STRUCK BY LIGHTNING

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 6 November 1933, Page 4

STRUCK BY LIGHTNING

MAORI’S DEATH AT OMATA. CLOTHING TORN TO SHREDS. EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. Almost unrecognisable as articles of clothing, several shredded garment® constituted mute but convincing .testimony of the swiftness of the death of Hohapata Whanau, a young Maori,, who was struck by lightning during the storm on Thursday evening. The exhibits were produced at the coroner’s • inquest, w'ncli was held at New Plymouth on Saturday. There were the remains of trousers, coat, hat and boots, , and these were so torn and shattered as to •be almost unrecognisable as particular garments. The boots had the sides torn out of them and in one there was still a portion of a sock, which had been torn aw 7 ay from the foot on which it had been worn. Sergeant Clist stated that w 7 hen the body was picked up the hoots and socks simply fell away from the man’s feet.' Other pieces of clothing were picked up as far as 30ft away from the spot at which the man fell.

Handley Whanau, eight-year-old son of deceased, stated that he was returning with his father from Mr Greenway’s milking shed at about seven o’clock. There was a flash of lightning which struck his father to the ground. His father yelled out and seemed to jump away from witness. The lightning was like sparks—ho called them “jumping jacks”—and he felt as if his bare legs and feet were being struck with stones. The hoy said that he and a dog were _ also knocked down, but were not_ injured. When he got up and saw his father on the ground he spoke to him, but got no answer. His clothes were all torn. Witness then ran home and told his mother. She also tried to wake his father up, but could not, and! so sent for' Mr Greenway, who telephoned Tor a doctor. Dr. G. H. Thomson 6tated that the conditions he found were consistent with the deceased having been struck by lightning, and death was due to ■Lock caused thereby! Frederick J. Greenway, farmer, of Barrett Road, Omata, said Whanau worked for him, and on Thursday evening he left him at the milking shed at about 7 o’clock, when be_ was : n his usual good health and spirits. A 'Short time after the little boy came to his house and said his father was lead. Witness went across the paddock to where Whanau was lying and saw that his clothing was burnt. He did not know whether he was dead, so he at once ’phoned for Dr. Thomson, who came out and pronounced life extinct.

Sergeant Clist stated that on Friday morning he visited the scene of tho accident and found a patch of ground about 12in by 6in disturbed, and in the centre to a depth of from one to two inches. He also found small tufts of grass and earth scattered about and marks where the lightning had travelled along the ground for distances up to about 12ft. Pieces of the deceased's ' clothing were found some 60ft away from the point at which ho va,s struck.

The verdict of the coroner (Mr W. H. Woodward, S.M.) was that death was caused by shock from being struck by lightning.