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Motueka Star, Volume I, Issue 26, 8 November 1901, Page 4

Captain Hughes, a well known shipmaster in the old days, who had commanded at different times the schooner Elizabeth Price, of which vessel he was part owner, and the Sea Rover, died at his daughter's residence, Richmond, "Victoria, a few weeks ago. Captain Hughes was known at every port of the colony, and recognised as a. bluff* but sterling old sea warrior. Fie was in charge of.the Elizabeth Price when that vessel touched on a. rock at the Wellington Heads, and was subsequently totally wrecked on the East Coast of the North Island. Captain Furneaux, assistant Harbormaster at V.* estpoi t, has gone through a severe illness. He is rapidly recovering. Mr F. M. Garland, a well-known gunmaFer of Connect 1 cut, has invented a 13b gun designed for use in the fighting-tops ot battleships. He claims that his new gun will fire 280 projectiles automatically in a minute, which can pierce an inch thickness of chilled steel. The agents of the Russian Admirality have opened up negotiations with a view to purchasing the patent. There was a curiosity at the Addington stock market one day last week in the shape of a fine three-year-old steer which was still sucking its mother. The steer was in grand condition for killing, but the mother looked somewhat emaciated.

The South African letter in the Pastoralists’ Reuie-w gives further particulars to the way in which the war- is effecting farmers. Their horses had been commandeered long ago, but now orders have gone forth that all foals are to be killed, no crops are to be sown* and lucerne lands feed off. At the same time scab is making headway again, ostriches are running wild, and there is an outbreak of rinderpest. The Australian pastoralist may have some reason to envy his fellow-stock-owner in Argentina, but it may afford him consolation to thank Providence that his lot has not been cast in South Africa.

A Taranaki man says that Te Whiti had to go out of business as a prophet because,the Maoris found, by sad experience, that he could not pick the winner in a hack race. They won’t even take a “ tip ” on a dog fight from him now. The potato is cooked.