Power Board Supply

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 123, 19 February 1944, Page 6

Power Board Supply

Sir, —With reference to report in this morning’s “Dominion” as to desperate position with regard to electric power supply during the coming winter, carrying with it a statement by a responsible officer of the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board, that certain contributors to such board might by force of circumstances have to be cut off from supply altogether, the position appears to be.as follows: — (1) If the situation is as desperate as stated, there is a possibility of certain people being deprived of absolute essen--tiflls —heat for warmth, cooking (in face of coal shortage) and light. (2) Paradoxically, it is still permitted to use this essential power for broadcasting for 18 hours a day. For half an hour a day on five days a week only the stations are shut down to conserve power. If this trivial time of mechanical silence can produce any ap; preciable saving of power for essential purposes, why not, logically, save all possible power by cutting down broadcasting to a real minimum, or, in view of circumstances, cut it out altogether. Our fathers managed without it, and look at the sons and daughters they produced. But they did not bring us up without heat and light. To gain or to retain a lot, we are not prepared’to sacrifice a little. Perhaps there are too many big financial toes to ibe trodden on, and the little twirp will, once again, be chosen for the burnt (?) sacrifice lest the big money-bags dwindle. Cold and hunger may yet in this favoured land prove to be a corrective to the warped and undeveloped outlook on life, which we at present display.—l am. etc., “IT CAN’T HAPPEN HERE.” February 18.