POWER ECONOMY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20569, 31 May 1941, Page 9

POWER ECONOMY

LIMITED INCREASES CONTROLLERS' ADVICE P.B. BOARD MEETS The prospect of economy measures in the consumption of electricity was brought closer by the receipt by the Poverty Bay Electric-Power Board at its monthly meeting to-day of advice from Mr. F. T. Kissell, Electricity Controller, regarding preliminary steps to ease the burden on the national sources of supply. The controller specified a limitation in the rate of increase of load on the board’s reticulation system. Those present at the meeting were Messrs. F. R. Ball, chairman, H. H. De Costa, Chas, Matthews, A. A. Fraser, C. W. Izod, J. E. Benson, J. H. Hall, W. G. Sherratt, M. T. Trafford, B. J. Holdsworth, and H. Telford. Leave of absence was granted to Mr. F. Tolerton. The chairman moved that the board record its appreciation of the services of Messrs. Chas. Mills and G. D. Muirhead, who had not returned to the board table. The motion was carried. The chairman also welcomed Messrs. Telford and Tolerton, who had replaced Messrs. Mills and Muirhead on the board. Gift to Soldiers’ Club On the motion of the chairman, the board agreed to donate three electricheaters to the Soldiers’ Service Club. The committee of the Club asked for assistance in the matter of heating, and the donation was made without any obligation on the board’s part regarding installation costs or the supply of current.

In liis letter the Electricity Controller emphasised the necessity for reducing the rate of increase in the loading throughout New Zealand. He stated that it was not yet possible to determine what degree ol economy must be practiced by individual boards, but he laid down for the Poverty Bay board a maximum rate of load-increase of 5i per cent on last year’s consumption. In reply to Mr. Hall, the chairman stated that, the controller did not want the board to turn down new business if it was possible to handle it. He thought that the controller’s wishes could be met without too much interference with the general progress of the board’s business. Revenue Still Increasing A recommendation was submitted by the finance committee that the chairman and the managing-secretary be authorised to take the necessary steps to raise further loan moneys for development purposes. The board adopted the recommendation, the chairman stating that it might be necessary to undertake a visit to Wellington. The managing-secretary, Mr. R. P. Baigent, reported on electricity sales for April as follows:—Lighting, £1615 (1940-41 £1580); heating and cooking, £1423 (£1306); water-heating, £522 (£469); power, £5lB (£452); total, £4078 (£3807). The engineer, Mr. F. Matthewson, reported that the maximum halfhourly demand on the Public Works Department was 3480 k.v.a., as against 3204 k.v.a. for April, 1940. The maximum half-hourly demand on the system was 3600 k.v.a., aganist 4111 k.v.a. for April last year. The engineer pointed out that the falling-off in the consumption for April was due partly to the fact that Easter had fallen in April this year, whereas in 1940 it fell in March; and partly to the fact that the freezing works consumption was not continuous this season.