FATALITY AT BIDEFORD.

Wairarapa Age, 7 April 1933, Page 4

FATALITY AT BIDEFORD.

MR. ROBERT OLIVER SMITH KILLED. A DISTRESSING ACCIDENT. The death occurred at Bideford yesterday, under distressing circumstances, of Mr. Robert Oliver Smith, a very well-known and highly respected resident of the district for the greater part of his life. Tho late Mr. Smith, who was 63 years of age, apparently was fatally kicked by an unbroken horse, which he had yarded at his Bideford property, “ Earlyhurst. ” Mr. Smith became entagled in a rope attached to the horse, which broke loose, dragging Mr. Smith with it, and his body was found some time afterwards on a steep bank. There was no eyewitness of the tragedy.

The accident occurred some time between eleven and one o'clock. At about 11 a.m. Mrs Smith assisted her husband to yard the horse and then left him alone, proceeding to the house. As he had not returned for lunch at one p.m. Mrs .Smith asked her lady companion to call him, but not being able to see him in the yard she advised Mrs Smith to that effect. Mrs Smith then, went to the yard, where she found that the gate had been broken open and that there was no sign of either Mr. -Smith or the horse. She found his hat and coat and saw evidence of Mr. Smith having been dragged along by the horse. Following up these tracks, Mrs Smith found the body of her husband over a steep bank. He was dead when discovered and the horse was seen further down the gully, with a rope attached to its neck. Apparently, after the horse had kicked Mr. Smith and broken away, dragging him with it, it careered along a track and down a gully, where Mr. Smith became disentangled. What exactly happened will never be known, but it is thought that Mr. Smith was fatally kicked in the first place. The cause of death was head injuries. The late Mr. Smith, who was born in the South Wairarapa in 1869, was a son of the late Mr. Wallace Smith and a grandson of Captain Mein 'Smith, of the Royal Artillery. He was educated under private tuition at Bush Gully and his first position was as a cadet on the late Sir George Hunter's station at Porongahau, Hawke's Bay, where he served for about ten years. He later took up a position as an agent of the stock department of Messrs Levin, and Co., in which capacity he was occupied for about twelve years. During his association with that firm he purchased “Earlyhurst” and took up farming on that property 25 years ago. The late Mr. Smith had a sound knowledge of land and stock and was regarded as a competent valuer. In his younger days he was a fine all-round athlete and was looked upon as a champion over certain distances, notably in hurdle events. He was always closely associated with sport of various kinds and" in this connection rendered signal service to the Masterton Racing Club, of which he was a steward at the time of his death. He took a particularly keen interest in racing and was an accomplished horseman, attaining considerable success at shows in his earlier days. Mr. Smith was an active member of the Masterton A. and P. Society and was the oldest sitting member of St. Matthew's College Board of Governors, taking up those duties in 1917. He was a staunch supporter of the school, which has lost a valued and generous benefactor by his untimely death. Upon the institution of the Government’s Small Farm Scheme, Mr. Smith made available under the scheme, a section of some twenty acres on his property at Bideford. This has been taken up successfully. The late Mr. Smith was held in the highest respect for his many personal qualities and the sympathy of a wide circle of friends will be ‘extended to the bereaved relatives in their sad loss. His first wife predeceased him in 1918. He is survived by a widow and family of one daughter and one son hy the first marriage and two daughters by the second marriage. Mr. Sydney Smith, Lansdowne, and Mr. Clarence Smith, West Coast are brothers.

The funeral will take place tomorrow, leaving the residence of Mr. Sydney 'Smith, The Terrace, Lansdowne at 2.30 p.m. for St. Matthew's Church and thence to the Masterton Cemetery. An inquest wi’l bo held this morning at the Mastertoii Court House.