STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7961, 3 September 1887, Page 2

STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

A PECULIAR PHENOMENON. "We received word this morning from our Inglewood correspondent that a child named Henwood, living at Waiongona, had been struck by lightning. Mr. P. Wakefield, of Lepperton, gave the following particulars to our office : — A heavy thunderstorm with vivid lightning broke over the Waiongona settlement between 7 and 8 o'clock this morning. The lightning went down the kitchen chimney of tbe house of a settler framed Mr. John Henwood, and struck two of bis children, a boy named George, between five and six years of age,. and a girl aged* about nine. The ligntning came among the family, who were in the back kitchen, and split a piece of scantling 4x2 into matchwood. The little girl had recovered her senses and appeared to be all right when Mr. Wakefield left at half-past eleven for town to summon medical aid, but on her left arm, betweea the elbcw and Bhonlder, the lightning had photographed a fern leaf better than it conla have been painted on the arm. Mr. Wakefield could barely span the impression. Another cnriouß thing about it was that the sleeves of the girl's frock had not been at all singed, or disturbed in any way. The boy, when Mr. Wakefield left, had become sensible, but could not speak ; but by the way he worked his hands on his stomach made those in the house infer that he wbb suffering great pain in that part of the body. Mr. Wakefield. went to obtain the services of Dr. Leatham for tbe sufferers.