Parts Of Peninsula Still Without Power

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31653, 13 April 1968, Page 1

Parts Of Peninsula Still Without Power

Power was restored to the southern half of Banks Peninsula by mid-afternoon yesterday, but the Lyttelton harbour area will not be reconnected until today, or, at worst, tomorrow.

Mr K. C. Lewis, the Central Canterbury Electric Power Board’s distribution engineer, said yesterday that extreme difficulties of weather, blocked roads and communications had hampered the board's efforts to restore the Banks Peninsula supply. Linemen worked in 3ft to 4ft of water to repair an early break in the lines at Motukarara on Wednesday night. Wash-outs on the road round Lyttelton Harbour delayed the Diamond Harbour serviceman, Mr D. Williams, and help could not be got to him until yesterday. Power went off over Banks Peninsula on Wednesday evening. Yesterday, there were pockets of consumers who had not received the supply.

Halswell hill was reconnected at 4 p.m., but the DunsandelMead area, Irwell, Brookside and Little Rakaia probably will not have power until today. A contractor’s gang and two New Zealand Electricity Department gangs have been helping the board. Mr Lewis said the board was grateful to consumers for their forbearance, and for the praise that had been heaped on the linemen for doing their job in the worst of conditions. Women had helped at Lincoln, Leeston, and Diamond Harbour by manning the board’s radios. The cuts, said Mr Lewis, had had a serious effect on poultry-raisers. A special effort had been made to restore their supply, in mostj cases by Thursday night. i