POWER SUPPLY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 120, 16 February 1944, Page 4

POWER SUPPLY

Situation Described As 'Most Grave (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, February 15. The chairman of the Auckland Electric Power Board Mr. 8. J. Harbutt, this morning described the power situation as most grave. He said that though the Auckland Power Board was the largest in the Dominion its constituents were on all fours with the other boards in meeting the disastrous position which was facing the whole of the North Island. The Auckland board had received a control order forbidding any new or additio.ual supply for industry except war industry, and the only supply it was free to make was for houses .where no other source of supply was available. Mr. Harbutt said. Surely that was a clear indication of the Government's failure to establish adequate generating plant. The Government's attitude in blaming the war was only a pprti.il truth, as Australia hud installed plant for producing thousands of kilowatts and Africa was installing four 40,000-kilowatt sets, one of which could have been made available for New Zealand, but the opportunity was missed.