SHORTAGE OF POWER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19692, 26 July 1938, Page 5

SHORTAGE OF POWER

CANTERBURY PROSPECT REPORTS BEFORE COUNCIL (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. A power shortage in Christchurch appears certain next year with increasing gravity for the winter of 1940. Fuel plant, as an auxiliary to the national system of supply, is logically the Goverment’s responsibility, but if the Government will not act the situation is sufficiently serious for the City Council to act independently. These are two of the conclusions reached by the general manager of the municipal electricity department, Mr. B. Hitchcock, in a report submitted to the council on methods of ensuring an uninterrupted and adequate supply of electric power to the city. With this report was submitted a report by the electricity committee which referred to Mr. Hitchcock’s report as 'somewhat disturbing” and commented that, in examining the question of a standby plant, a more disquletening matter had been revealed, the likelihood of a shortage rather than interruptions of power. After consideration of Mr. Hitchcock’s report, ’the committee had written to the Public Works Department for information on certain matters referred to in this report. Consideration of the report by the council was deferred until a reply has been received from the Public Works Department