SKY-GLOW FROM CITY

Southland Times, Issue 24460, 13 June 1941, Page 4

SKY-GLOW FROM CITY

Further Reduction

Necessary

The sky-glow from Invercargill has to be reduced still further. Although through the co-operation ’of householders and business people and the reduction of the power of street lights the glow has been reduced a good deal, observance of the restrictions was not yet uniform, declared the lighting controller in Invercargill (Mr A. C. Carman) yesterday. The power of the street lights had been cut drastically, but reflection from these was still fairly considerable. In consequence, if the glow resulting from unscreened house lights was not reduced, it might be found necessary further to reduce the street lights. Mi- Carman said that time was being allowed, however, and he considered that observance of the restrictions would become general, thus obviating the necessity for such drastic action.

So far, householders and shop owners had had to take notice of the restrictions from statements by the authorities which had appeared in the newspapers. No attempt had been made to notify individual occupiers of dwellings and business premises. Consequently, said Mr Carman, when he approached different people about the matter some had replied that they did not know the restrictions applied to them also. Shortly those not conforming with the regulations would be requested officially to do so. NO GLARING OFFENDERS He had not noticed any glaring offenders, Mr Carman said. The average home seemed to be aware of the necessity for obscuring lights, although very frequently only the chief lights of a dwelling were screened, leaving smaller windows unscreened. In such rooms as bathrooms and sculleries where the windows were small, it was just as necessary that the light source should be screened. In most cases it just appeared to be forgetfulness. Asked if the new regulations recently Gazetted placing restrictions on the power of motor-car lights on certain roads open to the sea affected Invercargill, Mr Carman said he understood they did not. He had received no notification from the Dominion Lighting Controller about it and he presumed that Bluff would be the only place in Southland required to observe these regulations.