TO SAVE ELECTRICITY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 5 August 1941, Page 4

TO SAVE ELECTRICITY

CUT IN BROADCASTING HOURS SUGGESTED MOVE BY POWER BOARD'S ASSOCIATION Auckland, Aug., 4. A suggestion that national and commercial broadcasting stations should operate on restricted hours in view of the power shortage in the North Island, is contained in a resolution adopted by the Power Board’s Association, Wellington. This was communicated to the Auckland Electric Power Board in a letter received at a meeting to-day. The letter from the association stated that before the resolution was forwarded to the Government it had been submitted to the Electricity Controller, who had requested an estimate of the saving in units which would be effected if this resolution were put into operation. As a result of an investigation made by the ManawatuOroua Electric Power Board some years ago, it was estimated that, considering the loading occasioned by the 250.000 radio licenses then in force in the North Island, together with the additional lighting accom panying it. a demand of up to 40,000 kilowatts would be created. With u shut-down of two hours a day in radiu broadcasts, there would be a saving of 80.000 units daily. It was also estimated that this saving would allow for the installation of an additional 16,000 ranges annually in the North | Island alone. The letter concluded that the association was continuing negotiations with the Government. “If this were carried out it woulc mean 16.000 ranges a year instead ol a lot of hot air,” remarked Mr H. T Goldie, when the letter had been received. The chairman. Mr Harbutt, said it ; was a question of diverting power from radio to cooking and other purposes The number of ranges had been given merely as an illustration, and the saving might be used for industrial power plants—P.A.