ELECTRIC RANGES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 93, 21 April 1939, Page 10

ELECTRIC RANGES

SERIOUS SHORTAGE

POWER BOARD'S CONCERN

PLEA FOR ACTION

Criticism of the restriction on the importation of electrical equipment into New Zealand was made at a meeting of the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board yesterday. Alarm was expressed at the shortage of electric ranges in the Dominion.

Mr. R. W. Bothamley suggested that strong representations should be made to the Government pointing out the difficulty of getting electric ranges to supply the demand.

The history of the range hire project was outlined by Mr. E. F. Hollands, the board's engineer and general manager. There were now- under a hundred ranges on hire, said Mr. Hollands, of the 600 at one time under the scheme. A number of people demanded to buy new ranges. Daily people would come in end ask for second-hand ranges under the hire system. They were shown new ones, and usually ordered one, but were unable to get delivery.

The import regulations had not otherwise affected the board except in the matter of insulators for a certain type of switch. These insulators cost about £3 each, and could be obtained from Australia within a week, but a licence for the importation could not be obtained. The job for which two such insulators were required cost about £160, and until they were obtained it was impossible to put it into operation. A sample of the insulator had been sent to the Temuka works, and a reply had been received that the article could not be supplied for three or four months. FEWER TENDERS. "We are trying to give the New Zealand manufacturers work," concluded Mr. Hollands, "but they cannot deliver the goods. We are not getting the number of replies we did formerly when we ask for tenders, and numbers of those we do get notify us also that the firms have not yet received licences. The position has become serious only in the last few weeks. Government houses have received all their allocations, because they are using New Zealand-made ranges, and get first choice."

Mr. R. S. Stevens said that in handling a contract for Government houses he had never been held up for a New Zealand-made range. He had had difficulty, however, in procuring a very fine overseas range, which was very popular. Never had he experienced anything wrong with the three ranges made in New Zealand.

Mr. Bothamley: The time is coming when people will not be able to get electric ranges, and so will have to install gas ranges. Mr. Hollands read a resolution passed at the last meeting of the board, supporting the Central Waikato Electric Power Board in a motion asking the Government to lift restrictions ou British electrical equipment until such time as the New Zealand manufacturers could meet the demands.

Mr. P. Dowse said that in the Hutt Valley it was cheaper to cook by electricity than by any other method. He doubted very much if a single householder had been turned away from electricity because of the import restrictions.

"The Government has £33,000,000 invested in hydro-electric %vorks throughout the Dominion," said the chairman (Mr. J. J. Maher). "If the Government is going to jeopardise this investment by imposing restrictions on electrical devices, this board should make an emphatic protest. Evidence has been brought before us that there is a shortage of electrical equipment, and that this shortage will increase." I QUALITY EXCELLENT. Mr. Stevens: The equipment made here is as good as. any in the world. An imported range may have a better finish, but it cannot beat a New Zealand range when it comes to cooking Considering the short time this country has been manufacturing, it has made great strides. Mr. Hollands said that it was the; consumer who decided the range he j wanted. In the Government houses the tenant was not consulted in the matter. The board's staff had made exhaustive tests of the New Zealand ranges. Up to six months ago there was something lacking—the heat loss was tremendous. During the last few months, however, they had improved greatly. If the present state of affairs continued, it was possible that there would come back on the market a range which a few years ago was a| complete failure. I "If the Government is going to follow out its scheme and put electric and gas cooking ranges in alternate houses," said Mr. Hollands, "it is to our advantage. Those with electric ranges will be better served, and will soon realise it."

It was resolved that the board should make representations against the restrictions on imports of electrical equipment.