POWER INTERRUPTION

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 885, 31 January 1930, Page 11

POWER INTERRUPTION

NORTH OTAGO SUFFERS FROM BREAK IN LINE DIFFICULTY OF REPAIRS From Our Oxen Correspondent OAMARU, Today. Unusually high water in the Waitaki River is making the work of repairing the break in the main power line carrying current from Dake Coleridge to North Otago extremely difficult. The tower on an island in the middle of tli© river has been completely swept away, and its site is now separated from the banks on either side by roaring streams 200 yards wide. Yesterday an attempt was made to build a trestle on the nearest island, and so lift the wires clear of the water, but while the work was in progress the flood swept the tower away completely, and the attempt had to be abandoned. Now workmen have been brought down, from the Waitaki hydro-electric scheme, and are working to erect a pole on another island, over which a temporary cable can be strung. This island is separated from the bank by a streiam 100 yards wide, and men and materials have to be transported on a cable. It is estimated that it will be a week before power will be again crossing the river, and in the meantime the limited, amount of current being supplied by local generators is being strictly conserved. Permanent repairs will not be possible until the river goes down, and will then take a considerable time.