ANOTHER BREAK.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18456, 10 August 1925, Page 8

ANOTHER BREAK.

LAKE COLERIDGE LINES.

HALF-HOUR'S DARKNESS. Another break in the supply of power occurred on ° Saturday night. Prom 10.23 until 10.50 tho city was in darkness, due not to a faulty lino on this occasion, but to trpiiblo with an oil switch bushing at tho lake. A G6,000-volt oil circuit breaker developed a fault, which necessitated cutting out, henco tho delay in connecting up again. Communication was established vesterdaV morning with Lako Coleridge power-house by 'phone for part of tho way, and also by using two power, wires. A test of tho middle line was made last night, and it was reported O.K. its for as the Pbrnt. ' The trouble lies between the Point and Hororata, and men, are on tho job endeavouring to rectify it. The north lino to the Point is in order, but the Timaru line is badly damaged between tho Gorgo and Methven. Gangs from the Public Works Department and the Ashburton Power Board aro at work on tho line, and two engineers left for the locality yestordav aftc-nooti. It is anticipated that the tniddle line will be in order this morning. The south line has been in operation since Saturday morning. The actual changing over from the north line to the south line on Saturday night occupied .27 minutes, and at the present time three lines are in good condition as far as the Point.

The Timaru Line. Power to Timaru wps restored at 7.40 p.m. last night, the fault being in tho middle line, finally located in the vicinity of the Gate Hut. near Hororata. Mr 11. G. MaeGibbon anticipated that repairs would be effected by daylight this morning, wheii two of the lines would be in commission, and normal conditions would prevail. Oft Saturday morning two m©n > left Hororata in an attempt to communicate with the breakdown gangs from Coleridge. On Friday communication was tried with Coleridge by wireless, as it was known that one of the men working there had a wireless set: No acknowledgment of the message sent out was received. _ • . Early 011 Saturday morning ft short interruption wns experienced, lasting from 4.3 till 4.27.

Scenes in tie City. Most of the amusement houses in the City had closed when tho break occurred, but at the Theatre Royal the last tarn of the evening was in progress. The audience was hardly taken by surprise in view of the eVfents of Friday, and thero was no sign of a rush for the doors or excitement of any sort. After various members of the audience liad struck a good matches the light was restored from the -theatre's own plant. Quite ft nuniber of people were tinder the impression that it was part of the show, ana received a shock when they discovered that the streets were in utter darkness-