LIGHTS ON THE WHARVES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19627, 4 May 1927, Page 12

LIGHTS ON THE WHARVES.

MONDAY NIGHT'S FAILURE. LITTLE RISK TO SHIPPING. Among the important services cat off from tius electric povser during Monday night's stoppage were the denoting lights, at the end of the haibour wharves. These lights are normally dependent upon a supply of power from King's Wharf station, the Harbour Board not possessing a stand-by plant. Although a certain amount of risk to shipping is involved in a failure of power such as occurred on Monday, the lights affected are not of primary consequence and vessels berthing or leaving the wharves when the lights are out are expected to observe more than ordinary precaution. It is learned from the Harbour Board that when a failure of electric current is expected to be prolonged, steps are immediately taken to substitute for electric lights oil storm lanterns which are kept in readiness for this purpose. In Monday's case this step was not taken, as it was known the cut out would not be of serious duration. The principal harbour lights, such as the Bean .Hock and Sandspjt lights, carry their own self-contained lighting systems, usually liquified acetylene, and are therefore not affected by a failure of power on shore. A constant watch is kept on these lights from convenient points of vantage, such as King's Wharf and Mount Victoria, and a break-down is immediately notified to the Harbour Board's engineers:.