THE Thames Star THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1928 AN ELECTRIC EMERGENCY.

Thames Star, Volume LXII, Issue 17419, 6 September 1928, Page 4

THE Thames Star

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1928 AN ELECTRIC EMERGENCY.

"“With malice towards none; with charity for all; with firmneso in the right, as God gives us to see the right.” —Lincoln.

Public confidence in the electric services of this district will have been increased rather than diminished by last Sunday’s mishap at Horahora*. People who rely on electricity for their power, light or heat often have a feeling of anxiety as to what their plight would be in the event of a big' breakdown., Now we have passed through a temporary complete failure of the largest source of supply in the province, and but few have suffered any inconvenience. The management very promptly organised the other stations in the district to put their full capacity at thd service of consumers. It now appears unlikely ,that there will be any considerable disturbance to industry, provided the people co-operate with the managers, and regulate their use of current as requested. At the Waihi mines the lack of power has thrown some 200 men out of employment for the time being. While regretting the loss to them, we cannot but feel that the district is to be congratulated on the fact that thousands of people have not lost • their employment, and that business in general, is able to pursue its normal course/ It has been made fairly, manifest that we have a public engineering service in which we may place full confidence. The public now looks to the engineers not only to use all possible haste in restoring the Hovahora works, but also to complete the Arapuni plant with the utmost despatch. The Arapuni powerhouse construction was taken over by our Public Works Department from a private engineering enterprise, with the hope that its completion would be brought about in very much shorter time than the private concern estimated. If. this can actually be achieved it will be a .splendid victory for the Department’s engineers (says the Waikato Times). The breakdown at ■ Horahora emphasises the need for pushing ahead the work at Arapuni. We trust that the Government will give the engineers every encouragement and assistance.