Wairarapa identity killed

A 73-year-old motorcyclist was killed in a road crash near Riversdale Beach on Saturday that left an elderly woman driver injured and trapped in her car.

Paddy Janes, who last year shifted to the beach resort but was well known in South Wairarapa, died at the scene of the crash after his BMW 650 motorcycle was in collision with a car on Riversdale Rd about 12.15pm on Saturday.

Masterton Fire Service Station Officer Doug Flowerday said the car came to rest in a roadside ditch and firefighters used hydraulic gear to peel back part of its roof to free the 77-year-old driver.

The woman was the only occupant of the car. She was conscious and talking while paramedics gave emergency treatment and firefighters completed her rescue.

Mr Flowerday said the fire crew took less than half an hour to cut free the woman, before she was flown with moderate injuries aboard a Life Flight Trust rescue helicopter to Wellington Hospital. Hospital spokeswoman Kim Whitaker said yesterday the woman was in a stable condition in a general ward.

The police Serious Crash Unit had launched an investigation into the crash but Masterton police could not be reached for comment.

It is believed the woman, who was a former resident at Riversdale Beach, had been travelling to play a round at the Riversdale Beach Golf Club at the time of the crash.

Mr Janes had just set out for "a ride on a sunny day" aboard his prized adventure motorcycle from Riversdale's Camp Anderson, where he and wife Zella had worked as custodians since last October, daughter Tania Hopman said yesterday.

He had been travelling west toward Masterton when the crash happened on a bend near Riversdale Beach, about 1km from Camp Anderson.

Mrs Hopman, who with husband Stephen is a director at the camp, described her dad as an "all-round good bugger" and lifelong worker, who cherished his family and the peace and solitude of the Tararua Ranges and Wairarapa coast. Mr Janes had two children, Tania and Michael, and eight grandchildren.

He was born in Martinborough but had lived and worked throughout Wairarapa in a range of jobs that included posts with New Zealand Railways, South Wairarapa District Council, Department of Conservation, and earthmoving firm Gough, Gough and Hamer.

He "built up from scratch" the former Janes family home in Featherston, and had worked up to three jobs to "feed our family", toiling as a lab technician and a bartender to help make ends meet, his daughter said.

Mr Janes also had been a competitive swimmer, run marathons, played competitive darts, and had long been a supporter of Featherston rugby, managing teams in the town alongside Peter Sargent.

He also was an avid motorcyclist and "number one fan" of his kickboxing Masterton grandson Zane Hopman.

"He was a mint father and grandfather who was very involved and passionate about his community, his environment and his family. He was exceptional," Mrs Hopman said.