LIGHTING RESTRICTIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 July 1942, Page 5

LIGHTING RESTRICTIONS

CONSIDERABLE RELAXATION TO BE PERMITTED IN INLAND AREAS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “A considerable relaxation in the lighting restrictions is to be permitted in all inland areas, and the strict enforcement of the regulations will in future apply principally to a coastal belt around the Dominion,” said the Minister of Civil Defence, Mr Bodkin, in a statement last night. “The question of lighting restrictions has been under careful consideration of the War Cabineti and the Defence authorities together with the Dominion Lighting Controller, and while some relaxation is possible in areas remote from the coast as a continuing condition, it will be even more necessary in future for all areas to be prepared to blackout at a moment’s notice. REGULATIONS TO BE GAZETTED. “Regulations to give effect to these new proposals will be gazetted as soon as possible,” said Mr Bodkin, “and while the standard of lighting applying in pre-war days cannot be reverted to in any part of the Dominion, the partial relaxations possible in the inland areas will be a relief from the irksome loss of amenities which have so far been applied.” “Outside the coastal belt street lighting will revert as far - as possible to the pre-war standard, provided skyglow produced by the lighting system is not visible at any point 10 miles or more off-shore,” he said. “In many localities, therefore, this will mean that on account of the distance of the area from the coastline, the street lighting will in all probability revert to the pre-war standard. The only qualification is that filament lamps must be used, and gaseous discharge lamps will continue to be prohibited. In all inland areas external lights for the lighting of open spaces, recreation grounds, and the approaches to premises, will not be restricted in future, except that when in use the lights must remain attended at all times, so that if a period of emergency is set up the lights can be disconnected immediately.