The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995)(about) |
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Saturday 14 April 1951
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RUSH ON HEATERS AND LAMPS FOR POWER ZONING
Rush buying of oil and kero- sene heaters and lamps was re-
ported yesterday by Canberra stores as the outcome of propo-
sals to introduce day-long black- outs in the A.C.T.
Heaters and pressure lamps sold out almost as soon as they reach the shop, one proprietor
declared.
"We cannot get enough to meet the demand, which is exceeding
normal seasonal requirements."
Many residents of all-electric
homes and flats are taking no risks of heatless days during the winter, and are buying stoves.
Few private firms have auxil- iary lighting or power plants, the president of the A.C.T. Em-
ployers' Association (Mr. G. Col- man) said yesterday.
"Even if they could afford to
buy them, there will be delays in
delivery," he stated.
Some large companies had made arrangements for alternate lighting, but most industries have not the means to continue pro- duction on blackout days, he sta-
ted.
Plant has doubled its cost since 1947, when equipment was avail- able through disposals as well as normal trade channels.
Mr. Colman said that employ- ers were unable to prepare for restrictions because no details were known.
He believed that small trad- ers will be less inconvenienced than larger firms, but added that "most of our members are sitting on the fence, hoping the ban will not affect the A.C.T."
Restrictions will be discussed at the next meeting of the A.C.T. Employers' Association on April
18.
The secretary of the Canberra Chamber of Commerce (Mr. R. Rowe) said that it was amazing that a week had elapsed since the announcement was made in the Sydney press, and yet no offi- cial authority in the A.C.T. could state how restrictions would af- fect Canberra.
Industrial and domestic consu- mers were concerned at the ef- fects of the ban in Canberra, he
stated.
No information had yet been received by the N.S.W. Electri- city Commission, departmental officials said yesterday.
It was suggested that N.S.W. authorities were still in doubt
how the ban could be applied in
the A.C.T.
Another official suggested
State opposition to zoning was causing delays in release of de-
tails.
It was learned yesterday that both Naval and R.A.A.F. stations had auxiliary power plants which could maintain high-pri- ority communication services.
A similar plant could be oper- ated by the Department of Civil Aviation at Fairbairn Aero- drome.
Apart from auxiliary plants at
the hospital and the power house, Government industries are depen- dent on the main supply.
Industries most likely to be af- fected will be brickmaking, tim- ber milling and joining and en- gineering.
Accounting and statistician's machines may also be affected in
Government departments, where heating and lighting restrictions may be enforced.
It is believed that teleprinter services to certain sections will be maintained with other essen- tial communications.