum. After business hours, verandah lighting, ftood-ligbtfog, display lighting,

or interior lighting of aflykind, most not be used except. for<nece«sary work such as - cleaning or aetoal working*, rev quiremente. ■> • rtnat of . "It is desired to strew the this is now a matter regarding, neither the Public the City' Council,' nor any choice. If volnntarW T^.n^Spp;; are not effective, fcher<»i&pleteicurai| off .of supply to a drastic' flo* only alternative. ' "The Department' sincerely \ regretsthe necessity . for>\'this - letter,' butat, arises from matters beyond.. its - ' Tour prompt and ation on the lines BUggested,U,»afc stage, undoubtedly-the tost service that .can be rendered-both to yourselves pad - to the community, in the present ' Ml situation segtrdiag /i-Avf#