LAKE COLERIDGE POWER

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1930, Page 4

LAKE COLERIDGE POWER

NO RAIN IN SIGHT

■ ■ f ißy Telegraph—Press Association)."

• CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 12. Although heavy south-west rain fell in Christchurch to-day, the weather was overcast, but fine, at. Lake- Coleridge The lake level foil due inch mg the past twenty-four hours. v It is now improbable that a north, west wind, which is the only wind bringing rain in the mountains, will come for four or five days. Tie conditions looked favourable to a nor’wester yesterday, but now that a southerly storm lias developed, there is. no . likelihood of a nor’-wester for some days. • A crisis is now definitely nearer. The Public Works Department Engineer has not stated The minimum level to which the lake may be allowed to fall, but he has indicated that there is such a limit. When that is reached, only so much water as daily enters the lake will be allowed to pass through the turbines, and the generation will be from 4000 to 7500 kilowatts. This will involve the strict rationing of power to the distributing authorities. In the meantime, the use of standbyplants, with economies, has reduced the load on Coleridge. The shops in the city closed to-nighit from. 5.30 to 7 o’clock, opening from. V to 9 with restricted lighting. Some shops were even using candles and lamps for window and verandah displays. ;3 4 ' '