BIG LOSS TO INDUSTRY.

Chronicle (Levin), 18 March 1947, Page 6

BIG LOSS TO INDUSTRY.

WELLINGTON, Mareh 17. Induslry ixx the Hutt Yalley, not long recovered following a shortage of gas, is being seriously all'ected by cuts in electric power. A survey today disclosed that production generally was dropping about ten per cent with two ixuportaxxt coxxcerns estiinating their losses as high as 20 per cent. The Hutt Valley is oue of the niain ixxdustrial centres of New Zeaiand. Nearly all cars for the eouniry are assenxbled therc. Manv c-rii gx industxies have maia or subsi Lary factories in the district. M ost of the concerxxs apjxroached today exnphasised the xxeed for a clear statement on the power position in the North Island which would give an estimate of liow long the shortage would last and liow serious it would be. It was said tliis would enable factories to make arrangcments accordingly. It is suggested that alterxiative arrangementH include tlie seeking of alternative sources of supply aird the Htaggering of working hours in the eveut of a prolonged crisis. Ilardest liit by tlie cuts at the weekexiil were baltery manufacturers. After the batteries are made lliev require an inilial ehargiug which takes 90 hours. Most of tliis work is doixe during the weekeml. Because of the cuts oue factorv had 110 batteries chai'ged today. Sucli a loss, it was explained, xneant the dislocation of Ihe production sclicdule. Aii exfremely prolonged power crisis could mean a coinplete hold-up of work. .Motor assemblv plants relv on power (ools to a gro.at extent and a cut-oif caa result in oO per cent of tlie operalors being unable to work. A chassis line. for instance, comes to a standsti'll. Oue faetorv estimated a loss of eight hours of power. A week would add £2400 to the dircct labour cost of its car production — about £0 or £7 a car. The Ilutt Yalley Electric Powet Board is trving to reduce incojivenience lo industry as imuii as possible aixd I'roin tomorrow will reduce the cut in Ihe maia industrial aroa by oue hour. llowever, many factories have bcen working overtime. Thcse hours have also been alTected by cuts. The manager of oue factory said today tliat, in Ihe event of industry being faccd with a prolonged power shortage, drastrc

steps would have to be talcen to rneet the situation.