SERVICE DISRUPTED

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 22 September 1934, Page 4

SERVICE DISRUPTED

Wire Thrown Across High Tension Lines

INTERFERENCE AT KAKARAMEA SEARCH FOR THE CULPRIT Pieces of wire thrown across highvoltage transmission lines have been responsible for serious inconvenience to various industries on two occasions lately in the South Taranaki Power Board’s area. The more recent interference took place at Kakaramea on September 1. when a piece of wire was thrown deliberately across the 11,000volt line by some unknown person. This caused the circuit breaker at the sub-station to open, and as a result of the interruption milking motors were thrown out of operation and dairy factories and the freezing works at Patea incapacitated while shipping also was held up. The circumstances of the interference were reported to the board at its monthly meeting last evening by the engineer (Mr T. It. Overton) and in reply to a question asked by the chairman (Mr J. B. Murdoch) it was mentioned that every endeavour had been made by the board's officials and the police to locate the culprit, but without success. “The investigations are being continued,” said the engineer, “but the responsibility for interference of this sort is very difficult to sheet home. ”

Mr Murdoch : Not only is it an extremely dangerous thing to do, but there is the question of inconvenience to be taken into consideration. Quite a number of consumers must have been seriously handicapped until the service was restored.

Mr F. Parsons (Whenuakura): Rather fortunately in my district the factory still possessed its old steam engine to fall back on in an emergency. This was brought into operation until the power came on again. At Patea, however, the freezing works could not start and the loading of the coastal steamer Jnaha was held up. Mr J. EL Campbell : Apparently the culprits do not realise the danger to themselves when they do this sort of thing.

Mr Murdoch: That is the second instance in ten days of some person deliberately throwing a wire across our lines. Th© other instance was on the Waihi Road near the racecourse. Mr Campbell: I certainly think that if the officers of the board or the police are successful, in locating the person or persons responsible an example should be made of them as a warning to others. There is a heavy penalty for such offences.

Mr Murdoch: The members of the board can rest assured on that point. An example will certainly be made of the person responsible if he can be located.