THE LIGHT FAILED.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2709, 17 June 1925, Page 8

THE LIGHT FAILED.

RETICULATION UNEQUAL TO EXTRA LOAD. About 4.30 yesterday afternoon when the Borough’s electric plant gathered up the big extra load from the National Dairy Show, the light struggled bravely for a little while and then petered out. For about two hours various parts of the town dwelt in a ghostly glimmer instead of the usual brilliance of the Borough’s full-powered illumination. At the Show itself there was consternation for a time, with not a little humour in the situation. But when the matter was righted a dazzling display in the various halls greeted the visitors. In one part of the town, however, the trouble was of longer duration. The section which ihcludcs the “Manawatu Daily Times” had to be content with a very poor supply until after ten o'clock, owing to the fact that the electrical staff were not aware of trouble in that quarter.

The engineer (Mr J. W. Muir) and his staff had an unenviable time for a couple of hours. Immediately the breakdown happened it was ascertained that the power house was not responsible. This time the reticulation was found to be at fault, the extra load proving too much for the particular type of reticulation which had been installed. It appears that the system in use necessitates the interlocking of the various phases in the Borough, and when the extra load was picked up the transformers were found to be insufficient to stand the strain. Mr Muir and his staff had great difficulty in locating the fuses vi<liich had blown out. One near Taonui Street apparently went first, followed immediately by Carroll Street and then Cook Strot proved unequal to the added burden. The two former were located early in the evening with the result that the western part of the town was soon restored to its accustomed brilliance, but the Cook Street fault was not located till about ten o’clock, for the simple reason that the electricians did. not know that there was still one part of the town in trouble. It is quite evident that the carrying capacity of the reticulation system is not equal to the demand of a full load, and more powerful transformers will have to bo installed. The Mayor, as chairman of the electrical committee of the Borough Council will call a meeting of the committee immediately to consider the matter. Asked if he anticipated a recurrence of the trouble, Mr Muir replied that 1 there was such a possibility, but knowing now what to expect they would be able to remedy it in a few minutes.