HIDDEN DANGER

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 96, 20 October 1933, Page 15

HIDDEN DANGER

ELECTRIC WIRES

INTERFERING WITH SUPPLY

"Ono can ouly express regret that, after all tho warnings ana publicity given by the board with regard to unauthorised persons interfering with the supply, the practice still continues," said Mr. K. H. Hartley, manager of the Auckland Electric Power Board, in a report concerning the fatal accident *". R , which occurred at Gladwm Koad, Epsom, last week the S_ tai ■' "ports. *? * letter sent to the chief electrical engineer of the Public Works Department Mr. Bartley stated that tho victim of the accident, Mrs. Mason, was found de*d after hanging out some *et blankets on a clothes line. &»™to«a*lon sllowed .tha * the apparent cause was an electric shock from the clothes hno as the result o± a small wireless «t fitted with headphones and arranged tor connection to a lighting socket by f length of flexible cord and lampadaptor. A direct connection with No. 1-20 cotton-covered .wuo was traceable between the /clothes lino and a terminal on the transformer con- ™?^ to the flexible cord. The iul voltage was obtainable on the metal cloff line when the adaptor was inserted la the luting socket m the ro?! Tl" „ . , ' ""was a very unfortunate occur*f nf > «"* >* every instance ot the kind that has come under our notice for some years the troublo has been caused by £ ome breach of the re g ula ti on s or by some unauthorised person interfering with the supply," commented the chair-™*-n T" w T TT«i;iei«Mvi-tM

Later in the meeting the manager reported that it was proposed that warnings against interference with the use of service cables and th'o wires connected to them should be published in the Press periodically. The Auckland board in the past had been extremely fortunate, but some other authorities

in New Zealand had not been so fortunate. Bei'erring to work done on buildings and houses by contractors arid others, Mr. Bartley said it was desirablo that publicity should be given to risks run by workmen-making alterations before the electric wires had been made safe. The board was willing at any time to disconnect wires where work of that nature was being carried out. The cost of disconnection was only that to cover the labour.

Falling off a rack in the store where he is employed in Cable Street yesterday, P. Kelly, a storeman, of 234 Vivian Street, injured his backhand his left shoulder and had to. bo removed to the Hospital by the Free Ambulance. The Hospital authorities reported .at 3 o'clock this afternoon that Kelly's condition was fairly serious.