PROVINCE IN DARKNESS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 17 August 1925, Page 2

PROVINCE IN DARKNESS.

TEMPORARY FAILURE AT MANGAHAO, LIGHT SOON RESTORED. Since the current, was turned on from the giant generators at Maugahao in October last, consumers in the Horowhenua District have had ,a surprisingly goqd service so far as continuity is concerned. Only very occasionally has there been a failure of-light and power and consequently, when the switches do not respond to the consumer’s will, the fact causes more comment-than it should perhaps receive. Sucii a ■ break occurred last evening between six and seven o’clock. The light in Levin flickered perceptibly about 420 p.m., grew dim and finally ceased to shine, After a quarter of an hour - of darkness, the bulbs glowed again and the light came on with unusual brilliance, but this was of the flash-in-the-pan order, for in a moment or two the illuminant vanished again and was off for twenty minute's. It was restored just helore seven o’clock and continued steadily and efficiently thenceforth. Advice to-day shows that Levin was not alone in its darkness. The whole of the province, including Wellington City, was cut off from the light for half an hour, the seat of the trouble being in the Mangahao pow-er-house itself. Palmerston Borough switched over from the municipal power to Mangahao current just before mid-night on Saturday, and when the break occurred, a return was made to the Borough supply, the period of dark ness there only lasting ‘eighteen minutes. The trouble, which was- not ol a serious nature, occurred through the failure of a voltage regulator on one of the governors connected with the controlling apparatus, and not, as was freely rumoured, by the breakdown of one of the big generators. The staff dealt with the emergency in a very efficient maimer, and, as stated, light was Restored within half an hour of the break, and by S o’clock everything was running normally.