Power Cuts Again

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 11, 9 January 1948, Page 5

Power Cuts Again

Public Co-operation Can Ease Burden Power cuts are coming. Mr F. W. Lysaght, Borough electrical engineer, told the Beacon yesterday that the Government had issued a warning that cuts were to operate as from Monday of this week. At present this district is using 15 per cent above its allocation, but every endeavour is going to be made to keep the cuts as light as possible.

In that connection, Mr Lysaght pointed out that public co-operation was going to be an important factor. The aim is to try to avoid daylight cuts altogether at present throughout the Borough and County, but that can only be done if people themselves will help themselves by switching off • unnecessary appliances, using lights no more than is essential and economising in the use of power to the limit. Last year the Government refrained from imposing cuts right through the dry weather, hoping that rain would come and build up a reserve in the lakes. That did not happen, and drastic cuts had to be imposed. This time the plan is to conserve power over the dry period to build up a more favourable storage position for the winter.

Actually, this district, and the Borough in particular, is increasing its consumption rate much faster than is allowed for in the power allocations due in part to rehabilitation and other residential building. That is another reason for strict economy in the use of power to spread the unavoidable inconvenience as fairly as possible/