FATAL ACCIDENT

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 56, Issue 4054, 30 May 1938, Page 4

FATAL ACCIDENT

PROMINENT KIO KIO SETTLER. MR SAMUEL JAMES SANSON. (Our Otorohanga Reporter.) The distressing news was received in Otorohanga on Friday night that Mr S. J. Sanson, one of the pioneer settlers of the Kio Kio district, had died at Palmerston North as the result of his car coming into contact with the Wellington-Napier express at the Cook Street level crossing, Palmerston North. The late Mr Sanson frequently motored from his Kio Kio home to Palmerston, where he had extensive landed property some seven miles out. Mr Sanson suffered a severe accident some years ago when a haymaking hoist fell upon him, fracturing his thigh and permanently crippling him. This may have affected his quickness at the wheel of a car, in such a busy locality as where the accident occurred. He was the sole occupant of the car at the time of the impact. The light car was struck by the front buffer beam of the engine, and was tossed into the air for about six feet, rolling over as it again hie the permanent way. The vehicle was then tossed across adjacent»lines of the track towards the railway yards, and came to rest upside down, pinning Mr Sanson inside. The injured man was extricated with great difficulty and was then unconscious. He was immediately removed to the hospital, where it was found that his injuries included a fractured skull and other grave internal injuries, causing his death some time after his admission to the institution.

The late Mr Sanson was widely known, and was a most progressive farmer of the old school. Some 25 years ago he arrived at Otorohanga from Palmerston North, and shortly afterwards acquired a considerable area of virgin land at Kio Kio, which he converted, in the course of the years, into one of the finest mixed stock properties in the King Country.

The late Mr Sanson was a jovial man, interesting himself in all classes of sport, and in the days of his youth was a prominent footballer and all-round athlete. He represented his riding for some years on the Otorohanga County Council. He also was a patron of many sporting bodies. The late Mr Sanson, who was 74 years of age, is survived by his widow and a grown-up family. He will be very keenly missed by a very large circle of relatives and friends, and especially by his neighbouring settlers to whom he was always ready and willing to extend help and advice on all live stock and farming matters, on which he was a recognised authority.