SERIOUS POWER CUT-OFFS

Chronicle (Levin), 26 April 1946, Page 4

SERIOUS POWER CUT-OFFS

. SETBACK TO INDUSTRIES * / . « "CHRONICLE'S" DIFFLCULTIES With riegligible noticc, serions electricity restrietions came into force on Wednesday and brought considerable disorganisation. to industry and business houses- dependent on power for their operatiohs. During the morning " the Ho ro whenua Electiic "Power : Board receiyed a telegram from the Electricity Controller (Mr. F. T. M. Kissel), advistng that this district had been piaced on the defaulters' list — a list of . supply authorities who have.ex-. - ceeded their allocation of - electricity — and steps had to be . taken immediately to redixce consumption aeeordingiy. This was done by way of cutting oif the supply to consumers from 1.30- to 2 p.m., 3 to 3.30 p.m. and 7 to 7.30 p.m. It is hoped by means of these half-hourly cut- ( ofl's to retain unit consumption' within the allocation, and they will be made daily as required from 9 to 10 a.m., 1.30 to 3^0 p.m. and 7 to 8 p.m. * The cut-offs on Wednesday brought the work of all industries and businesses where electricity is essential to a standstill, and this is likely to contlnue for some time with the colder weather approaching. Coming as they did at the busiest period of \the day, and with insuificient notice to enable working adjustments to be made to meet the position, ; the afternoon!shut-downs were a serious setback to the publication of "The' Chrohicle/' . which is dependent on buses and trains for its district deliveries. The result was fihiat advertisements and news nad to be considerably curtailed. To meet the situation - in the future it is necessary until further notice that all contributed ( news items and - advertisements must be in the "office on the day prior to publicationv - otherwise no guarantee that they will appear on the desired day can be given. This will operate as from to-morrow. An urgent appeal is made to ali electricity consumers to reduce their consumption to the minimum necessary, and thus saye further drastic restrietions.