POWER POSITION EASES IN SOUTH ISLAND

Chronicle (Levin), 24 June 1947, Page 5

POWER POSITION EASES IN SOUTH ISLAND

"V » WELLINGTON, .Tune 23. The Minister- of Works, Mr. Semple, stated today that the electricity position. in the South Island had improve, somewhat since the emergency restricions were imposed towards the end of May. The flow both into Lake "oleridge and in tlie -Waitaki River ai that time had reached an abnormall low level and was oontinuing to fab with the result that available storag. in Lakes Coleridgey Monowai ~ an Mohinorangi was being nsed up .at a rate which would lvave used it all up before an increased) how .could b ilelinitely. assured in " September next. Since then a series of westerly depres* aions had been crosHing New Zealaml and the hydraulic cditdition hAd so f'ar improved that no fnrther drain had been made on tlie st'orage. This, conu bined with the reducAd demand consequent on the impositfi'on of rationing. ha'd actua'lly Cnablen 'some slight in crease in the total storage available and as now the total time over wliich this storage had to be used was reduced by three or four weeks, the hlinistei stated his department was justified 3i; making some eoncession tb c.onsumers This particularly applied to consumers in the supply areas where the authority had been able to keep. strictlv down tc the reduced allocation which had lieen given it. The department was, theref'ore, advising tliose authorities wliich had substantiall.v complied with tlie requirements that from today the 30 per cent. cut which had been imposed 'ould be reduced to 20 per cent. The Minister assured consumers that further relicf would be given as soon as conclitrewi-jiermitted.