ARAPUNI POWER FAILURE

Evening Star, Issue 22068, 29 June 1935, Page 27

ARAPUNI POWER FAILURE

FOURTH IN A MONTH AUCKLAND IN DARKNESS TRAFFIC DISORGANISATION AT PEAK LOAD TIME Tee United Press Association.l AUCKLAND, June 28. At possibly the busiest period of the week Auckland was plunged into darkness shortly before 5 o’clock this afternoon by the failure of the electric power supply froni Arapuni. The breakdown lasted for varying periods in different parts of the city, and with power cut off from the tramway system widespread confusion was caused in Queen street, with thousands of shoppers and workers awaiting, transport to their homes. The interruption was caused through lightning striking an insulator in the outdoor station at Arapuni. “ There had been a phenomenal display of lightning" for some time,” said one eye-witness, “ and suddenly a vivid sheet seemed to strike light at the outdoor station. There was si loud explosion, (followed by a flashing electric arc, and then came an almost deafening thunder clap.” The striking of the insulator affected all the lines, and the power was cut off from the whole district served by Arapuni. Hamilton and other towns, as well as Auckland, were left without light. In the city the most serious effect of the power failure was the stoppage of the tramway service. A serious view of the breakdown was taken by Mr E. H. Bartley, general manager of the Auckland Electric Power Board. “ This is the fourth time this month that Arapuni has failed,” he said. “If this continues we shall have to look into the question very seriously and see whether, in the interests of our consumers, we would not be well advised to reopen King’s Wharf, the former station.”