SHORTAGE OF POWER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 May 1941, Page 6

SHORTAGE OF POWER

CUT IN WAIRARAPA CONSUMPTION ACTION TAKEN BY. BOARD. STREET LIGHTING & WATER HEATING. On account of a shortage of power, the Wairarapa Electric Power Board states, it has been notified by the Electricity Controller that the total unit consumption in the board’s district must be kept under a certain defined limit. "To keep within this limit.” the board states, “it will be necessary' to reduce our consumption by 608,000 units per annum. The board is arranging to do this in a manner which will cause as little inconvenience and hardship to the consumers as possible, and is first of all cutting out certain loads which cannot be considered as essential. “With this end in view, the board, acting under authority granted by the Electricity Controller, has decided to switch off all street lights with the exception of those in Queen Street, Masterton, at 12.30 a.m. instead of 3 a.m. to discontinue the supply of electricity to Neon and other similar advertising signs, and to reduce the hours during which water heaters are switched on. There will also be certain restrictions in connection with the installation of new water heaters. “As a result of the restrictions, the board is likely to experience a substantial loss in revenue and the action taken is the very opposite to what in normal circumstances the supply authorities and the Government aim for. The need for reduction is, however, definite and urgent and the board and the Government feel that under the circumstances they can rely on the cooperation of the consumers in meeting a difficult and unavoidable emergency.”