BOARD REQUESTED TO USE LESS POWER

Northern Advocate, 12 March 1948, Page 3

BOARD REQUESTED TO USE LESS POWER

“HYDRO conditions are as worrying 1 as they can be,’’ said the engineer of the North Auckland Electric Power Board (Mr T. R. Overton) at a meeting of the board at Dargaville yesterday. He was referring to a letter from the Electricity Controller, who said that the board, during the first seven months of this supply year, had exceeded its allocation of power by 5.6 per cent on the average. The controller said this excess would be deducted from the quota allowed in later months, and requested the board to correct the position.

"We are about 3G0.000 units overdrawn on our quota,” the engineer continued. "I would like authority to reduce our consumption by attacking water-heaters and night loads until our quota gets into line with our consumption.” Mr A. Clarke moved that the engineer be allowed to use his judgment in reducing consumption. Mr R. G. Murdoch said that the engineer should cut out non-essential users first. Mr Clarke’s motion was carried. WATER-lIEATER GUT "Immediate future prospects in regard to the power supply are not promising and it .seems certain that if heavy rains do not eventuate this month in the catchment areas at Taupo and Waikaremoana severe restrictions will again be imposed by the department,” the secretary (Mr S. P. Day) reported. “Consumers can materially assist the present position by saving electricity wherever possible, especially in the cutting off of water-heaters.” Mr Day continued.

“Sincp. the quotas have been applicable. the board shows an increase of 5.53 per cent above quota. If had been anticipated that, with the advent of dry weather, our consumption would have fallen and brought us down W the quota, but this has not proved the

“Unless very definite voluntary savings are made some restrictions may be found necessary. The hydraulic conditions arc deteriorating at Taupo, and in the interests of all to avoid the imposition of cut-oil' periods, every consumer will need to see that no power is consumed unnecessarily,” the report stated. ADDITIONAL SUPPLY LINE j Delay in the supply of materials : made it difficult to give a date for the I completion of the additional supply line to Northland, stated a letter from the State Hydro-Electric Department. All major equipment had been ordered but the completion date was governed by the delivery date of transmission line towers and the job would probably not be finished before late in 1951. “Indications are that power poles will be coming forward from Austraj lia more quickly from now on," said the engineer (Mr T. R. Overton) in his report. “Over 160 poles are in a ship al Auckland, and large quantities are awaiting shipment at Port Stephens and Newcastle. So far we have had no word of reinforcing steel coming forward. After deferring the question at the last meeting, the board decided, on Mr E. H. Cochrane’s motion, to grant £3O towards the cost of constructing a kerb, channel, and concrete footpath from the school to Hargreave’s corner, in Maungaturoto. The Otamatea County Council, in a letter seeking the donation, said that the footpath would pass in front of the board’s house and depot. Mr E. G. Appleton voted against the donation. CONSUMERS INCREASE The month's increase in different types of installations was shown in the monthly load summary. First figures show the increase for the month, with the total number connected in parenthesis:—• Lightng points. 267 (51.040); heating points. 123 (14.910): ranges, 29 (2217); heat storage ranges, nil (106); water heaters (domestic), 28 (2346), (dairy), 7 (1893), (commercial), nil (34); industrial motors, 10 (622); milking motors, 2 (2131); shearing motors, nil (127); separator motors, 4 (493); field pumps (flat rate), 3 (948), (metered), 4 (182); drainage pumps, nil (3); community lights, nil (93); street lights, nil (188); other devices, nil (20). Types of new connections which increased during the month were:—Domestic, 29 (total 5501), commercial 2 (642), industrial 1 (220), milkingsheds 2 (2149), field pumps 2 (943). During the month 27 new consumers were connected, making a total of 6363 installations of power to date.

Members of the North Auckland Power Board stood in silence at their meeting at Dargaville yesterday as a mark of respect to the late Mr John McCarroll. himself a board member for many years, and a brother of the previous chairman. A letter of sympathy is to be sent to Mr McCarroll’s family.