MOTU NOTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 953, 28 July 1903, Page 3

MOTU NOTES.

(By Our Travelling Representative.) The district of Motu is showing great activity at present, due chiefly to the coming dairy industry. Farmers on all sides are very busy in the purchasing of suit- | able stock, constructing yards, erecting sheds and fences. In sympathy with other parts of the 1 colony, Opotiki is having an additional dairy factory erected. The new factory, I understand, will be erected on the waiotahi flats, which country is eminently suited for dairying purposes. The Bay of Plenty district is at present experiencing a mild land boom. Numbers of land-hunters have lecently arrived there from Wellington, l’auranga, and elsewhere, seeking investments in good land. As showing the demand for land with reasonable access, there were no fewer than 311 applications for two sections of land ballotted for from the Crown. Settlement is going on apace in Motu, recent arrivals are Messrs Jackson, Nickle, Richardson and Sefton. All these persons are either busy felling bush or have let contracts. In addition to these Messrs J. Roderick and Fraser have let bush-felling contracts. It has not been the general custom for Maoris to fell bush on Native reserves, but I notice a number of Opotiki Natives have already felled a large area of bush on their Wbitikau reserves this season. A gang of Natives have also commenced felling operations on their reserve adjoining the Motu. lam sure the Natives must be commended for their pluck and energy.. When recently in Gisborne I was quite delighted to pay a visit to the skating rink, and, judging from what I saw, the old game still has its merriments and at

factions Mr T. McGregor, of Poverty Bay, paid Motu a business visit this weok in connection with the erection of the dairy factory. Four drays, the first containing - material for the factory, arrived here last Friday. They will be followed by repeated loads. Mr Hansen is also busy sawing the timber for the building. Mr Eobertson, of Gisborne, Government Eoad Engineer, has also been on a business visit to Motu. He has given instructions to have the main road near Motu put into good repair, and also laid off a portion of the new road, Motu to Opotiki. This will be gone on with immediately. One of the most important works reI quiring to be done in Motu is the erection of a bridge over the Motu river on the new road, and it is to be hoped the Government will not lose Bight of its importance. It is situated on a main road that gives access to large areas of lands recently taken up. Last week Mr Bedstone’s coach and five horses made its appearance in Motu, bringing a number of bush-fellers from Gisborne. Tho journey was a tedious and hard one both for horses and men. Mr Bedstone has now the honor of running the first coach to Motu. Luckily for the driver your humble servant was absent when the coach arrived, as ho oscaped be-

mg interviewed. Last week Mr A. Hickford met with a nasty but not serious accident at Motu, having cut his foot with an axe. At the same placo last Tuesday Mr F. Hansen met with a painful accident. It appears he was engaged jacking some timber, when suddenly the spear of the jack broke through the timber, and the log fell heavily on to Mr Hansen’s head, crushing it badly against the iron spear, Although very much cut and bruised it is hoped there are no bones broken.