UNSOLVED MYSTERY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 146, 17 December 1943, Page 4

UNSOLVED MYSTERY

ELECTRId CURRENT AFFECTED

One evening about three weeks ago some Lower Hutt residents heard a rumbling sound like that heard during an earthquake. Electric lights commenced to flicker and shortly went out altogether. The centre of the disturbance appeared to be somewhere near the corner of Epuni Street and King's Crescent, and several residents stated that they saw a flash of light in this neighbourhood. After about three minutes current was restored. Inquiries made the following day threw no light on the origin of the trouble. , • Yesterday the matter was the sub> ject of a question by Mr. J. W. Andrews to the engineer-general manager of the Power Board. Mr. Hollands replied that a thorough investigation was made the following day, but neither at the sub-station at King's Crescent, nor elsewhere, could a trace of the trouble be found. He himself had heard the roar, like that of a hightension current, but could find no trace of a short-circuit. Electrical disturbances sometimes took place, especially during summer weather, and'this was perhaps such an occurrence. Occasionally short-circuts were caused by the strings of ■ kites fouling two wires or wire thrown over the lines, such as had taken place at Trentham recently, but in that case the feeder wires were burned out.