MOTOR FATALITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1078, 5 December 1911, Page 3

MOTOR FATALITY.

MR JOHN COTTKR KILLKD

Masterton, December 3

A fatal accident occurred on the Opaki road some six miles from Masterton yesterday' afternoon, resulting iu the death of Mr John Cotter, one of the best known settlers in the North Island. The deceased and Mr Kdward Barling left Palmerston North at ro a.m. in a motor-car, the deceased driving. On going up a hill about six miles from Masterton the car was turning round a bend iu the road when two ot the wheels swerved into a gutter. The deceased apparently became unnerved, and in an attempt to swing the car from the gutter it capsized on to deceased and then rolled down the hill. Mr Colter was killed instantly, having his neck broken aud head crushed. Mr Barling was thrown out and badly injured in the hip aud head. At the inquest this afternoon a verdict was brought in that deceased met his death by misadventure aud a rider added that the attention of the County Council be drawn to a projection on the hill where the accident occurred with a view to having it removed. Deceased was sixty-one years of age.

The late Mr Cotter had been a prominent figure iu the sporting field from the very early days. He was at one time champion pole jumper of New Zealand and a very good runner. He was also an accomplished aud daring amateur rider, and his services were at one time in constant request, especially a I the Wairarapa meetings. His success on his well-remembered mate Koromiko iu the longdistance cavalry races iu the early days are still the theme of conversation amongst earliest settlers. As showing the hardihood of the pioneer athletes Mr Cotter was fond of telling how he aud his brothers-in-law, the Messrs Jacksou, of Stouestead, used to ride Irom Greytowu over the Rimutaka ranges (a very rough track in the old days) to the Basin Reserve in Wellington, take part in the sports there, return to Masterton the same night, participate in various events in the athletic meeting there, aud then dance all night. Foi many years after leaving the paternal roof at Riverside, Mr Cottor engaged iu farming nr the Wanganui river district. He then bought the laud at Ashhurst between the gorge and the township. The estate which is now a picture of smiling pasture laud was at that time a wilderness ol bush, so rough that its new owner christened it “Siberia.” It was subsequently sold to Mr A. Harding, of Hawke's Bay, aud alter a prolonged tour of the world, Mr Cottor settled in Greytowu, where he owned considerable property. The deceased was a man ot extraordinary business ability and of singular integrity. He was a prominent figure at all race meetings, aud was reputed as one of the straiglitest as well as one of the keenest and most popular men on the turf. His demise will be mourned by a very large circle of friends and acquaintances.