ELECTRICITY SHORTAGE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 90, 16 July 1943, Page 5

ELECTRICITY SHORTAGE

A SERIOUS SITUATION POSSIBLE PAPER MILL'S SUPPLY Letters from the Electricity Control lei" gave rise to a discussion on the seriousness of the situation as it applied to the Bay of Plenity, at the meeting of the Whakatane Borough Coumciil last Monday evening. Regarding the requisition for the metering of all water heating units, | the Mayor,, Mr B. S. Barry, said ! that he was certain the average person failed to appreciate the seriousness of the position. There were approximately 300 heaters in the Borough and at £3 per meter this \vould run into a considerable sum. Cr Sullivan pointed out that the authorities had failed to take note of the fact that last year Whakatane, being a coastal town, had been rigorously blacked-out. It was therefore wrong to only allow it the same percentage of increase /as the inland towns which were, only partially blacked out. The Bay of Plenty had been included in the emergency list and if power were cut off few people could realise; how disastrous' this would be. The shortage was not due to war industries but entirely to the growing demand made upon the po\yer plants which already were over-loaded. Cr Sullivan mentioned the possibility of drawing a supply from the plant at the Whakatane Paper Mills which was capable of producing 1600 kilowats or three times the load required by the Borough. The Mayor replied that this matter had been investigated and a letter from the P.W.D. on the matter had been received by the council. ; On Cr Shapley's motion it was decided .to refer the whole matter to the Finance Committee, for closer investigation and with power to act. A COLD OUTLOOK FOR ELECTRICITY USERS Unless consumption of electricity is reduced to within limits of safety there is a possibility of householders being faced with sitting down to a cold meal by candlelight.

Such a drastic measure would be the result of the inability, not the unwillingness, of the supply authorities to cope with the position. In short, you can't get a quart out of a pint pot. The quart is represented by the requirements of industry, of military camps, and of the. undiminished demands of domestic users. The pint is the fixe 1 :! capacity of the North Island in the supply of power—fixed until further plant can be brought from England. The co-operation of every consumer is needed if rationing is to be avoided. —Issued by the Electricity Controller, Public Works Department.