TELEGRAPH LINES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20360, 18 July 1934, Page 8

TELEGRAPH LINES.

Standing Up Well to Winter Conditions. Although the heavy snowfall early in the month caused considerable damage to telegraph lines in the Kaikoura district, the lines in parts of Canterbury and on the West Coast have stood up well to the winter conditions. according to Mr J. C. I'airbairn, District Telegraph Engineer. Mr Fairbairn stated this morning that in the snowstorm in the Kaikoura district about a fortnight ago a lot of toll lines and subscribers’ lines were damaged, and about fifty poles were broken. It was a peculiar circumstance, however, that where the snow was heaviest, about thirty miles inland from Kaikoura. there was no trouble whatever. The trouble at Kaikoura apparently was caused by the weight of the snow on the lines and a heavy local wind. Gangs of men had restored the service at Kaikoura temporarily, but some time would elapse before the work of strengthening the lines generally would be completed. A gang of men, added Mr Fairbairn, was still working in South Westland, between Waiho and Weheka, but they were expected to complete their task within the next two months, and then reconstruction of lines on the West Coast would be completed for some time.