Electrical Trade ‘Flourishing’

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30390, 14 March 1964, Page 16

Electrical Trade ‘Flourishing’

The whole electrical industry was in a “very healthy state” with an increase of 8.3 per cent in the total units sold last year, said the president of the New Zealand Institute of Electricians (Mr R. T. Mortiboy) at the institute’s conference in Christchurch yesterday.

“Forecasts of continued growth made by the New Zealand Electricity Department indicate that this substantial annual increase is likely to continue for at least the next 10 years and is evidence of the soundness of the industry,” he said. “The guarantee of supply without shortages seems to be ■well founded with the generation programme laid down and with the Cook Strait cable making the vast potential of the South Island available to both islands. “The problems of manning the industry to take care of this load growth are being tackled by the committee set up to investigate recruitment and' training for the whole of the electrical industry. Good Record

“Our industry has a good record for safety. With some 750,000 domestic consumers and with electricity available to more than 2.5 m people electrical accidents are few and far between. But safety does not just happen. It is the price of constant vigilance and rests on the lively and intelligent interest of the whole industry. The institute by its self-criticism and

watchfulness has made its contribution to this cause. “The registered electrical tradesman stands as a very efficient fence between the public and the potential hazards of electricity and I am sure you will not rest on your laurels until we can have a year without a single electrical accident occurring to a member of the general public,’” said Mr Mortiboy.