ELECTRIC LIGHT FAILURE.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17437, 24 April 1922, Page 8

ELECTRIC LIGHT FAILURE.

BOTH LINES DOWN ON SATURDAY NIGHT.

The boisterous weather of Saturdayled to a breakdown in both of the Lake Coleridge supply lines in the evening, and on various occasions the city waa in darkness as a result. At the picture theatres considerable inconvenience was caused by the failure of the current, and during the longest interruption the orchestras in two or three theatres played an improvised programme of popular pieces to relieve the monotony. The light first failed at the Theatre Royal shortly before 8 o'clock. The Competitions had been officially declared open by the Mayor, and one of the judges (Mr Victor Galway) had .just started to speak when he and the audience were plunged in darkness. Ihe light came on again a moment later, and Dr. Thackor announced tue cut-off was to indicate what tl'he time was. Whatever the message was it was promptly confirmed, for after another moment the lights went out again. They reappeared without delay and burned steadily, but, unfortunately, not without subsequent interruptions. Shortly after 9 o'clock the theatre once more was without illumination. A violin solo competition for children was in progress at the time, and Miss Thelma Cusack was jnidway through tihe "Mignon" gavotte when she and everything else disappeared from view. She continued her performance and completed the piece in the dark, and was heartily applauded. As there was no immediate restoration, of the Coleridge current, 'the theatre lighting unit, motor and dynamo directly coupled, was brought into action and continued working until the main supply was again available, some time before 10 o'clock. Owing to a fault in the feeder line between Ohristchurch and Kaiapoi, Kaiapoi was without electric light t for over'lialf an hour on Saturday evening. As Saturday is the late night for shops in the borough, considerable inconvenience was caused to shopkeepers and their customers, business having to be done by the aid of lamps and candles. The local picture theatre gave a somewhat interrupted programme owing to the ligjht going out on various occasions. Last evening the supply failed on two j>r three, occasions, but only for a very brief space.