MANGAHAO POWER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 288, 9 November 1925, Page 7

MANGAHAO POWER.

A MOMENTARY FAILURE

Palmerston North, or at least some sections of it, were momentarily cast into darkness on Saturday evening. A momentary fault in the' Mangahao supply compelled the one engine at the power station to carry the load and, on the major supply again being received, certain sections of the town were cut out to permit of the synchronising of the engine in order to parallel the supply back again with Mangahao. At the Opera House the failure created momentary consternation, although fortunately it occurred during the interval of the amateur performance of “Les Cloches de Corneville.” Urgent enquiries were set afoot to ascertain whether the gas supply could be brought into use, but . before it could be put into effect the power again came on and the performance was carried through to- a successful conclusion without further untoward happening. ■ A peculiar position was also forthcoming at the Zealaudia Hall, where the Catholic bazaar was in progress. The, final pull of the evening between “ffigh Tension” and “Why Worry” was just about to begin, both teams having secured one success, when the lights went out. The members''- of “High Tension” were momentarily in a quandary as to where their duty lay, but the return of the power settled the issue and the electrical team showed their relief by annexing the third and final pull. At nine o’clock on Saturday night the electricity supply in Wellington was cut off and the city was in darkness for a few minutes. The trouble occurred on the Government lines near Ngahauranga. It is stated that one of the poles carrying the electric wires caught fire, with the result that the city and suburban current was shut off. The cause of the trouble was soon located and the power restored.