FATAL ACCIDENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1210, 1 April 1880, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT.

A melancholy accident occurred on Tuesday, whereby one of our most respected settlers met with his death. Mr Jukes, who some little time since purchased the farm of Mr Hunt, on the Waikato River, had started for the sale at Harrisville, and having swam his horse across the river with the help of a canoe, and safely landed on the other side, just opposite Mr Ashwell's, remounted for the purpose of proceeding up to Harrisville. Immediately on mounting, his horse turned restive and commenced buck jumping, and, backing into the river, threw his rider, who was kicked on the head by the horse, and, being thus rendered unable to save himself, was carried away by the stream and drowned. Mr Jukes was a married man, but, we believe, without family. A very mournful impression was created at the sale when the intelligence of this melancholy accident became known amongst the settlers present, many of whom were neighbors and friends of the deceased. The accident was witnessed by a little boy who had come across in the canoe with Mr Jukes, and was returning. It seems that Mr Jakes remounted his horse before having goi fairly clear of the river bank, and that the horse turned, attempting to follow the oanoe back agaiu. Mr Jukes at one timo, it would seem, was nearly becoming a resident of Hamilton, having offered Mr Pearce a large sum for a partnership in the Commercial Hotel.