Expensive Mischief

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 6, 8 January 1936, Page 2

Expensive Mischief

7000 SMASHED INSULATORS Paced with an expenditure of over £GOO last year for the replacement of approximately 7000 smashed telegraph line insulators, the Post Office is seeking the co-operation of every citizen in an effort to discourage the actions of children and other irresponsible persons who, without thought for the serious consequences, make targets of these useful appliances. Their destruction involves not only loss of material normally capable of giving many years’ service, but causes heavy expense in locating tho fault, and serious inconvenience to tho public through interruptions of telephone and telegraph communication. Parents will be doing good service to the community if children are warned that the smashing of an insulator destroys the efficiency of an electrical circuit and may prevent the prompt transmission of urgent messages relating' to sickness, fire, or other emergency. The cracking of an insulator is sufficient to destroy its efficiency. Before any type is adopted for service samples have to be tested to witnstand a pressure of liquid up to 25001 b. to the square inch to ascertain their degreo of porosity. The police of the Dominion are keeping a sharp watch on offenders, but tho best safeguard to the great network of electrical circuits spreading all over the Dominion is the realisation on the part of everyone that what appears to bo trivial damage to telograph lines may cause serious hardship and loss.