PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Kumara Times, Issue 2792, 2 September 1885, Page 2

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

[UNITED I'RK.SS ASSOCIATION.! Westport, September 1. Bad weather with heavy thunder and lightning was experienced here yesterday. The lightning struck the wire rope and rails on the Koranui coal incline, and ran into the coal mine. Several hands and a pony were knocked down by the severity of the shock. No injury to life or limb resulted, but the work of both the Koranui and Westport mines is temporarily discontinued. Chki.sxi'ii ukcii, September 1. A telegraph pole in the Waimakiriri liver-bed at the Bealey junction was struck by lightning at 10.40 yesterday morning. The lightning fused the wires leading into the telegraph Office, and set the instruments of the office on fire in several places. There has been incessant thunder and lightning and rain since Sunday evening, and the rivers are all in heavy flood. Dunedin, August 31. While the dredge was at work to-day

the body of a Chinaman was brought up by one of the buckets. It had been in the water some days. It was identified as that of Sue Wing, who had expressed a determination to take his life. Invercargili,, August 31. Mrs Campbell, the plaintiff in a case against the Standard Insurance Company, heard on Friday last, has been arrested on a charge of arson. Wellington, September 1. The body of a man named Richard Price, a blacksmith, was found in a gully at Pukerau, on the Wellington-Manawatu railway line yesterday. The body was in an advanced state of decomposition, and almost fell to pieces when touched. About the 20th of June Price left his work and announced his intention of going to Feilding, and had not been seen since. A verdict of "found dead" was returned. The Survey Department will undertake the observation of the eclipse, on the 9th inst., from Otahoua hill, about six miles from Masterton, when photographs of the corona will be taken and every endeavour made to contribute to the elucidation of this phenomenon. The steamer Stella encountered the full force of the gale while off The Brothers, at 3p. m. A large body of water broke over the port side, smashing and washing away the port boats and davits, considerably damaging the starboard boat, and putting the vessel on her beam ends. Auckland, • September 1. A boat accident is reported from Great Barrier Island, by which a Maori named Haite and his wife are believed to have been drowned. They were out in a boat during yesterday's storm, and the boat has been thrown ashore and smashed to pieces. Kelsali, municipal magistrate at Apia, Samoa, is reported to have died suddenly.