HOUSE LIGHTING IN CITY

Southland Times, Issue 24682, 2 March 1942, Page 4

HOUSE LIGHTING IN CITY

Explanation Of Requirements

A considerable amount of misunderstanding exists among householders m Invercargill about the exact requiiements of the reduced lighting regulations. A letter from a warden published in The Southland Times recently suggested that even some of the officials charged with the administration of the regulations were in some doubt, and the official reply to the effect that each case must be judged on its merits aid little to clarify the position. Inquiries have been made in official quarters and the information obtained gives the requirements in general terms. Invercargill has been classified as an inland town not visible from the open sea and consequently is not subject to such stringent regulations as populated centres on the coast or beach settlements. The regulations require the elimination of all sky-glow which might guide an enemy aviator for 60 or 80 miles to the city or provide bearings for more distant objectives, and require that steps must be taken so that a complete blackout may be observed when an emergency signal is sounded. ELIMINATION OF SKY-GLOW To eliminate sky-glow all street and outside house lights must be heavily shaded and windows covered so that no light beams shine directly outside. Only in one room, or in sufficient rooms for all the occupants of each dwelling, must provision be made for a total blackout in an emergency. In other rooms reasonably heavy curtains or blinds are sufficient. As a continuing condition in those areas not visible to the open sea, it is required that all windows of rooms used at night must be screened by suitable blinds, states a circular issued by the Dominion Lighting Controller (Mr F. T. M. Kissell). The type of blind required is the normal dark holland, or its equivalent, and not necessarily opaque to light. During a period of emergency the blinds or screens must be opaque to light, and material such as sisalcraft, or curtains I perfectly opaque to light are necessary. I Where existing blinds of a suitable material do not make a completely tight fit, disclosure .of light must be | prevented by painting or otherwise screening the edges of the windows. Spring roller blinds would be the ideal method by which to fix screens, but generally the method adopted is to attach the material either to a light wooden frame which would stand in a convenient position when not in use, or to fix the material to a lath at top and bottom with the top lath screwed above the window and the material rolled up and tied when not in use.