FARMER’S ESCAPE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18595, 4 January 1935, Page 11

FARMER’S ESCAPE

'i SEVERE THUNDERSTORM

COW STRUCK DEAD

HAYSTACKS DESTROYED

Yesterday morning’s thunderstorm ■was of marked' severity in the Patutahi and Repongwe districts, and the vivid flashes of forked lightning caused no small amount of alarm. They did even more than that, being responsible, tor the death of a cow and the destruction of two haystacks, all the property ol Mr. Burgess, o r the Repongaere soldiers settlement. The cow was struck by lightning end killed instantly, and the stacks of hay, of considerable value, were ignited by the electrical dischaige, and were destroyed by the flames. The owner of the cow, Mr. F. Burgess, himself «had a remarkable escape from death or severe injury. The electrical storm was of unusual severity ior this district, and the destruction of livestock by lightning is probably a unique occurrence in Poverty Bay, within moie recent years, at any rate. Tho time was about 7 o’clock, and Mr. Burgess had completed the morning milking, and was turning the cows out of the yard when the storm visited his farm. Mr. Burgess was driving the cows through one gate and across the road to another paddock when a vivid flash of forked lightning rent the air, killing one of the herd, and igniting the two haystacks which were in line with the stricken beast. The. experience was a most alarming ono for Mr. Burgess, but he escaped injury, and the other cows in the herd were unharmed. Both the stacks, comprising this season’s-lucerne, and of considerable iT alue, were quickly destroyed, and Mr. Burgess’ loss is heavy. A willow; tree, also on his pi'operty, was shattered by lightning during the same storm.