CRITICAL PERIOD AHEAD

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25148, 1 April 1947, Page 6

CRITICAL PERIOD AHEAD

APPEAL TO CONSUMERS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, March 31. “Consumers themselves are the only people who can make power rationing quickly effective. We appeal to them to comply with the regulations and help us out during this very critical period," said the Chief Electrical Engineer of the State Hydro-electric Department (Mr A. E. Davenport) to-day, referring to the probable loss of power this week when the Horahora power station goes out of action. “Rain has ceased, the lakes are dropping again, and it becomes even more necessary for consumers to help the supply authorities to keep the load down to the allocation, and to reduce to this load at the earliest possible moment,” said Mr Davenport. He said that to-day’s figures showed that the levels of both Lake Taupo and Lake Waikaremoana were falling again, and in neither place had there been rain. There was no change at Lake Mangahao, and the situation at the King’s wharf station in Auckland was made worse by the Waikato coal position. Some coal was still being received there from the South Island, and the Evans Bay station was receiving South Island coat