WELLINGTON SEES BOOM IN CANDLES

Chronicle (Levin), 21 May 1946, Page 8

WELLINGTON SEES BOOM IN CANDLES

-Press Association

EF'FEGT OF POV/ER CUTS.

By Telec/ravh-

' WELLINGTON, May 20. The fliekering candle ilanie has "come back into its own in Wellington during the last week, and in almost every household the sudden switching off of the electric j)ower is followed by the Jighting of the candles waiting on the niantelpiece and on sniall tables placed in strategic positions. NaturalJv enough, the sale of candles has boomed since Ihe cufs were iniposed, but as they are made in New Ze-'i land they have not disappeared from the market as a result of the sudden demand. Antieipating power cuts during the winter, some far-seeing firnis ])laced large orders with the manufacturers earlier in the year, and as a result they have not been caught uuawares, and are able to meet the demands of customers. The dema%d for candles since the cuts were imposed has been many times the normal, alt'honglr there is always a steadv sale during the winter months. Any sort of a power scare creates a demand for candles whether or not Ihe shortage actually eventuates. Even a suggestion of a slio.rtage is followed by heavy buying in this line. Many people, apparently, have been buying candles — even thougli they have a fair stoek — and putting them awav against a further rainy day. This, however, would appear to be a selfisli and unneeessarv procedure, as candles are still obtainable at nearly all groeerv shops and fair stocks are on hand in many cases. Today, power was off in the suburbs from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., and is to be off again from 9 to 10 p.m. Tomorrow, city and suburbs will be off from 1.30 to 3 a.m., and the suburbs will have no power from 4 to 5 p.m. The programme as for today will be repeated on Wednesday. Rome areas which lie more or less on the dividing line between the city and suburbs have been vetting it both ways. In othe.r. words, their power has been j off both when cuts were annonnced for j the city area onlv, and when they were.j announ'ced for the suburbs onlv. At times fhe.Gtout Frreef building housing the Air Force TTeadmiarters has been a blaze of light, while Armv TTeadqnarters has h^an earrying on wilii a connle of candles. Hot water svstems are the greatest j consumers nf electricitv, wilh radintors • next, and therefnre Ihe most spectacu- ' lar f ea ture of the cuts — the imposing 1 of a virtnal bTack-ont — is not the oue ivhieh brings about the great.es)' savin"-. Water heaters toko 22 per eent. of eB power used in WoTkn-o-ton, and a mdi- j ator can use 20 times the power of n j 100-watt lamrr. • j The 1.30 a.m. to 3 a.m? cuts nre aimed ; at the water hpaHuor svstems. and as | a result oon'siOovablv rriore poTrpv: is \ fsaved in Gns rlireotion than wonlrl be | 1 on e with fho small nmonnt nf li"-hting i nsed at that hour of ihe morning.