ELECTRICAL STORM IN MARTON UPSETS SOME 230 TELEPHONES

Wanganui Chronicle, 5 November 1949, Page 3

ELECTRICAL STORM IN MARTON UPSETS SOME 230 TELEPHONES

The electrical storm which descended on Marton and surrounding district on Thursday afternoon left in its wake a trail of damage, certainly more extensive (han at first thought.

Up to yesterday afternoon something like 230 telephones were out of order in the Marton district, the Marton Junction area being the most affected, although communication with some subscribers in Bonny Glen was also “lost.” In some cases lightning guards had been blown from the wall. Four repair gangs from the Marton Post and Telegraph Department were out all day yesterday and an official said last evening that it was hoped that the majority of subscribers would have their services restored by today. While using a telephone during the storm one woman was startled when a blue flash came from the mouthpiece. A perforated portion of the mouthpiece was blown from the telephone and struck her near an eye. Rail services at Marton Junction were temporarily disrupted when lightning struck the railway signalling system at the south end of the station. Fuses in the home signal box were blown and the entire Greatford-Mar-ton section went out of operation. Trains in many lines of track were brought to a standstill. Pilots were sent out to bring trains through the affected sections until the system was restored. The train control system with Wanganui and the tablet system were also out of order and direct railway telephone communication with Wanganui was not possible. To call up Wanganui it was necessary to speak via Te Awamutu or through the Post and Telegraph facilities. As stated yesterday, a power transformer in Wellington Road blew out with an explosion heard over a wide area. A workman engaged at Hickson's timber impregnation plant at Marton Junction, was boltinga door on a large metal tank when a lightning flash sent a shock running from the spanner he was holding up his arm and threw him away from the tank, uninjured. A bluegum tree on the property of Henderson’s Estate, Fern Flat's, Marton, was struck by lightning and portion of the top shattered into chips. Four sheep on the property of Mr. W. R. Haynes at Bonny Glen were struck bv lightning and killed. The rainfall in the Tutaenui district was much heavier than that experienced in town. For the 24 hours ending 9 a.m. yesterday, 1.12 inches of rain fell at Tutaenui—just over half an inch less than for the whole month. At Marton 70 points were recorded. Water was over the road at two places on Tutaenui Road and Calico Line. The hailstorm was responsible for a certain amount of damage in gardens, young vegetables, and fruit trees receiving a battering. The storm was considered the most severe experienced for many years at Tutaenui. -Some of the hailstones were like square chunks of ice- and for some time after the storm had passed the ground was coated in white. Yesterday’s weather in Marton was fine but windy. MISS CROOKE VISITS HER HOME TOWN. Miss Iris Crooke, Director-General of Red Cross V.A.D.'s, held the attention of her audience in the Marton Parish Hall on Thursday evening for tvvo hours, when she gave a very colourful and descriptive narrative of her visit to the British Isles and parts of Europe, as the New Zealand Red Cross Society’s delegate to the Stockholm conference. Miss Crooke’s address was on similar lines to that which she gave earlier in the week at Wanganui. . Mr. F. J. Christensen, who presided, welcomed Miss Crooke, stating that she needed no introduction to the people of Marton. Miss I. McNab presented Miss Crooke with a box of flowers from the Marton Red Cross V.A.D.’s and Transport section, under whose auspices the meeting was held. The stage was artistically decorated with large bowls of multi-coloured flowers. In opening her address, Miss Crooke expressed thanks to the Red Cross V.A.D.’s who were really instrumental in sending her to the conference. At the conclusion of the address, Mr C. L. Harris thanked Miss Crooke and said her interesting talk had been thoroughly appreciated by those present. The Red Cross V.A.D.’s and Transport section later entertained Miss Crooke to supper at the vicarage.