HANDLING OF POWER CRISIS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25227, 4 July 1947, Page 6

HANDLING OF POWER CRISIS

METHOD USED BY M.E.D. CRITICISED Criticism of the handling of the power crisis in Christchurch was expressed by two representatives of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce on the businessmen’s committee at the council meeting last evening. Mr J. R. Dench said that the situation had not been well handled, and Mr A. M. Hollander said that the method adopted by the Municipal Electricity Department’s emergency committee for dealing with a power emergency could not be called businesslike. Mr Dench contrasted the action taken in Christchurch with that adopted in Dunedin, where representatives of the organisations concerned, including the Retailers’ Association, Chamber of Commerce, and Manufacturers’ Association, had been called together and addressed by the Mayor and the electrical engineer. He said that the situation in Christchurch could have been better handled.

Mr Hollander said there should have been better knowledge of how to deal with the position locally than there was. That was not a criticism of the M.E.D. as a business organisation, but it appeared to have t?ken no businesslike steps to deal with problems that might arise. The position in Christchurch still showed signs of lack of understanding of what the people would put up with, and what they were prepared to do.

FUTURE SUPPLIES OF ELECTRICITY F The Minister of Works (Mr R. Semple) and the general manager of the State Hydro-electric Department (Mr F. T. M. Kissel) are to be asked to come to Christchurch and outline to the business community the department’s plans for future electricity supplies. A resolution to this effect was passed by the council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce at its meeting last evening.