THE STORM.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4553, 20 April 1923, Page 2

THE STORM.

LITTLE DAMAGE REPORTED. Bad weather which has been coming up for the past few days culminated last night in a storm of great violence. At 6.35 o'clock a break occurred in the Public Works Department’s power transmission lines between Horahora and Watkins. The repert and the flash of the break were seen and heard at Te Aroha. Waikino. and Karangahakc. Men were immediately sent out to effect repairs, but owing to the rough nature of the country it was early this morning before a fault, was discovered. There, however, proved ,to be other faults on the line. The whole of the Thames Valley was plunged in darkness., but at places where power had been generated prior to the connecting up of the Horahora power these plants were again set in operation. Morrinsville, Tc Arolia, and Thames were lighted again at an early hour, but Waihi, Paeroa i and the Plains, which depend in a case such as this upon tiie steam plant at the Grand Junction Mine, Waihi were not so fortunate, as steam had to be generated and the first power when it became available had to be used at. the mine.% which were becoming flooded. At 11 P.m. there was sufficient head of steam to switch in all the generators, and at 11.10 P.mpower was again available thiougLout the Thames Valley. No damage to telephone or telegraph wires has yet been reported. This is attributed to the fact that cables have replaced the old system of single overhead wires in towns. There is less danger of contacts in the country, as there are fewer wires, and these are more widely spaced.