COMMUNITY SINGING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 104, 4 May 1936, Page 5

COMMUNITY SINGING.

NO LIGHT Il\l THEATRES. DUNEDIN SYSTEM FAILS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Sunday. i Following the failure of the lighting ' system in Dunedin last evening, caused by a powerful lightning flash, theatre patrons waiting to see the Gilbert and Sullivan opera joined in community singing until nine o'clock, when the lights were restored and the show was commenced. Motors cars had been run into the wings and the headlights were used to illuminate the stage while lady members of the company led the singing. The programmes in cinemas also were held up until nine o'clock. Community singing was a popular diversion in these cases also while patrons eat in the dark whiling away the time.

The break in the power service occurred at seven o'clock and was heralded by a vivid flash of lightning, followed by a shattering thunderclap. The lightning damaged two switches, with the result that three main lines to the city were affected. Houses, as well as theatres, were plunged into darkness for two hours.

The first Act passed for paving a highway was one in 1533 directing pavement to be laid between Strand Cross and Charing Cross, London. According to the preamble, the streets were '"very foul, and full of pits and sloughs, very perillous and noyous as well for the King's subjects on horseback as on foot." When the Sovereign went to Parliament the ruts in King's Street had to be filled with faggots.