ELECTRICITY QUOTAS

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27690, 21 June 1955, Page 7

ELECTRICITY QUOTAS

Sir,— We have just been given our fl uota from the Municipal Electricity apartment. What a farce! What a hjeatb-taking farce! By the way. can '’„ u tell us actually what a basic Quota implies? Let me quote three -ouseholds. All have the same number rf persons, the same number of appliances, as well as dual hot water. One is tllowed less than 300 units, another pver 500 units and the third over 700 units. One can almost hear the M.E.D. -ring. “Don't bother to save and get 2 bigger quota." As one who lived under a strict quota system of the Waitemata Power Board, might I sugthat, if this is the best the M.E.D. do, the office boy be sent to Auckujjd to see how simple it is to run a rrstem that is fair to all. —Yours, etc., FIFTEEN CANDLE POWER. June 15, 1955. [The secretary of the Municipal' gectricity Department tMr J. Den-’ lord) comments as follows: —“This is a touchv question. It is quite true tiiatl smilarly equipped houses use differing quantities of electricity. This is reflected in the infinite variations in □e accounts charged. Some people ire economical, whilst others are less io. The allocation from the State' Department is the sum of all such consumptions in a past ; rear. Therefore, it follows that when' oat allocation is restricted by a cer-i sin percentage, that percentage ibould be passed on down to the individual quotas. This is said to be simple and equitable, but it is known by the M.E.D. staff that many anomalies occur. Glaring cases of such anomalies are adjusted, but the fact of the matter is that the M.E.D. allocation is not sufficient for our requirements. In a time of emergency, consumers should, with goodwill, restrict consumption to the allocation. However, with a phenomenal improvement in water storage, the State Hydroelectric Department has been asked to increase the allocation on the understanding that consumers will relieve the load on overworked machines by turning off water heaters, radiators and other appliances between 4 p.m. and 8 pjn., which are the peak load hours.”]