Page 5 Advertisements Column 2

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13499, 28 May 1907, Page 5

A peculiar accident occurred in Hawera some days ago, by which two persons received an unpleasant surprise. Messrs. N. Caplen and D. Mitchell were (says the Hawera Star) talking over the telephone j from their respective business places, when they received a very severe electrical [shock. Mr. Mitchell was deaf for some time afterwards, and Mr. Caplen was in a dazed condition for the remainder of the day. Upon investigation it was found that the shock was caused by the accidental, contact of the telephone wire with an electric light wire. A live wire from the electric light service runs into Messrs- Mitchell' and Council's depot, and is only a short distance below ; the telephone wires, where they' cross. Someone driving into the depot got his whip caught in the wire, and in trying to pull it free drew the wire on to the electric light wire, and the contact produced the effect stated. The wires became lighted up for a moment, and Mr. Stevens' house and Mr. Nicholas' smithy near by were illuminated as though by lightning. A number of horses in Mr. i Nicholas' shop became frightened and stampeded. J