A POOR EFFORT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 268, 12 November 1942, Page 6

A POOR EFFORT

WELLINGTON BLACKOUT

(0.C.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday

Of a longer duration tiian previous tests, over an hour and a half, and covering a wider area, including county as well as city and town districts, a blackout trial held in Wellington was a poor community effort. People were far too slow in blacking-out and what they thought was good enough was not nearly good enough. Wellington would have been easy to find, even without wharf lights, which were switched off for a few minutes only so that cargo work would not be long interrupted. Because of the high wind siren coverage was not as effective as had been hoped from the increased number of warning points. There were many complaints that the blackout was continued too long. Commenting on the trial the Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, said the only real test would be one without warning, but under the regulations notice had to be given. The general fault was that people did not respond at once on the sounding of the sirens.