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ELECTRICITY
SUPPLIES
Commission to
Inquire
As q direct outcome of g warning by the
State Electricity Commission that serious re
strictions in supply are inevitable, the Govern-,
ment has appointed a Royal Commission to .
inquire into the whole position. The investi
gation will begin almost immediately. '
The commission has . been
directed as follows:—
To Inquire into and report
upon matters, relating to the
production and the supply of
electricity, iti Victoria.,
To inquire into and report on
whether- provision is made for
adequate supplies of electricity
for present 'as well as future
-consumers in the city, provin
cial and country areas of the
Stale.
Announcing the decision last
night, the Premier, Mr. Cain,
said the Government had ob- 1
tained the services of Judge;
Stretton, senior judge of the I
County Court. He would be
chairman. I
Judge Stretton would have as
colleagues Mr. H. Angwin. en
gineer in chief of the South Aus
tralian Public Works department
and chairman -of that. Slate's
Electricity Trust, and of Mr. Bal
four Staines Woodfull, electrical
engineer ' and manager of Mel
bourne City Council's electricity
supply, department.
Mr. Cain said Judge Stretton
had had considerable experience
as a barrister in appearing be
fore c'ommissions of inquiry.
Since his elevation to the County
Court bench he had undertaken
Important investigations for; both
the present and the Dunstan Go
vernments. '
Both Mr. Angwin and .' Mr.
Woodfull had been members of
the committee of inquiry ap
pointed by the South Australian
Government In 1943 to Inquire' tar
to the position of electricity sup
ply in South Australia.
Mr. Cain added that the royal
commission would be able to com
mence its work immediately as a
result of the assistance . of the
South Australian Premier, Mr.
Flayford, In making available the
services of Mr. Angwin. The Mel- .
bourne City Council had also
agreed to release Mr:. Woodfull at
once; .......
The chairman of the State
Electricity Commission. .Mr. Job-
bins.- said last week that power
restrictions were likely - to -be
greater this winter than last; He
added that the programme of
plant extension had .been seri
ously curtailed by Industrial dls-
turoances. > '
Inquiry Welcomed
Mi'. Jobblns said last night that
It was with feelings- of relief that
he had learned of the Govern
ment's Intention- to. appoint a
royal commission of ' Inquiry in
to matters relating to the produc
tion and supply of electricity.
It was perhaps unfortunate
that such an inquiry should coin
cide with the extraordinary in
dustrial turmoil - which - was hav
ing so serious an effect- on the
commission's operations. The re
quirements of the royal commis
sion must inevitably- add to the
already heavy duties of . the re
sponsible officers of the commis
sion at this time.
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