THE LIGHTING REGULATIONS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3105, 8 June 1917, Page 6

THE LIGHTING REGULATIONS

MINISTER EXPLAINS. The Hon. Arthur Myers, Minister In Charge of Munitions and Supplies, made some explanatory remarks yesterday in regard to the Lighting Regulation's, 1917, recently published in the Gazette. . Mr. Myers stated that the Government had, as a regu]t of certain recommendations submitted by the National Efficiency Board, decided it was desirable to give power to tho lighting authority, which will be the local authority or company engaged in the supply to the public of coal gas or electricity, to conserve coal by certain restrictions upon the use of lighting and motive power derived from gas or electricity produced from coal. ' . . Reviewing the regulations, the Minister indicated that t'he primary object of the action taken by the Government was, if circumstances justified it, to prohibit the use of electric light or gas light produced from coal-power for any pnrpose other than an essential purpose. The Government, generally, entertains no dc6ire to restrict the activities or enterprises of business people. It is considered, however, that the position in regard to coal stocks jusjjfiw the Government asking the local' authorities to consider the curtailment of power that is being utilised for such purposes as advertising, verandah or external lighting, excessive window or internal lighting, and for unnecessary street lighting, etc. The "lighting authorities appointed under the regulations . are accordingly charged, in the public interests, with the duty of curtailing tho wasteful use •ot gas. electric lighting, or motive power Lighting authorities will be guided .in this matter'by tho necessity to economise and use a minimum mipplv of power to the best advantage. It -will probably be found that local conditions prevailing in tho various centres will cause local authorities and lighting companies to apply a variety of restrictions which may not to uniform in particular cases withi each other; but the general trend of action will be on the same lines throughout the 'Minister, in conclusion, expressed the hope that all consumers of gas £.d electricity produced by coal would exercise the greatest economy wreibly m utilising the services placed at their dis™sal bv suppliers of such light and mwer and that ttose affected by restrictions would lovally .accent the Tuition £l,ich conditions brought about bv the « Of the great war now imposed on nil citizens of the Empire.