COLONEL HAYHURST KILLED.

IN CAR COLLISION. OTHERS INJURED. An accident of a shocking nature occurred at yesterday morning, between halfpast nine and ten o'clock, when Colonel Hayhurst, Mayor of Temuka, lost his life., and Mr R. R. Martin, proprietor of the . "Temuka Leader" (formerly organiser for the Reform Party throughout New Zealand) was seriously injured, while, a third man, Mr P. M. O'Connor was more or less seriously hurt. News of the catastrophe quickly spread, and it cast quits a gloom over Timaru and Tomnka.

The accident happened on the Main North Road, opposite tho "SYashdyke Hotel. Colonel Hayhurst and MiMartin were coming into Timaru from Temuka in a new torpedo-shaped Darracq which' the Colonel had just imported, and had only driven a few times. He was driving himself yesterday morning, and when at the spot mentioned he saw a motor cyclist (Mr P. M. O'Connor) approaching- Both were on their correct sidei, and there would have been no accident but for the fact that a clog ran on to the road between the two approaching machines. Eye .witnesses of the accident say the motor cyclist, to avoid running into the dog, swerved from his own side of the road, .and that Colonel Hayhurst swerved, from Lis., side of the read to avert a collision witli Mr O'Connor. The dog was thus saved, but the two drivers simultaneously swerved back to get on to their respective right sides with the result that they collided heavily in about the centre of the road. The collisioa apparently caused the car to jump across the road as it got over the side of the water-race which runs along the western boundary cif the road, and jumping out of this again it turned right over ,and round, landing. with its front towards Temuka.. Colonel Hayhurst and Mr Martin were thrown out of it as it turned over, the latter, being pinned beneath the car, while* the former fell on his head and sustained a broken skull, besides other very serious injuries about the head, from which he died in a few minutes. Assistance was promptly to hand, and Mr Martin was quickly released from beneath the car, and conveyed to the Timanr Hospital' while Mr O'Connor was taken to his home at the corner of Wai-iti Jload and Sehvyn Street, Both the motor car and the motor bicycle were badly damaged. Two medical men were quickly on the scene, one from Timaru and one from Temuka.

The body of Colonel Havlmrsfc wt=> taken to the Washdyke HotS Ivhere an jizqnest was opened bv Mr V G IJay. district coroner. Mr" J. H \ Winn Sa *£ forma J- <T itWe c.f ; identil action, after the inquest iv^s W « ° V onnor ls machinery traveller cumstaiices- Tt i- ,1 . ei the Pl '"- hare sustained a fra^lTS h j?. At the time of S t U ,f eim S., f rom shock. Hayhnrst °° lo,,cl peditionary Forse.-nnri Mr Vn,f- Lx ~ foTr,;? • ~ . a . IKI the mem hers o f her family m t]-. GU - i rrepa , r „, ]p , <± s °- '' ei debased had four children. thl- ee and a daughter. Two of tI. Q r i

I Bllm¥ SKETCH OF HIS CAREER. The'.lata John Turnbull Murrav Ha,v hurst was the only sm of the lateW I John Hayhurst, of Green r oe. 10, JBft.j, while his parents were re ■ turning h-oiu a trip to the Old Coimtrv" Hi? early boyhood was spent at Temuka' 4 here ho remained two rears and v . urned to tbe Dominion ? in 18® £ lb7o he again went Home. tb-. s time to education „t the evs School Cambridge. On hi, return three years later he commenced famine "i on? ot his lather's properties, which he named the Leys Farm in meniorv of Lis school days by others it was known as the "mode! farm." While living there he married in JBBI, Miss Amelia grown, only, daughter of the lata Mr Job Brown, a well-known Temuka merchant and one of the pioneers of the district .It was about this time that Mr Hayhurst began to take an interest in public matters, and he v.a. 3 elected a member of the Temuka Road Board in 1882. He was at venous periods prior to 1889 a member of the Geraldine County CounedxSouth Canterbury Hospital and Chantab'e Aid Beard, and Arowhenua Beard. J-Te again raited th* Homeland m His interests as a k.nd owner in the district, however neI cessitated his taking an active part in J nearly every scheme for the general good ■; of the distr.et, and 'lie assisted the volunteer movement bv joinino- the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavlilrv in 1379. and '■ m 1884 he was elected to command the' i -Temuka Rifles. Whilst acting in that ; capacity lis was instrumental in the j erection of the drill shed, and'to his exj ertions was mainly due the fact thit it ! was opened practically free of debt. In In 1882 his father surrendered to hhn the general control of the Green Hayes property, and in consequence th e Leys Fc.nri was handed over to a manager and afterwards let. In 18BH a flour ■ mill, which had been removed froiii Milford to a site between the Wa.ihi and Hae-hae-te-Moana rivers, was completely reorganised by his instructions and i the present Simon's roller system was introduced. During the same period he I was interested in and comnierI cial pursu'its in the South Seas. On his return to the Dominion in 1890 public and general business were both given up and he retired into private life. He accepted the command of the newly orranised .South Canterbury Mounted Rifles in 189 S. Ho was made a Justice of the Peace in ISB4 and wa.s for many years a member of the Arowhenua ' Cemetery and Park Boards, of which! j he became chairman. :Tn Janunrv, [IPOO. he left Welling 3:1 in the s.s. Wai-

wcra, as captain of No. 3 Company of the New Zealand Second Contingent- for service in the... South African War and returned on June 13 of the same year, \ ■invalided. After Ir's South African ser-'i vice he was appointed to the command | of the Ist Battalion of the South Can- j terbury Mounted Rifles. Colonel Hayhurst was the chosen candidate of the Reform Party for the Temuka seat at next election.

TEMUKA SHOCKED. AND SORROWING(Fiton Ouit Own Co-respondent.) The report of the death of Colonel Hay hurst was received with consternation at Temuka. Only the barest facts were available for some time,, hub these, were, passed rapidly from cue to another, till within an hour practically the whole town had been informed of the distressing occurrence, which had suddenly removed one whose life had been so closely interwoven with the life and character of tho town that it was impossible to think of one without the other. Business soon came to a- standstill, shutters were drawn, shops closed, and flown half-mast. Groups oi men gathered in the streeis and discussed tiie only subject possible in the circtiinstances. -- The District High School, whim is one of those institutions that bad regularly profited by the consistent generosity of the late Colonel, was closed for the day, and the ordinary everyday life ■oi the to\m was completely dislocated. During the last few days of 'his life the Colonel had been much before the public, more rjart-icularly in presiding over meetings held in countctiou with the war, and never had lie appeared to 'better advantage. Physically 'he looked his best, and his natural gilts for public life were brought into fuller play by the .unusual occasion. ]n his large-hearted wav he made gifts equal to " £SOO to the War Fund, but his patriotism did not stop at this, lie gave not only his consent, but his approbation when two of his sons volunteered for the . Expeditionary Force. He was keenly interested in the war, and was one of those who placed the cause of Empire high above every personal consideration.

The late Colonel Hayhurst, in addition to being Mayor of Temuka, was officially connected with practically every institution in the town. He held very large property interests both n the town and district of Temuka. As a landlord he whs very considerate, and many people have had cause to 'thank liim for acts of kindness. He gave very liberally to every good cause, and the town of Temuka has for years past benefited to quite an unusual extent by liis munificent generosity. His private benefactions were innumerable, and scattered throughout tiie district are many men who owe their first start ir. life to him.

TEMUKA BOROUGH COUNCIL,

VOTE OF SORROW AND SYMPATHY"

At a special meeting of the Tenuilta Borough Council last night, presided over by Councillor A. Frew, Depiu rMayor, at which there was a full attendance, the following resolution '--ns moved by Councillor Mclnnes, seconded by Councillor Evans, and carried in silence, members standing—- " That this Council deeply deplores the untimely end of our Mayor, Colonel .'J. T. M. Hayhurst, and regrets profoundly the loss of one who has so unselfishly given -of his energy, !iK?:ii),s. ; and time towards the advancement of the borough. To every member of the Council he was the personification of gentlemanly cnurtesv, and his administration as Chief Magistrate of the affairs of the borough was a source ol never-failing satisfaction to tin* Council, whose members could not but feel ft all tim-os the certain assurance of dutv well done uiider such capable leadership. The Council feel that i/;e loss pustnined is irreparable, behalf of the burgesses desire to ■■■ ?i----vey to Mrs Havhurst and her fannlv their sense of deer) sympathy in their sad bereav-nmont."