More Power Cuts Coming?

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 33, 31 March 1948, Page 5

More Power Cuts Coming?

Position No Better Than Last Year, Says Engineer

Replying to a questioner at the Rotary Club's meeting just before Easter, Mr F. W. Lysaght, who was the speaker for the evening, said that, though he believed this winter's power cuts would be no worse than last year's, there was little hope that they would be any less drastic. He advised residents in the district to prepare for the inevitable. In the course of an address on the power position throughout the North Island as he knew it, Mr Lysaght said the general shortage of water fall throughout all units, which had been affecting the position for some time now, would be likely to restrict output until approximately 1952. Until then the public could expect shortages and cuts. Not only was the water shortage affecting output adversely, but there had also been immense expansion in the Dominion's industrial power load. In that respect, New Zealand's post-war expansion had not been equalled anywhere else pro rata to population. Mr Lysaght traced the development of the various power schemes throughout the Island, giving a particularly clear and interesting survey of the three Waikaremoana plants. He mentioned the 27-foot drop in the lake level at Waikaremoana, and said there seemed little hope of building it up to the old level without shutting down all the plants temporarily. There was another excellent attendance of Rotarians, with president H. G. Warren in charge of the meeting. Rotorian H. J. Nash, of Te Kuiti, and Dr. E. T. Dawson were welcomed as guests. In his inimitable manner, Sergeant-at-Arms Les Brown collected worthwhile contributions to the Sunshine Box.