BY LIGHTNING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 46, 24 February 1937, Page 8

BY LIGHTNING.

Many Minor Injuries.

PORTER KILLED.

STORM OVER HOKITIKA.

TERHIFYTN G- EXPERIENCES.

(By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.")

CI IRT STCHURCH, this day.

A man was killed instantly during a storm which raged with great violence over Hokitika from 3 o'clock in the afternoon until 0 in tho evening yesterday. The rain simply teemed down and tho lightning and thunder was easily the worst ever experienced in Hokitika. Blue llamcS of lightning darted in all directions anil tiio thunder claps were of so violent a nature that the population was alarmed.

The lightning claimed a victim in Mr. George Small, a porter at the Westland Hospital. He was waiting the arrival of the evening train at Sea View Station to receive mails, papers and parcels, but, when the train pulled up at the station, tho train crew found him lying stretched out on the platform. One l>oot was torn, tho hair on his chest was burned oil", and tho body appeared blackened in parts.

The lightning evidently travelled along tho railway line and struck the porter, although the station building was not damaged.

Mr. Small had 'l>een granted twelve months leave of absence in order to visit his parents in Ireland, and was to have left New Zealand at the end of this month. Ho was a native of Ireland and was about 40 years of age. He was a prominent memlter of the Freemasons' Lodge, and a great favourite at the hospital.

Many cases of minor injuries and shock have Ihhmi reported. The electric lighting system and telephone system were thrown out of order, but the lighting was restored almost immediately.

Captain Mercer, en route froyi Waiho to Hokitika by 'plane, rail into dense fog when over Hari llari, and, being unable to locate his bearings, eventually landed ou the island bank that divides the two main streams of the Big Wanganui River. The fog lifted about 4 o'clock and he resumed his flight, arriving at Hokitika airport at 5.:iU p.m. No passengers .-were aboard and tl'o forced landing and take-off were made without luimage to the 'plane.

In Hokitika the home of Mr. S. Ferris, in Revel I Street, suffered damage. Lightning struck the aerial, cutting a hole in the wall where the lead-in enters the building. Part of the back of the building was demolished. Homes in this vicinity suffered extensive damage to electrical fittings and wireless sets.