USE OF NEON LIGHTS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26409, 1 May 1951, Page 8

USE OF NEON LIGHTS

COMPLAINT AT CITY COUNCIL

“JUDASES IN THE COMMUNITY ”

A complaint that neon signs were alight in Christchurch although they were prohibited during the power emergency was made by Cr. Mabel Howard, M.P, at last evening’s meeting of the Christchurch City Council. The council had placed on record its appreciation of the work of officials and workers of the State Hydro-elec-tric Department in repairing flood damage and of the staff of the M.E.D., and its appreciation of the co-opera-tion of consumers in the power crisis, before Cr. Howard made her complaint. In Manchester street that evening a sign was blazing, she said. Some signs in Cathedral square were also blazing, as were other signs in Colombo street. If the emergency continued, why were the signs allowed to be alight. The Mayor 'Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.): Is the emergency still on? Cr. G. Manning (chairman of the electricity committee): Yes. We are 25,000 k.’w. srort in supply for consumption in Christchurch and we are ordered to reduce consumption by 20 per cent, below peaks and 15 per cent on units. This morning, we were 4 per cent, above the allocation. We had light curtailments in operation to-day. If. as Cr. Howard reports, these signs am on, there must be some weakness.

“We are endeavouring to get the cooperation of the community,” said Cr. Manning. "But we have Judases and there are some in the community. They have not the urge to co-operate. I assure the council that the department is doing all it can to bring a consciousness to the people of the seriousness of peak loading while Highbank is out of operation. Unfortunately, we have a few from whom we cannot secure co-operation. On the whole, we are delighted with the cooperation.”