DEATH IN LONDON

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 146, 23 June 1938, Page 10

DEATH IN LONDON

THE QUEEN'S MOTHER

COUNTESS OF STRATHMORE

A HEART ATTACK

TJnited Press Asspciatlon—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received June 23, 2 p.m.) LONDON, June 22. The death occurred at 2 a.m., at her London home in Eaton Square, of the Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, mother of her Majesty the Queen. The King and Queen were present at the bedside. ,The Countess, who had a serious illness at her home in London towards the end of April, suffered a recurrence of heart trouble which ended fatally. The Press Association states that a period of Court mourning will be observed, its length depending on the King's decision. This will be announced probably today. The death is unlikely to affect the plans for their Majesties' State visit to Paris.

The Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne was formerly Miss Cecelia Nina Cavendish-Bentinck, daughter of the Eev. Charles W, F. Cavendish-

Bentinck, grandson of the third Duke of Portland. She was married to the Earl in 1881. Their golden wedding was celebrated on July 16, 1931, when they received a gold cup from King George V and Queen Mary. . There j were five sons . and three daughters of the marriage, the youngest daughter, the Lady Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon becoming Duchess of York in 1923, and ultimately Queen. One son, the Hon. Fergus Bowes-Lyon, a captain in the Scots Guards, was killed in action in 1915 at the age of 26.

PETROL IGNITES

EXPLOSION AT PUMP,

LOWER HUTT€ASE

An explosion at a petrol pump near the V.I.C. corner, Lower Hutt, had its sequel in the Lower Hutt Court today, when Charles Edward Fisher) was charged with smoking within ten feet of the fuel tank of a motor, vehicle when it was being, filled. Messrs. A. J. Gearing and C. E. J. Dowland, J.P.S, were on the Bench. Sergeant J. M. McHolm prosecuted and Mr. C. R. Barrett entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of the defendant.

Dudley Clarence Martin said that about 3 a.m. on Sunday, May 1, he went in his car to Fisher's Service Station to get' benzine. He waited for twenty minutes for Mr. Fisher to appear. Mr. Fisher was smoking a pipe and still had a pipe in his mouth when he pulled the cap off the petrol tank. An explosion occurred shortly afterwards. Witness threw the hose on to the footpath..The benzine caught alight, but not the car. Witness was burnt and was off work for a fortnight. He did not see anyone smoking in the car. He was the only one out of the car.

In reply to Mr. Barrett, the witness said that the flash occurred while the nozzle was in the car. He did not hear Mr. Fisher say anything about anyone striking a match. He did- not pay Mr. Fisher for the petrol. James Leo Prendergast and Albert George Holgate, who were passengers in the car, said they saw Mr. Fisher smoking his pipe. John Kenneth Gifford, a salesman, who was a passenger in the car,.said he saw Mr. Fisher with a pipe, but did not know if it was burning. Three of the men were out of the car before the explosion occurred. Frederick Valentine Freeman said that three of the passengers in the car alighted when it pulled up. He saw smoke coming out of the defendant's pipe. In reply to Mr. Barrett, the witness said that the explosion occurred when the defendant was at the pump. Constable Brownie stated that he was proceeding towards the V.I.C. service station when he saw some young men helping another, who was stripped to the waist and suffering from burns. The defendant said in evidence that he lit his pipe while he was dressing, but when he went below he put the pipe in his waistcoat pocket. One of the young men took the cap off the tank. He had pumped three gallons into the tank and was pumping the fourth when the hose came out. When the explosion occurred he asked who had struck a match. Two or three young men were round the tank cap. Someone was smoking in the car. In reply to Sergeant McHolm, the witness said he heard a match struck and saw a flash underneath the car. He judged that the match was struck by the sound. In reply to Mr. Dowland, the witness said it was impossible for benzine tc be ignited by ash from a pipe or t cigarette. "Then why do they ask you not tc : smoke at a petrol pump?" asked Mr , Gearing. "Because someone might light z match," replied the witness. The Justices said they would inspect ' the scene of the explosion before giv- ' ing a decision. ' After an inspection of the pump, Mr Gearing said it looked as if the de fendant was well over ten feet fron 1 the benzine. The case would be dis> 1 missed.

Allen'Gordon Wright, a seaman, was fined 10s, in default 24 hours' imprisonment, when he appeared in the Mt. Cook Police Court today, before Mr. G. W. Key, J.P., charged with a second statutory offence of drunkenness. One first offender was convicted and discharged.