Noise-nuisance suggestion cold-shouldered

Press, 12 February 1981, Page 2

Noise-nuisance suggestion cold-shouldered

The Minister of Health (Mr Gair) may, think that power supply authorities should be able to shut off the power of consumers who conduct noisy parties, but Christchurch supply authorities shy away from that method. Representatives of Christchurch area authorities said yesterday . that there should be. better ways of dealing with noise problems. They said that it was not the job, of power authorities to enforce noise or nuisance laws. A spokesman for the North Canterbury Electric Power Board said that any move to disconnect power could be an infringement of civil rights. The general reaction of electricity workers and suppliers to Mr Gair’s suggestion that noisy parties should have their power cut off has been amused amazement. ' The secretary of the North Island Electrical Workers’ Union, Mr A. J. Neary, said that it would be a direct infringement of individual rights. ; “The-risk, apart from any-

thing else, would be too great. Imagine a . powerboard employee knocking on the door of a party and saying that he was going to turn the power off. He would be lucky to get’ to-the power pole.”' Mr Neary said that the suggestion was too silly for words. “I don’t think Mr Gair could have been serious. But if. he is,, we will recommend to our members to refuse to cut off the power.” Electricity suppliers were also amazed by the suggestion. The deputy general manager of the Wellington M.E;D., Mr N. Fyfe, said: “It was a .ludicrous suggestion. My reaction is one of annoyance — we would become a policing organisation, when the control of parties should be in the hands of the police.”. Another point was emphasised by the manager of the Electrical Supply Authorities’ Association, Mr A. Heir. “You don’t ne?d electricity to make a loud party. All you need is a lot of people around a barbecue with a lot to drink,”