FIRST BLACK OUT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 November 1941, Page 7

FIRST BLACK OUT

IN CASE (IF ENEMY RAID WELLINGTON TEST LAST NIGHT. SAID TO BE SATISFACTORY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. With a wailing of alarm sirens, almost complete darkness descended abruptly on Wellington at 9.5 o'clock last night, as the city tested its readiness to meet an enemy raid. At 9.35 o’clock the all-clear signal marked the end. of the first trial blackout. An official statement afterward said that the result was considered highly satisfactory. Weaknesses that had been revealed in the system would be rectified before the next trial was held. Almost the only unsatisfactory feature of the blackout was the fact that street lights at the northern end of Lambton Quay, Featherston Street, The Terrace and Aotea Quay did not, for some technical reason, go out till toward the end of the trial. This, as the mayor of Wellington, Mr Hislop who is commanding officer of the E.P.S., pointed out, was particularly unfortunate, as the area concerned is one most likely to a target for any enemy.

In all residential areas the success of the blackout was unqualified. Householders responded well, though it is believed that too large a number merely put their lights out, without having made any proper blackout preparations such as would enable them to carry on more or less as usual in case of a real emergency. Colour is lent to this belief by the fact that the city’s power load dropped to half the normal during the test.

E.F.S. workers gave splendid service. There were 1200 wardens on duty, in addition to many uniformed police, 140 E.P.S. police and 70 E.P.S. traffic officers. All tackled their tasks enthusiastically. At headquarters in the Town Hall a battery of telephone girls received progress reports continuously from district posts. Overhead a circling plane broadcast comment from time to time.

Apart from occasional shouts and sometimes the scream of a siren, there was an almost uncanny silence in the city, as traffic virtually came to a standstill. There were no accidents. Only one or two motor-drivers attempted to move with lights reduced according to regulations. A few with lights full on had to be stopped.