OFFICE HEATING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27391, 17 May 1950, Page 6

OFFICE HEATING

Relief From Restrictions CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO ACT In an endeavour to obtain, some relief from the restriction on the use of electric heaters in factories, offices, and other business premises, the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce decided yesterday to write to the Dunedin Electricity Advisory Committee to ascertain whether any savings in commercial use could be effected so that more heating could be provided for sedentary workers.

The subject was raised by Mr A. L. Stanton, who asked whether members of the chamber could suggest any savings which will make this possible. He said that there was a danger that employees might absent themselves from work if the restrictions on the use of heaters continued throughout the winter.

A member said that the heaters were the greatest part of the load in business premises.

Mr A. S. Falconer said that the only alternative to gas heaters or coal fires, for which the facilities did not exist in some buildings, was the use of kerosene heaters. Mr A. Gardner, who said that employers were in the same position as employees, suggested that coke burners could be used in some cases.

Mr Falconer said that some firms were effecting a greater saving of electricity than others.

A suggestion by Mr M. S. Arthur that the restrictions might be relaxed in business premises where medical certificates were produced to justify this was discounted by the meeting on the grounds that such a system was open to abuse. Mr A. B. Jones said that the question was largely one for businesses to devise their own alternatives to elec,tric heating.

“The position is the same in allelectric homes in which there are children,” Mr Falconer said. The meeting decided to take action as indicated.