IMPORTANCE OF SAVING POWER EMPHASISED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 97, 13 February 1950, Page 5

IMPORTANCE OF SAVING POWER EMPHASISED

Although most of last week could be regarded as a freak period because of the number of people listening to broadcasts of the Empire Games the consumption of power has been rising steadily since the end of the holidays and has now reached the position where, if there is not an immediate saving by all consumers, cuts would have to be introduced, the Whakatane Borough electrical engineer, Mr F. W. Lysaght, told the Beacon. There had been a definite and obvious rise in the amount of power used last week but now that the games had finished authorities expected a drop back to normal. Mr Lysaght said that at the present time Whakatane was using about 3.5 per cent more power than its quota allowed. It was necessary to bring this below the quota again if rationing was to be avoided. He emphasised that the more power saved by consumers now the more consideration Whakatane would receive during the winter months with the less likelihood of cuts. This would also give the hydroelectric department an opportunity to build up storage in the lakes again for the ppak periods.

The rain during the week-end, although of some assistance, would not help the position, the engineer added. It might help to increase the water storage slightly but the need for conserving power was, still as great.

He pointed out that if every home and business made a point of saving /wherever possible every day Whakatane would be well inside its quota. The alternative, of course, was compulsory rationing,