21 MAY 1954, Page 7

The Reason Why

I speculated last week' about the contents If the letter in which Mr. Bevan explained to the Beaconsfield magistrates his reasons for failing to stop after his recent collision with a coach. The letter was, I gather, concerned with the probable ill-effects on his mother-in-law's health—which is far from robust—if, as a result of his stopping, the news of his mishap had reached Fleet Street in the middle of the night. Mr. Bevan was anxious to spare her the shock to which importunate Press enquiries at an unreasonable hour might have subjected her.