GRATEFUL: Allan Hubbard receives a suggested registration plate for his VW from shareholder Albert Makary at the South Canterbury Finance shareholders meeting in 2009.

REGULAR TREATMENT: Allan Hubbard pictured on his dialysis machine in a small room of his house. The machine is thought to be the only private one in South Canterbury. A nurse volunteered her time after Hubbard helped out her family.

SIDE BY SIDE: Allan Hubbard with South Canterbury Finance's then-chief executive Lachie McLeod. In a related-party loan, McLeod received $15 million, a controversial deal which he said was repayed in November 2009.

HQ: After Allan Hubbard bought South Canterbury Finance in 1960, it was rated New Zealand's 10th largest finance company by 1992.

SIGNING: Allan Hubbard signs a book on his life beside the author, Virginia Green. At the time Hubbard said he had not read the book.

SUPPORTERS: Thousands of South Cantabrians gathered in Timaru in June last year, in support of Allan and Jean Hubbard. The march down the main street had not been planned and left police racing to close the main street to traffic.

BEING FRANK: Allan and his wife Jean talk to Mark Sainsbury after being placed in statutory management.

Just hours before his death Allan Hubbard said farewell to staff at the failed finance company he had owned since 1960.

Hubbard called in to the former head office of South Canterbury Finance (SCF) to wish everyone well on the day the office closed in Timaru, SCF regional manager Nigel Davenport said.

The embattled Timaru financier died yesterday after a serious crash, north of Oamaru. His wife Jean was driving and she suffered fracture injuries after colliding with a utility vehicle.

DANIEL BIRCHFIELD/Waitaki Herald HEAD-ON: Police examine the scene of a crash north of Oamaru which killed Timaru businessman Allan Hubbard and injured his wife Jean. The driver of the utility escaped with only cuts.

Andrew John Earl, 40, from Nelson, was driving the utility. A police spokeswoman said Earl was assessed at Oamaru Hospital and discharged with cuts and abrasions.

There has been an outpouring of grief on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, following the news of Hubbard's death.

On Twitter, thousands have tweeted their support and shock.

JOHN BISSET/Timaru Herald REGULAR TREATMENT: Allan Hubbard during one of his dialysis sessions.

jazzpan in Timaru said: "Wow. I cant believe you are really gone. You had the biggest heart this town had seen. R.I.P Allan Hubbard."

fentnz said: "Currently Reading Allan Hubbard dies after crash I loved what he did fir [sic] his community - particularly in the early decades."

rosiecd said: "Oh dear, just read poor Allan Hubbard died, hope he is remembered as a pillar of Sth Canterbury community, not tarnished by recent drama."

Jan McPherson, co-ordinator of the Stand by Hubbard support group said she "never saw this coming".

"It's a privilege to have been able to stand beside him for the past 15 months," she said.

"It is sad that Allan has not had the opportunity to publicly clear his name, but he has died with a clear conscience.

"Allan is one of the finest men our country has ever seen and we extend our deepest sympathies to Jean and the family."

Rangitata MP Jo Goodhew called the death of the failed financier a "tragedy".

"I imagine that his family are distraught. This is a tragedy for a family, as will always be the case when a loved dies in an accident

"My heart goes out to the family."

Labour Party Candidate for Rangitata Julian Blanchard said today he was deeply saddened on the death of Allan Hubbard.

"It is a sad end to a life that gave so much for the region and also New Zealand." Mr Blanchard said

"Our thoughts go out to Jean and the family at this time.

"Regardless of what happens now I will always remember Allan for his enormous generosity and goodwill and hope that history will remember him for this also."

John Funnell, administrator of the Leave Allan Hubbard Alone support group on Facebook said he was in shock since learning of the death.

"Mr Hubbard was a unique man in many ways. He never had a bad word to say about anyone, even the people who in recent times had particularly harsh things to say about him," he said.

"He went to great lengths to assist us and others who were in financial difficulty or who needed advice."

Hubbard helped Funnell set up a rescue helicopter service, which now has six helicopters in operation.

"These helicopters have saved many lives, particularly those who have been in motor vehicle accidents," said Funnell.

"Unfortunately, in this case, the outcome was not what we'd hoped."



FATAL CRASH

This morning police confirmed Hubbard died following the "head-on crash" and said the investigation could take "weeks".

Mr Hubbard's wife Jean, 82, who was driving their car when it collided head-on with a four-wheel-drive utility towing a trailer, was taken to Dunedin Hospital with what police described as "fracture injuries". The hospital would not comment on her condition this morning.

The crash happened on State Highway 1 at Richmond, about 1pm yesterday.

Police said Mr Hubbard was taken to Oamaru Hospital, where he was assessed and then airlifted to Dunedin Hospital. They were told of his death by the hospital at 7pm yesterday.

Last night, Dunedin Hospital issued a statement saying the Hubbard family had asked for privacy and it would not be making any "patient status updates".

"The family will not be making any comments to the media and ask that their wishes please be respected during this time."

The Hubbards' daughter, Lesley Limbe, declined to comment.

"We don't know the full circumstances of the accident. We want all the family members to be notified first," she said.



SFO INVESTIGATION

Mr Hubbard's empire collapsed last year and he was due to appear in court on October 10, after the Serious Fraud Office laid 50 charges of fraud following a year-long investigation into two of his companies and seven charitable trusts.

A second investigation, into four SCF related party loans, had been under way since October.

SFO spokesperson Simon McArley said it was not an appropriate time to comment except to express condolences to Mrs Hubbard.

"It is a terrible, terrible situation for Jean and the family."

SCF's former head office in Timaru closed yesterday after Japanese global investment bank Nomura bought SCF's good loan portfolios. At the time, Hubbard said he believed it would have been a bargain.