A FOOLHARDY ACT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3002, 23 February 1926, Page 2

A FOOLHARDY ACT.

TRAN S MISSION LINE GUT WITH BULLET.

Last Wednesday evening one of the main transmission lines from Mangahao to Wellington failed owing to a fault which could not be located that night owing to the darkness. Next afternoon it was found near Mr. Field’s Forest Reserve, between Paraparaumu and Waikanae. An inspection showed that a wire of the transmission line had been cut through by a rifie bullet. . '

As this wire carries a very high voltage the consequences of the break might have been very serious. Danger to life and property, which may be caused by either wilful or accidental damage to transmission lines, was evidenced in the Waikato district recently when a line which was down came into contact with a fence and charged it with a high voltage of electric current and this caused the death of a man and his grandson. The Department points out , that the break on the Wellington line might have had the same serious results had the wire came in contact with a fence or any material that would conduct electric current. In eases of this nature the electrical energy will travel for miles along a fence and persons or stock at a great distance from the damaged section, may be fatally injured. The Public Works Department have placed the matter in the hands of the police and arc offering a reward of £SO for information which will lead to the conviction of any person concerned in damaging a line.