DESTRUCTIVE LIGHTNING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 19, 10 June 1914, Page 4

DESTRUCTIVE LIGHTNING.

STARTLING EXPERIENCE AT A" UuttTHOtdE. By Telegraph—Press Association. ' - inveroargill, Last Night The heavy weather experienced in tha Straits last week appears to have given a pronounced visitation to Oho vicinity' of Dog Mand, between the Bluff and Stewart Island. Fo.lowing tb» big qtorm of Sunday morning lost week, it was found impossible to get into communication with the lighthouse autbtorf- - tics at Dog Islana. On Monday, wltfc the moderation in the storm, the tele-. graplbl linesmen were able, to get across to the island by launch, ana on arrival at the spot, investigation showed th*t the lightnin" had played havoc with &!» wires, and had done considerable damwm to the ligjiithouse itself. The Jieant-keeper, Murray, wa* on ddtr ' when the storm was at it's height. life flashes first came into contact with %t western wall of tßile lighthouse, exting. lushing three of the sixteen light* In one vivid flash it travelled over the in- . side of the building, and Murray was knocked off the chair on which (*c was sitting, while the windows in the lighthouse were all smashed, and hoard* and bricks were torn away from the strnc-' ture as if merely bits of paper. Tfc* tank-stand at Murray's residence on the island was completely torn away, and the raMo for a distance of fifty yards was fuwd nnd rendered ,ffimple'toiy useless. All the cable box flttinsß were struck by lightning, and this portion of *' the gear will need to be replaced'. The linesmen to-day visited the wire where it enters the sea there, and communication is now restored.