POWER SHORTAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24612, 17 June 1943, Page 4

POWER SHORTAGE

PLANTS IN WAIKATO 2000 UNiTS A DAY SAVED (0.c.) HAMILTON, Wednesday The power shortage position was discussed by the Central Waikato Electric Rower Board to-day. The engineermanager, Mr. .J. I!. Ellis, reported that he had arranged for the Glen Alton and Pukemiro collieries and the Wnikato Carbonisation Company to put their stand-by steam plants into operation, while the voltage in certain directions had been reduced. A saving ol 2000 units a day had been thus effected. The board agreed to offer to suspend the terms of the guarantee entered ;nto bv consumers in newly reticulated areas in order to induce them to conserve electiTeit v. Liability For Damage A legal opinion was received by Mr. F. M. Martin, counsel to the Power Boards' Association, that local power authorities would be liable for any damage done by the cutting-off of power. Only the Electricity Controller. Mr. F. T. M. Kissell, had authority to cut off power in any given area. Mr. R. G. Young referred to the secrecy which surrounded the developments at Karapiro, and on his motion it was resolved to ask the Minister of Works, the Hon. R. Semple, to explain the delay in proceeding with the Karapiro scheme. Mr. Young said lie thought machinery could be obtained from America, while labour could be secured from the men who were idle in military camps. Mr. G. Smith submitted a scheme for the erection of a large steam plant near Huntlv. He said the experts had estimated there would be a power shortage tor the next ten years. The gain that would be made when Karapiro was operating would be offset to some extent by the loss of Horahora, which would be inundated. No further extensions could be carried out at Arapuni. Steam Plant At Huntly With the prospective housing and rehabilitation schemes the demand for power would be enormously increased after the war, said Mr. Smith. The cost of running a steam plant compared favourably with that of a hydroelectric scheme, while the capital cost and construction time were much less. .The plant could be erected near the Huntly coalfields and up to six months' supply of coal could be stored in a lake in the vicinity. The board unanimously endorsed Mr. Smith's scheme, which was referred to a special committee of experts for consideration. The district electrical engineer, Mr. A. C. A. Caldwell, stated to-day that the department's auxiliary steam plant, at Huntjy had been working from 4 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. daily tor a fortnight to relieve the pressure on the demand at a critical time of the day. Only a skeleton staff was employed. WATER HEATING NEW CHARGES SYSTEM SAVINGS BY THE CHANGE Action to bring all water heating charges to a metered rate by which the consumer will pay only for the amount of electricity used has been taken by the Auckland Electric-Power Board. The change, which, the board claims, involves no increase in cost to the consumer, is intended eventually to bring the total water heating load under the control of the board. The new system would not be an inconvenience to the customer, Mr. E. Hutchison, supply engineer to the Auckland board, said yesterday. Figures taken by power boards had shown that a 20 per cent saving in electrical units could be effected by the metered rate, and at the same time a more flexible service could be given to the householder. Supply authorities could not go on the way tbev had been doing under fhe older systems because of the limitation to the possible power available. "The arrangements give the power board authority at some future date, when the most suitable method is found and available, to switch off water beaters over the peak period without touching the rest of the supply," Mr. Hutchison added. At present the only method was to cut off all power. Experiments had been going on before the war to find the best method of operating a control system. Under the new regulations the board had power to accelerate the change-over from the old rates of charging at a 24-hour flat rate or by a 21-hour control clock to the metered rate. SCHOOL CLOTHING INCREASED ALLOWANCE As a result of representations made by the Auckland Education Board to the Clothing Controller in Wellington, more material is to be made available for the manufacture cf school uniforms in the future, according to a statement made at yesterday's meeting of the board. A letter from the Minister of Supply, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, was forwarded by the Education Department, in which it was stated that the provision of cloth to meet first essential needs had been planned. The restriction of exports from Britain and local concentration ou equipment for the armed forces had brought about shortages. However, as a result of negotiations by a special mission sent to London, a 25 per cent increase in the woollen quota had been obtained, in addition to the release of 750,000 yards of material Irom stock. A portion of this increase would he suitable for the manufacture of school uniforms. Protests that there was not sufficient warm clothing for schoolchildren were received from the Waihi South School Committee and the W'aihi Women's Institute. The board decided to inform these bodies of the results of its action