RESTRICTIONS ON POWER

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26122, 26 May 1950, Page 5

RESTRICTIONS ON POWER

Sir,—l wish to point out the unfairness of the recent power cuts, especially to the small consumer. In the past I have been saving to the very limit. Now, with the recent power cuts, I am penalised in line with the large and extravagant consumer, my quota being less than one unit a day (about three-quarters). This is clearly a case of applying the whip to the willing horse and grossly unfair. Surely there are other ways of rationing, which would be fair to all—such as a graduated scale.—Yours, etc., J. LAWSON. Belfast, May 25, 1950.

Sir.—Does the North Canterbury i Power Board intend to refuse its customers the right to hear International football broadcasts? Power cuts, yes. if they are necessary; but surely it will be possible to arrange for. say, a short cut on Saturday and Sunday mornings to make up for power used listening to the tests. Here is a chance for the board to show consideration for the consumer.—Yours, etc., _ COWSLIP. Cheviot, May 20, 1950. [The engineer-secretary of the North Canterbury Electric Power Board (Mr A. Buckingham) comment,ed on this letter as follows: “In re- ' sponse to numerous requests arrange- ■ ments have been made to restore power next Saturday afternoon at . 2.45 p.m.—see advertisement in “The i Press” this morning (May 25). We i find that a Saturday morning power I cut would interfere unduly with essential industries.”]

Sir. —Could I ask through your paper if it would not be possible for the Heathcote County Council to cut off power on Saturdays between 1.30 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. instead of from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. This would enable those" interested in Rugby football an opportunity to listen in to the test and other matches played on Saturday afternoons In Lyttelton all cuts in power are lifted during week-ends, I am not asking for that but for a change-over. Heathcote County residents are about the only ones barred from football broadcasts.—Yours, etc., FOOTBALL FAN. May 24, 1950.

Sir, —Patients at the Upper Sanatorium have a grandstand seat for the power cut-offs. They have seen street lights in parts of the city burning all night and in the early morning light up for milkman and newspaper runners. They have watched some lights cut off too early and others burn well into daylight. Concurrent with all this irregularity, along with the residents of Heathcote they are denied one hour’s listening to the football broadcasts on Saturday afternoons, even though Heathcote County’s street lights are turned on about half an hour before the rest of the city’s and about 40 minutes before they are needed every evening. If this anomaly is rectified, perhaps something can be done about the broadcasts on Saturday afternoons —Yours, etc., FOOTY FAN. May 23. 1950.

[“Consumption of power in the county area over the last two weeks has been in excess of the allocation and any reduction in restrictions is not possible,’’ said the county clerk of the Heathcote County Council (Mr A. E. Amyes). “It is not correct to say that county residents are the only ones barred from football broadcasts, as some of the power boards adjacent to the city have a shut-down from 12.30 to 5 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.”]