COWS KILLED

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 94, 7 May 1937, Page 4

COWS KILLED

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buckland Herd Struck By y Lightning H0LES T0RN IN GR0UND

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AUCKLAND, Last* Night Lightning killed four cows on Mr Jehii Schaepfer'd farm at Helvetia, about two miles from Pukekohe. The charge penetrated the grnund to a depth of about 13in. at two centre* about 4}ft. apait. It scattered ihe grass and soil over an area of about three dr four square feet at eacb centre and then forked out in seven directioun over the grass, rippiug up the tarf and forking again. The liguining contacted with a fence about 18ft. frbm where it struck the ground, and partly stripped it of battens for about three chains, at the same timd' bursting out staples and splitting off the face of posts oVer a total length of about 16 ehauiS. Three of the cows were found lying dead after _ daybfeak this morning within a radius of seven yards, with the fourtb about 40 yards away in a direct line with one of the fork cuts tracing across the turf. One of the animals, weighing about 7cwt., was clearly lifted bodily by the concnssion, as it was lying over one bf the two centres, with he&d bdht bhck, giving the imprdsribxi that it had coine down head first. The top fiank WSs pastered with gfass and soil, which had obviouSly beeh skot higher in the air and had come down over the cow. Eighteen cows in all were grazing in the paddock. The others were unharmed, but were still showing signs of panic some hours afterward. A calf born to One during the night was in the best of fettle. The death of the four cows represents a loss of between £20 and £30.