MUNICIPAL LIGHTING

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2445, 26 April 1915, Page 6

MUNICIPAL LIGHTING

NEW SWITCHBOARD IN ACTION,

A few days ago a lengthy description of the new switchboard at tho Electric. Lighting Powerhouse was given in these columns. Every detail of the new board having been exhaustively tested, yesterday was devoted to changing over from the old to the new control. Hitherto all the main wires for the various circuits entered, the power-house from Harris Street; now they enter from Mercer Street, the new "board" having been erected against the eastern wall near the new turbine engine. The work was done without a' hitch, and when inspeoted last evening the current for nearly every circuit in the City was passing through the board. Each cirouit (or district) has its own main switch, and on either side of it are red and green bull's-eye lights, which indicate at a glance if the current is on or off on that circuit. When seen last night only three or four green lights were showing, but there was quite a line of angry red eyes illuminating the new board. It is not without a sense of relief that the power-house staff tnrns its back on the old switchboard, yet some twenty-six years ago it was considered 60 wonderfully up-to-date that Mr. Baron, the manager of tho New Zealand Electrical Syndicate, used to charge an admission fee to see it. The new switchboard is a marvel of jieatness, and safety.