SHOCKING FATALITY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10810, 28 January 1921, Page 5

SHOCKING FATALITY

,ON HAPPY VALLEY ROAD WELL-KNOWN HATAITAI RESIDENT KILLED. PETROL TANK EXPLODES. DEAD BODY NEAR CAR. News ol a fatal motor accident at Happy Valley, which apparently happened at about 1 p.m. yesterday, was received bv the Taranaki street police station shortly after the occurrence. According to the police statement, Mr A. Robertson, a etationholder at Happy Valiev, was proceeding along the Happy Valley road shortly after 1 p.m. yesterday, when he noticed a body with face nearly unrecognisable and head badly mutilated. lying beside an Oakland motor-car bearing the registration number M. (Masterton) 682. The appearance of the car and the body suggested that the driver had been probably examining the petrol tank, which had blown up. On papers found on the body of the dead man it wag gathered that Iris name was Fred Hulse, of 181, Konini road. Hataitai, and this was subsequentlv confirmed by friends who identified the body at the morgue. Constable Dick, of Brooklyn, brought the body into the morgue yesterday: An inquest will be held.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

THE BODY IDENTIFIED. THEORIES _ AS _ TO CAUSE. MATCHES UNDER THE CAR. Upon inquiry nt the residence of the deceased, Konini road, Hataitai, last night, a “Times” representative was Informed that Mrs Hulse was so prostrated that she could not give any information in regard to the fatality. Our reporter was, however, informed by a friend of the family that the late Mr Fred Hulse, who was a building contractor, and 48 years of age, left, besides his widow, Mrs Evelyn Hulse, a son 18 years of age, and a daughter aged seven. Other relatives are Mr Richard Hulse (brother), Wright street, Wellington, and Mr Harry Hulse (brother), Cambridge. The son. a cadet in the Public Works Department, is at present in the Whangarei district on survey work. Through the courtesy of the Public Works assistant chief engineer, the son has been communicated with, and by file courtesy of the Police Department the relatives were able to get quickly in touch with Mr Harry Hulse, who is farmer in the Cambridge district. Mr Richard Hulse identified the body as that of his brother, Mr Fred Hnise. It is -presumed "that the deceased had run out through the Happy Valley i» his car to look at some houses out in tha; direction: and it is hot known whether he was going out or returning when the accident occurred. No other person was in the car with him, and nobody was present at the time. It would appear, however, that the supply of petrol ran out, and the deceased moved the car to the side of the road to inspect it, and it was while be was thus engaged that the fatal explosion tobk place. Burnt matches were found under the oar, dnd it 'a supposed that the explosion was due to the lighting of a match to see whether amy petrol was left in the tank. The deceased held a motor-car driver’s certificate. He. was, it is stated, a very careful driver and was not only a total abstainer, but a non-smoker, and the wonder is that he had any matches with him. The oar was in first-class order, and Mr Hulse was in excellent health. The reason why the motor-car bore a Masterton registration plate was that the deceased had recently purchased it in the Masterton district and brad not had its registration altered.