WARTIME CONTROL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20079, 27 October 1939, Page 6

WARTIME CONTROL

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY DEFENCE NEEDS FIRST RENEWALS OF APPLIANCES An indication of the general policy of the Government in regard to the control of electricity supplies and the provision of new appliances from overseas sources was given to the Poverty Bay Electric-Power Board to-day by the managing-secretary, Mr. R. P. Baigent, who reported on conversations with the Electricity Controller, Mr. F. T. M. Kissel, held in Palmerston North on October 16, on the occasion of the conference of power boards’ secretaries. The managing-secretary advised the board that Mr. Kissel had .informed him that construction would be authorised in the following order of preference:— Firstly for defence purposes.

Secondly for industrial purposes, which included primary industries, and

Thirdly for domestic purposes. The whole question hinged on the amount of stock available in New Zealand and, generally speaking, respective consumers would be required to use their existing means for cooking or power as the case may be, and supply to them would not be authorised until the position of New Zealand stocks was ascertained. Cases, of course, would be considered on their merits and as soon as it was possible to make any announcement this would be done. Exchange for Stocks

The position in regard to stocks was governed by the overseas funds available and there was no definite information as to what amount would be allocated for the importation of electrical supplies. At present the economic side of the supply was not regarded as important. The whole question hinged on the stocks available.

managing-secretary also reported that Mr. Kissel had approved of the board’s application for an additional transformer for the town supply and he considered that the board would be able to arrange for the importation of this transformer.

He had taken up the matter of certain applications which had been deferred by the Electricity Controller, and there was a good chance in one case of the decision being reconsidered. Mr. Kissel stated that he hoped to visit all boards personally at an early date.