Power Position Shows No Sign Of Easing

Chronicle (Levin), 5 October 1948, Page 4

Power Position Shows No Sign Of Easing

Emphasisirig that the electricity position was still serious, . the managing-secrdtary of the Horowhenua, Electric Power Board, Mr. R. "A. Frederikson, said today that the power to prevent black-outs and consequent domestic inconvenience was in the hands of the consumer. The1 position had steadily improved with the imposition of re'strictions, but the Saving was still not enough. Unless it still further improved, heavy restrictions would be imposed before th^ end of- the week. The board's present allocation was 82,000 units a 'day, or 580,500 units weekly, continued Mr. Frederikson. Up till Sunday last week's quota had been exeeeded by three per cent.' Yesterday, being a cold day, had resulted in a 10 per cerit. increasei on the day's quota. At the recent conference which Mr. Frederikson had attended, the general manager of the State Hydro Department, Mr. A. E. Davenport, had held out no hope of thd lifting of the restrictions until the Maraetai dam was brought ^nto operation. This would probably be in 1951. He had regarded the,, position as still very serious

and, said Mr. Frederikson, had "made no'bones about" the result of non-compliance by power authorities with requests to keep to their quotas. He would cut the offending authorities off if necessary. No mattbr what the neighbouring power . authority was doing, each board should try and keep within its own quota. He had then stressed the necessity of co-opdration between the consumers and the boards. In connection with radios, he had state d that iisteners should impose their own cuts and listen in only when nebessary^