The heavy weather which was experienced in the Straits last week (says our Southland correspondent) appears to have given a pronounced visitation to the vicinity of Dog Island.
Following the big storm of Sunday morning of last week, it was found impossible to get into communication with the lighthouse authorities at Dog Island. Last Sunday, with the moderation in the storm, the telegraph linesmen were able to get across to the island by launch, and on arrival at the spot investigation showed that the lightning had played havoc with the wires and had done considerable damage to the lighthouse itself.
The head keeper (Mr Murray) was on duty when the storm was at its height, and the flashes first came into contact with the western wall of the lighthouse, extinguishing three of the 16 lights. In one vivid flash it travelled inside the building, and Mr Murray was knocked off the chair on which he was sitting, while the windows in the lighthouse were all smashed. Boards and bricks were torn away from the structure as if they were merely bits of paper.
The tank stand at Mr Murray's residence on the island was completely torn away, and the cable for a distance of 50 yards was fused and rendered completely useless. All the cable box fittings were struck by lightning, and this portion of the gear will need to be repaired. The linesmen intend to visit the arm and make the necessary repairs to the wire where it enters the sea. Until this is done communication cannot be restored.
• A hurricane swept over Pitcairn Island recently, and caused great destruction. Mr J. R. McCoy, who arrived in Sydney last week in a vessel that had made a call at the island on its way from South America to Australia, stated that it would be a long time before Pitcairn recovered from the effects of the storm. The inhabitants of the island number about 165, and they are all Seventh Day Adventists.
Mr McCoy states that they have sent about 175 dollars, chiefly in American coin, by him for the advancement of their church work in other islands of the Pacific. They have further collected between 300 and 400 dollars' worth of arrowroot and fungus, and are anxious for some ship to call for it, so that the money may be devoted to the same purpose. They are a sturdy community, and Mr McCoy draws a vivid picture of the manner in which they launch their surf boats, made by themselves with a pitsaw, to trade with passing ships for money, clothing, and flour, in return for fruit and vegetables.
• An outbreak of diphtheria has occurred at Papatowai, where some half-dozen cases are at present under care. There is no resident doctor there, and when the first signs of the disease manifested themselves it was thought merely that sore throat was going about. When the cases became more serious Dr Stenhouse was summoned from Owaka.
For the purposes of confirmation of his diagnosis Dr Stenhouse communicated with Dr Champtaloup, forwarding the necessary matter for a test. Dr Champtaloup confirmed the diagnosis, and the Hospital Board sent Inspector Craighead and a nurse to the district. None of the cases appears to be serious. They are among both the settlers and the railway workers. - ODT, 8.6.1914.
