"MATTER OF LUCK"

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 145, 16 December 1927, Page 17

"MATTER OF LUCK"

RECONNECTING POWER WIRES

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

NAPIER, 15th December. A decision of exceptional interest to all local bodies concerned with electrical installations was delivered by Mr. A. it. Mowlem, S.M., at the Hastings Magistrate's Court. -. ":"■-' ■; The gist of the decision is that local bodies' electrical engineers, -provided they take reasonable care,' are not responsible for consequences that may follow upon reconnecting in their wrong sequence broken power transmission wires. '-■•■''! The Havelock North Town Board was defendant in a suit ia which Bernard Chambers sought to recover £,56, the cost of replacing a refrigerating ma. chine made to run in reverse by tho wrong connection of broken transmission wires. . The evidence of the Hastings Borough electrical engineer was most emphatic in insisting that it was almost entirely a matter of luck to get the right sequence, and that in tho circumstances of the present case the odds were greatly against making a proper connection. Mr. Scott also said that it was impossible .to discover in what direction electrical current- would flow when it was set in motion in such circumstances. ....",.- '. .....

Tho Magistrate found there was no negligence on the part of the board, and pointed out that' plaintiff himself..had failed to take care and avoid known risks. He knew that tSe guarantee of the makers of the refrigerating machinery did not cover running in reverse, yet he had failed to provide against an emergency which could have been provided against by a sample contrivance. Security for appeal was fixed at £15 15s.