THE KING COUNTRY TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2141, 19 June 1920, Page 4

THE KING COUNTRY TRAGEDY.

SPECULATION AS TO CAUSE OF ' ACCIDENT.

The King Country tragedy which resulted in the death of Mrs England and her child, and Miss Lilburn at Tanmarunui, has caused widespread sympathy for Ihe bereaved family. It is assumed that the explosion of gelignite followed an attempt to dry it in an oven. Particulars of the terrible affair indicate that the gelignite was used by Mr England for the blowing out ol stumps, and a packet Avhich he required, being a little damp, was placed by him in front of the kitchen lire to dry, after which he proceeded to the coAvyhrd to milk the coavs. The explosion occurred soon after, and it is thought that either some lire fell out or that one of the women put tluf package in the oven to hasten the drying operations. Monday night avus very frosty, and this,probably rendered the gelignite super-sensitive.

A reporter of the Tanmarunui Press ascertained (hat the three deceased were the only persons in (he house at the time of the horrible affair. Mrs England was blown out of the'back door, and expired a few minutes after the arrival of the doctor. Miss Lilburn avus in a separate room at the time of the explosion, and her body and that of the child Avore buried under the ruins of the house, parts of which had to be removed by the use of jacks before the bodies could be recovered. The front portion of the house was the only part untouched. The stove was bloAvn to pieces. Mr England is almost demented by the horror of the tragedy. The scene of the explosion is at Mr England’s farm, the last house on the Olmra side of Urn Tangarakau Gorge, about 19 miles from Ohura. Mr William Proud England, (lie oAvner of (he farm, recently look it over from his father-in-kiAv, Mr W. Lilburn, avlio is at present liA'ing Avith him on the farm. Mrs England was about 24 years of age, Miss Lilburn about 20, and the infant son of Mrs England about 18 months. Miss Lilburn, who resides With her parents at Auckland, was on a holiday visit to her sister, Mrs England, at the time ,of the tragedy.