TREE FALLS ON WIRES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16975, 5 March 1926, Page 11

TREE FALLS ON WIRES.

TELEGRAPH INTERRUPTION

MANY LINES BROKEN

Through the bough of a tree which was being felled this morning striking the telegraph wires connecting Gisborne with the south, all communication be-, tween these stations was interrupted for a time. Gangs of linesmen were quickly despatched; to the break, and before* much time had elapsed, temporary communication hail been restored. The break of the lines occurred in Gladstcno road, opposite Mill road, Where a large bluegum tree growing in a paddock close to'the roadside, was being felled. The work of bringing down the tree was progressing satisfactorily at 9 o'clock this morning, and it was just in the act of falling in the opposite direction to the wires when it was struck by a strong gust, of wind. [n consequence; the tree fell sideways, and in doing so, one large bough struck Hie wires. REPAIR WORK EXPEDITED. Every wire was broken and the lines and poles for a distance of about a milo were considerably damaged by the strain. Fortunately the breakages all occurred! i" the one place-and the repair work wns simplified. Gangs of linesmen were immediately despatched from town, and in less than half an hour bad •restored- temporary eommiinica'ltim. Two lines were, Connected without loss of time, and one of these was used for communicating with Wellington, while the other was employed in the handling of press messages. As a. result of the interruption some considerable delay was occasioned, and cablegrams were late in being received at the Herald office. The telephone wires, fortunately, were not broken, these being contained in a thick cable suspended beneath the telegraph wires. The cable was torn away from the pole, biit communication was not interrupted. Repair work is being expedited,'and conditions are now almost normal again.