STRAIGHT TALKING ON POWER SITUATION

Chronicle (Levin), 21 May 1946, Page 2

STRAIGHT TALKING ON POWER SITUATION

— Press Association

' MINISTER AND CONTROLLER TAKEN TO TASK .

By Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, May 20. Further allegations . of mishandiiug by the Goverumeut of the power supply situation, were made by Mr. A. Maiu, mauager of thc Waiteinata t Electrie Power Board,. in a report presented at a. meeting of the board tliis afternoon. Mr. Alain reforred to th,e statement of the Minister of Worlcs,. Hou. P. Beniple, to a deputat-ioii of Wellington businessDicii last inonth, that the Uovcinment liad thoroughly investigated an offer from America of a floatiug generating station, thc cost of operatiou to be £100,000 . annually. Mr. fScmple had said hc had put the proposal before power boards and they had agreed it was impossible. Mr. Main said tlie proposal was neycr placed before power boards or thc Power Boards' Association. Mr. fScmple did state at the Power Boards' Conferencc last Bep-tt-mber that an offer of an oil-biirning [Tuni had been received by the Uoyemment but it was considered too dear to opeiate. Ho thcn went quickly on to other things, -said Mr. Main, and he niust liave a poor opinion of the inenfality of Ihe power authorities if he now states that after he had made a glossed over reference to sueh a plant, the boards agreed it was impossible. "The lecommendatiou made iu 1943 by six of thc most brilliaut eleetrical engineers from the supply authorities in thc North lsland to install in urgencv a 60,900 lcilowatt auxiliary oil-burnlng plant, wus the soundcst recommendation evtr made in our eleetrical history," said Mr. Main. "We know Ihe liostility of Ihe Electricity Controller to an oi!-burning plant on the score of cost. and the shopworn oxcusc of the Min'isler or Worlcs that the [ilant was subsequently not available for purchasc, is contrary to his own rcported statement. The wliole economic, ind'istria.l and liomc Jife of tlie North lsland dtpends upou this amount of auxiliary plant, even if it is never usecl for auxiliary purposes, as a standby plant. It wuulci always be a uational sccurity. "In iuy opiuiou it is a scandalous state of offairs in our line eountry wlien a de[)utation cornprising Auckland busiuessmen, lieaded by manufacturers themsolves cngaged in luxury industrles, is transportod by air free to "Wellington aud given a royal receptiou by Ihe Prime Minister and other Cabinet Miuistors, with a full battery of press present. The Minister of Worlcs, Mr. Bemple, Took Ihe opportunity to delve into past history to produce shopworn excuscs in defeucc of the Covernment's own failurc to providc adec[uate power Bupplies. The deputation, representing over 590,000 people cngaged iu primary essential industries, aud liouseholders, was deiiicd a hearing by the Prime Minister while Mr. Kissell, acting under iustructioiis from higher up, holds three seeret and ineffeetual conferenees in au almospherc of defcatism. No wouuer thcre has been a public outcry on tlie mattcr. Finally, the dire warning soiinded by me at the first of this montli, that the outloolc for this winter .is grini, and calling on everyone'to inunediately ecouomise, is even stronger today, " coucludcd Mr. Main. "The ccnsuniption potential facing us during the next three Tnonths is far greater than tlie clectric power available and the lakc levels liavc falleu lower. I would agaiu ask consumers to reduee their consumption to the irreducible minimum, otherwi.se there will be more unemployment and additional liardships tluowii on houscwives. " "I consider tliis is one of the most important reports that has ever come before the board," said Mr. L. KerrTaylor, "and as every unit of power is required to be saved today and not tomorrow, the second-rate Governraent broadcasting service we get shouid be sliut down at once. The broadcasting service today is mainly clap-trap advertising and political ballyhoo and if they were to shut down all the broadcasting stations they would be rendering a uatAyaal sei'vice/'- ,