GOOD RESULT

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 46, 24 February 1942, Page 6

GOOD RESULT

THIRD BLACK-OUT

ARMY DID NOT COMPLY

The third black-out, covering i the city, Hutt Valley, eastern bays, and the nearer parts of the county lands from 9.5 to 10.5 o'clock last night, brought the best result, as a black-out, so far, but the opportunity was not taken to exercise E.P.S. units, other -than the wardens and fire sections. For some reason which no doubt will be explained, as official steps are being taken to obtain such an explanation, the Army authorities at headquarters did not comply, and those officers in charge of an Army store in Cable Street not only did not comply, but, the Mayor has stated, refused pointblank to comply. A great deal of discontent was naturally aroused among wardens who turned out to enforce black-out orders imposed in the first place by the Service authorities, and were met with refusal, flavoured strongly with derision, from those same authorities- j "It is just about time," said one wardon to a "Post" reporter this morning, "that some of these people. got down off their horses and stopped talking through their stirrups." Several shop lights and interior lights in unattended shops were left burning—a direct offence against the regulations. One case, in a grocery store near Bowen Street, was glaring, so mucn so that there was talk of direct action, but fortunately better sense held.,, Here and there odd house lights needed attention by wardens, and a good many people who thought they had light-proofed their rooms were told that it was not good enough. Traffic and special lights outside the city continued to show, and some sections' were slow in action. All these details have been noted by the wardens and those responsible will be advised, or required, to remedy faults disclosed— so that, if there is another black-out within reasonable time there may be still further improvement. COMMON FAULTS. Weaknesses which were more or less general were:— Too much torch flashing and striking of matches. Badly placed or insufficiently opaque screening in homes. Failure to solve the driving light problem, though two months have elapsed since the last trial. Failure by practically all drivers of E.P.S. cars to screen tail lights as required by the regulations.

Lights left in unattended shops