PROPOSED POWER CUT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 229, 22 June 1920, Page 6

PROPOSED POWER CUT

FOR PEAK-LOAD HOUR

INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION'S PROTEST

Yesterday afternoon a deputation from the Industrial Association waited upon the Tramways and Power Committee of the City Council with respect to the proposal to cut otf power for industrial motors at I p.m., 60 as to provide for a safe peak-load for other necessary dominds. Mr. H. Mainland (president) said that tho deputation arose out of a letter received from a member, who pointed out what a serious matter it would be if the power were cut off for certain hours of tho day.

Jir, C. M. Banks said that ho had written the letter to the association, and his object in urging that a deputation should wait on the committee was to see if the council had considered whether other economics in power could not be effected before the power was stopped in factories. They were handicapped enough as it was by shortage of labour without being deprived of power for one hour every day. He thought it would be less inconvenient to the public as a whole if the tramways were totally stopped between i p.m. and 5 p.m. It mifiht suffice if there wero a restricted service only. Many of tho essential industries depended entirely on electric power, and these would have to be closed down and the plants kept idle for one hour each day if the proposal wore given effect to.

Mr. F. W. Vosseler said that though there were some industries which might be kept going without the power for tho last hour of the day, there were many that would be in great difficulty. The Mayor, in reply, said the council was "up against it" for power. The position was not peculiar to Wellington; it was a general complaint, and they had to ask people to cut their work according to tho capacity of the city's power plant. Neither the engineer nor any member of the City Council wished to cut out even one .horse-power if ha could possibly help it, but they had not heen able to get the machinery required from the Old Country. One feature of their plant—which had been left as- a legacy to thorn—was that tho system did not work in with the new plant (the electric lighting power-houso current is alternating, whilst the tramways power-house current is direct). It was impossible to put more power on to a plant than they wero doing; they, were now courting a breakdown daily as it was. The suggestion to cut out the trams between 4 and 5 o'clock ho did not agree with, feeling that it was based on a wrong principle. The answer to Mr. Banks was that if they wished to have the power, they could start ono hour earlier in the morning. The trams belonged to the whole of the people, 'whilst the industries concerned were in tho hands of private individuals. If Mr. Morton- could- ease the situation in any way as far as the industries were concerned, he would do it. He knew what troubles the industries had to contend with, and was fully sympathetic, but the interests of the public must come first, and those of private people pecond. The council was not relaxing for a moment its efforts to provide adequate electric power for all demands. Referring to the Mayor's suggestion that work might !>e started an hour earlier. Mr. H. P. Allen pointed out that most o£ the industries concerned worked under awards, which set out that work should commence at 8 a.m.

The Mayor said that could bo adjusted,'and instanced how the -whole of the Government employees lnui agreed to stop work at 4.30 p.m. to relievo the traffic between 5 and 6 p.m. ■ Mr. Mainland said that Mr. Banks's suggestion al»ut stopping; the trams did not emanate from the association, but was purely a personal idea. In connection with the above, it is stated that although the circular mentioned was issued about a month ago, no power hus yet been compulsorily cut off. As the top of the peale is Iwing experienced without any drastic action beiiis; necessary, it may be that the city will ■weather' the mid-winter piigh.