MORE BLACKOUTS IN WAIKATO

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28607, 9 June 1958, Page 10

MORE BLACKOUTS IN WAIKATO

Two Boards Exceed Quotas (New Zealand 'Press qssnciatirvn • AUCKLAND. June 8. Blackouts were again imposed in the Waikato at the week-end as the Central Waikato and Cambridge Electric-power Boards strove to keep within their quotas. All the Waikato from Matangi in the south to Mercer in the north and from Miranda to Raglan was blacked out on Saturday night from 9.20 p.m. Mr C. L. Walter, engineer-man-ager of the Central Waikato Board, said the blackout had not been foreseen. “We had hoped to get through the day. but consumption in the early evening was terrific.” he said. The Cambridge board also "ran out of units” at 10.15 p.m. on Saturday. AH power in the town was cut off. General blackouts were made today from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. by both boards. The Waikato Hospital was “just able to manage” on its emergency plant when Central Waikato was forced to black out. Three hundred dancers attending the Waikato Diocesan Old Girls’ Ball in Hillcrest finished the evening with lighting provided by bicycle lamps and candles. Weekly Quota One of the six power boards on daily quotas. Central Waikato, suffered a cut in supply at 9 p.m. on Saturday, said the general manager of the State Hydro-electric Department (Mr A. E. Davenport) His department was “very anxious not to do harm to any particular section of the com- | munity.” and after discussions I with the Central Waikato Power Board it had been decided to restore the weekly allocation under | strict control conditions.