BURNING OF THE HERA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 59, 11 March 1870, Page 2

BURNING OF THE HERA.

o The intelligence has reached us just as we were going to press, that the Norwegian barque Hera was observed to be on fire at 1 o'clock this afternoon, and that by 3 o'clock the flames had gained so much hold upon the vessel that it was deemed prudent to run her ashore. At the time we write the whole of the after part of the vessel is enveloped in flames, but we are not in a position to say precisely what extent of damage wiii accrue.

Pioneer Cojipany. — A meeting of Shareholders in this Company takes place at the Trafalgar Hotel, at half-past seven this evening. Maitai Gold-mining '^Company. — A preliminary meeting was held last night , for the purpose of forming a company to , work certain reefs that have been dis- ! covered by Mr. J. Sims, in the Maitai Valley. A provisional committee was formed, and it was agreed that a prospectus should at once be published. The Murray, which left here on Monday evening, only arrived at Westport yesterday, after a very rough passage of three nights and two days. We fear the race horses on hoard must have suffered from their boisterous trip. , A beautiful but extraordinary phenomenon was visible in the eastern sky between 10 and 12 o'clock last night. In looking from the town over the Maungatapu mountain, a strong glare was visible, as though from an enormous fire, while every now and then from the centre of this light a lofty blood red column would shoot up into the sky, remain a few minutes, and gradually fade away again. Had this been visible in the southern sky, we should at once have set it down as the Aurora Australis, but as we have never < yet heard of this phenomenon being visible in the east, we, with many others, are at a loss to account for the beautiful sight of last night.