Tough heater rules

Press, 27 March 1979, Page 6

Tough heater rules

Regulations covering heating appliances should be relaxed to include heaters cheaper than those already approved, according to a Paparua County councillor.

Cr P. K. Keller told the council’s finance committee yesterday that people were looking for alternative forms of heating because power charges had risen. It seemed

better to install any form of appliance than to limit the choice to the seven approved by the council. The council receives up to 10 calls a day from householders interested in installing alternative heating appliances.

Approved s.olid fuel appliances cost between $lOOO and $5OOO to buy and install. Wood burners, for which applications have been received from householders, would cost less and still not add to air pollution. Cr Keller mentioned a sec-ond-hand heater bought for $7O. The council’s chief health inspector (Mr I. B. Dawson) said that an appliance costing $7O was an extreme example. They usually cost $3OO to $4OO. "If you are going to spend that much, would it not be better to pay more and get a more efficient appliance?” Mr Dawson asked. Ir the Government repriced all forms of energy, as it had promised, electricity would come out cheaper, he said.

Although council staff were asked to furnish a report for next month’s committee meeting on possible relaxations, some councillors said this was an emotional reaction.

“When the booze goes up, tobacco goes up and power goes up, we react like this,” Cr E. C. Britnell said. “People get their bills and think they can chop them in half, forgetting that it affects only the winter months.” Councillors were concerned about the possible increase in air pollution. Unlike other local authorities, the council had approved only a limited number of enclosed appliances, as these controlled air pollution better, Mr Dawson said. The Christchurch City Council was coming found to this view and was considering tightening its regulations. Cr H. W. Bennett said the council should be looking at improving the type of fuel burned. “I blame the type of stuff we are trying to burn in even the best of these appliances,” he said.