ELGIN ROAD BLACKOUT.

Evening Star, Issue 23861, 16 April 1941, Page 5

ELGIN ROAD BLACKOUT.

t TO TUB EDITOR, ; Sir, —While some modification of the , street lighting services, in khe event of an i emergency arising through the arrival in i New Zealand coastal waters of a fleet i of enemy raiders, may be necessary, never- i theless the enthusiasm with which the re- < sponsible city officials have carried out this t blackout scheme seems, at present, quite i uncalled for. The street lighting services ’ in Dunedin streets are now rendered quite useless, and a danger arises, through the adopting of such drastic methods, which is very real, and will become more so as the dark wintry nights arrive. Looking round the Morningtou district, lights are to be seen stall burning brightly, i and are probably considered essential at the dangerous corners and road crossings ■ in this suburb, but right along the busy < Elgin road bus route utter blackness now prevails; nob a single light remains. This ■ is surely a menace to the safety of bus ■ passengers and pedestrians, and calls for urgent remedy. Motorists, infected with 1 the blackout bug, are now practising bliack- t outs and driving with reduced lights, or 1 side lights only, and are not infrequently < seen at this practice on this route, and i it will be surprising if motor-mangled casu- i

altiea are not frequent in future, if the lighting services remain obliterated as at. present. At the recent meeting of the City Council several councillors expressed their concern over the blackout scheme in terms of “ too drastic.” and hill ratepayers should commend Councillor E. ;J, Smith for his outspoken condemnation of Ailie scheme,, and ask him to demand a remedy for the state of blackness that now exists in Elgin road after darkness.—l am, etc., Mornington Elector. April 15.