Govt hint of restrictions on motorists

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33814, 10 April 1975, Page 3

Govt hint of restrictions on motorists

'Xcw Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. April 9. The Minister of Electricity (Mr Bailey) hinted in Auckland today that restrictions aimed at fuel savings were on their wa\ for motorists. An announcement would he made within a few day s.

The Minister said it would be premature of him to say what was in store for motorists, but he hoped the accent would he on voluntary savings. He was answering criticism that an unfair share of fuel savings were being borne by electric power consumers. Shop lights The Minister said that the Government had considered removing shop display and: advertising lighting restric-! tions in view of criticism of! them, but had decided iti would be unwise to do so. Although the hydro storage: lakes were full and overflow-: ing now. the situation could; change, and it would cause | confusion to have on-again-! off-again restrictions. The Minister also answered i criticism of the .$250,000! being spent on an advertising; campaign to promote sav-| ings. “In the first week of the, campaign we have saved: •SlOO.OOO in generating costs! it we had had to use Marsdeni power station to generate the power saved.” he said. He said the Government was working on an energy’ saving campaign, and a lot more would be heard in the not-too-distant future about the use of motor vehicles. According to the Minister, the electricity savings campaign was introduced first because it was so easy after two wiriters of similar savings. The balance of the programme required close study, and the Government officials committee had been working on it. He said it would be premature to say what was com-; ing, but as well as ‘hinting! at restrictions on motorists,; he said the Government was;

looking at ways of encourag- : ing people to insulate their I homes. I Timber.— New Zealand has !a “toe in the door” of the ; Arabian timber market with a $200,000 trial shipment to four states, according to the director of the Forest Service Commercial Division (Mr A. A. B. Webby, of Rotorua). The trial shipment will p’robabiy be sent in July.—(P.A.)