ILLEGAL WIRING IN HOUSES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28952, 21 July 1959, Page 7

ILLEGAL WIRING IN HOUSES

Change In Law Urged (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 20. A change was needed in the law which made it illegal for a householder to replace an electric fuse or fit an electric cord plug, the secretary of the Electrical Supply Authorities’ Association of New Zealand (Mr N. G. Dunning) said today. He said almost every home had electrical appliances which had been wired illegally and some would be potential killers. If the law was changed to permit persons to replace burnedout fuses, the supply authorities would undoubtedly give publicity to the correct way of fixing a fuse. Mr Dunning was asked to giye the association’s opinion on the law in view of a recent statement by the retired general manager of the Auckland Power Board (Mr N. M. Speer) that it was impossible to prevent people from wiring their own portable appliances Mr Dunning said the association believed that electricians should handle all wiring but because it was impossible to enforce this, there was an onus on authorities, on the grounds of public safety, to give instruction on correct methods. But authorities could not instruct on matters that were illegal, and only an amendment to the regulations would clear the position.