MORE POWER

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25240, 19 July 1947, Page 10

MORE POWER

Saving Quota Now 10 Per Cent. COMMENT BY M.E.D. CHAIRMAN “If everyone continues to avoid the lavish use* of electricity, we should be able to get along very well without further hardship to anyone.” said Cr. F. S. Wilding, chairman of the electricity committee of the Christchurch City Council, yesterday, when he commented on the decision of the Government to reduce the quota of power restrictions, as from Monday, to 10 per cent, on the consumption last year. “We are thankful to have the Government’s announcement of a reduction in the savings ordered; and to maintain a 10 per cent, cut should not give the emergency electricity committee. the Mayor, or anyone else a headache.” said Cr. Wilding. "The city kept faith scrupulously with the State Hydro Department’s requests for reduced power consumption and the State Hydro in its turn, has now allowed us to draw on the back country water almost before it has left the clouds.” However, the South Island was now past the winter peak and the danger of a major winter crisis in availability of power appeared to be past, said Cr. Wilding. Cr. J. L. Hay and his power emergency publicity group had consistently advocated voluntary savings and the achievement in the M.E.D. area of obtaining savings so close to those demanded by the State Department could be accepted by that group as a comnliment to its effort. “But an y wholesale switching on and thoughtlessness in use must be safeguarded against by all consumers.” warned Cr. Wilding. w j “Exactly what steps will be taken to relax the restrictions on the use of power will be decided on Monday by the electricity emergency committee.” said Cr. Wilding. The restrictions prohibit the use of shop window and neon sign lighting, limit street lighting to midnight, and office radiator heating to limited hours. The use of domestic water-heaters is also curtailed.