POWER EQUIPMENT

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21192, 15 August 1940, Page 4

POWER EQUIPMENT

SHORTAGE POSSIBLE U.S.A. SUGGESTED SOURCE With British industry engaged on armament production, the output of normal products from the heavy industry is definitely limited. Supplies of electrical equipment from Britain are, as a result, likely to become scarce, which would possibly accentuate the power shortage which is facing New Zealand. At a meeting of the Central Waikato Electric Power Board yesterday suggestion was made by Mr R. Eyre that efforts should be made to persuade the Government to revise the import control regulations so that equipment and machinery for electrical development, not available from Great Britain, could be imported from the United States, where production was not handicapped by war requirements. Mr H. J. Beeche, secretary treasurer, commented that efforts were at present being made by the Electric Power Boards’ and Supply Authorities’ Association to ensure that supplies of essential equipment will be available. “If we have no exchange available, said Mr G. Smith, “how can we hope to make purchases in the United States?” No difficulty had yet been experienced in securing supplies of electrical equipment for the board’s reticulation work, said the engineermanager, Mr J. R. Ellis. Mr W. C. E. George declared that had the Government heeded the board’s representations some years ago advising the establishment of an auxiliary steam power station in the Waikato coalfields, the probable shortage of electric power in New Zealand would have been alleviated. It was decided to support the association in its effort to secure Government co-operation in maintaining supplies of equipment.