The Franklin Times PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOON. WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1930. DAYLIGHT SAVING.

Franklin Times, Volume XX, Issue 81, 16 July 1930, Page 4

The Franklin Times PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1930. DAYLIGHT SAVING.

Office and Works:

ROULSTON STREET, PUKEKOHE. Ptfone No. 2. P.O. Box 14

"We nothing extenuate, nor auffft set down In malice."

MEANS for the conservation of olec-

trio power were discussed at a conference of Auckland Provincial power boards held at Hamilton last week, and in view of the urgency of the situation regarding power supply, it was decided to urge the Government to inaugurate daylight saving immediately to assist the position. Just whal the outcome of the conference's representations will be is problematical. In the first place it must be remembered that the acute power shortape brought about by the catastrophe at Arapuni, affects the Auckland province directly, but the whole Dominion indirectly. The province is affected directly because Arapuni was the main source of a supply of electricity, but when it comes to repairing the damage and recommissioning the plant, it resolves itself into a National affair. When the daylight saving measure is placed before Parliament, will the individual members of the House, par-

ticularly those who arc strenuously opposed to daylight saving, view it from a broad angle, and treat it, as a National affair and in the interests of the farming community in a crisis, or will they take the selfish stand and regard it from the parochial point of view and discard it because it will be something to benefit a portion of one Island? We think, and rightly so, thai members of the House are at least possessed of the humane instinct, when it comes to a question of assisting those in difficulties. It cannot be denied that difficulties present themselves over the power supply queslion. At the present time all power supply authorities are operating with restricted loads. During the conference the District Electrical Engineer for the Public Works Depart men!. Mr T. McClennan. said the total power allocated was 11,700 kilowatts and the amount being used by the various

authorities was 12,200 kilowatts, distributed as follows: — Allocated Used Hamilton '. 960 1032 Central ..- 12 50 1308 Te Awamutu 710 77S Cambridge ± ' 52 ° Go ° Waitomo 540 4 94 Franklin 1280 1469 Waitemata 1880 2128 Bay of Plenty 1010 102:': Thames 3470 3300 Mr McClonnan said he estimate! the load in September to be: — Hamilton 900 k.w. Central 1000 ~ Te Awamutu 900 Cambridge 050 ~ Thames 4200 ~ Franklin 1600 „ Waitemata 2250 .. Bay of Plenty 1400 „ Waitomo 520 A total of 14,020 kilowatts. .Inst how much power is available, or can be made available, is a queslion on which little authentic information ts given. Figures quoted by the District Engineer at Hamilton, and the authorities in Wellington, do not agree —there is a. discrepancy of many hundreds of kilowatts. One thing, however, is certain that the Department ! s keeping something In reserve to enable it to cope with the problematical milking load which will come on between now and the middle of next month. in

a crisis like the present every unit the hydro electric and sue lion gas plants are capable of generating- should be produced. The big- load will last. for several months, and if any current can be saved steps should be taken to conserve it even if it is only to help the wheels of industry to Keep on revolving. According to Mr MeClcnnan daylight saving will assist materially in relieving the load, and would mean a difference of about 1000 kilowatts iu the quantity of power available. With such a quantity to come and go on, the dairymen of the province, should have little occasion for concern. If the facts, as given to the conference, can be relied on, and there is no reason to. doubt their veracity, then, in the interests of the dairying industry and for that alone. Parliament would be quite justified In passing a measure providing for a full hour's daylight saving, to become operative say in September and extending to the middle of April. By this time the flush of the milking season would be over, and the power load relieved accordingly. .Quite apart al- : together from the power problem, ' such a measure would be welcomed ' with open arms by those indulging hi j summer pastimes. However, it is 1 not sports that we have In mind at ' present but the welfare of the farming! : t community which relies on eleetrio 11

power to operate milking machines, separators and such like. One speaker at the conference struck a very reassuring note in a desire to allay the alarm that appears to have arisen amongst dairymen that they might not get power for the milking season. "This alarm," he said, "was quite unnecessary. There was no need for anxiety on the part of the farmers. The power boards can guarantee a

continuous supply. The farmers can I rest assured that so far as their powersupply is concerned it will lie maintained. Many farmers are installing auxiliary engines. Such a step is unnecessary and those doing so are not only wasting money but will ulli- , matcly be a source of annoyance to , power boards." Such a statement does not carry much weight. The position is acute and will be acute until the auxiliary plants proposed at lluntly and Auckland are actually operating. Then, the position will be relieved but even then continuity of I supply cannot he absolule.lv guaranteed.