LINE OF POLES ERECTED

Southland Times, Issue 23735, 6 February 1939, Page 6

LINE OF POLES ERECTED

Thirty Changed In One Day ACHIEVEMENT OF POWER SUPPLY REPLACEMENTS BETWEEN CITY AND WINTON A record for Southland and, it is thought, for New Zealand in quick and efficient work was established by the Southland Electric Power Supply yesterday when 30 poles were changed between the hours of 4 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. on the Invercargill-Winton line for a distance of 21 miles.' About 60 men were employed on the job and they did in one day what will take the Power Supply three or four months to do in the Gore-Winton section, the reason for this being that on the Invercargill-Winton line it was possible to split the supply system. Waitaki at present only supplies Gore, because the tie line between Winton and Gore is being installed. The line carries a 66,000-volt feeder. The work was done in preparation for the coming winter, and is expected to ensure an uninterrupted service in the worst of storms. The job could not have been finished in the time had it not been carried out by trained'men, all of whom worked at high pressure to complete their task before nightfall. Considering the amount of travelling they had to do, and the details of the job itself—the taking down of the old poles, the removal of the wires from them and fitting them to the new poles, which had then to be hoisted into position—the men are considered to have, performed an outstanding piece- of work. The holes for the new poles had already been dug. The poles are hardwood and imported from Australia. The change-over was organized by Mr G. D. Aschman, engineer to the Southland Electric Power Supply.