The Motueka Star PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. “Te Oranga Moti Iwi.” FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1901.

Motueka Star, Volume I, Issue 38, 20 December 1901, Page 2

The Motueka Star PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. “Te Oranga Moti Iwi.” FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1901.

An excellent opportunity is afforded to shippers of produce and those who wish to spend the Christmas holidays in Wellington. The S.S. Manaroa is advertised to leave Motueka for Wellington direct at 5 p.m. on Monday next. The passenger fares, which are reasonable, are advertised elsewhere, The Motueka Fruit Growers Syndicate notify in our advertising columns that they “have eommenced receiving fruit. Mr Thorp, the manager informs us that raspberries are coming in freely. Mr F. I. Ledger, Licensed Surveyor, notifies in our advertising columns that he has commenced the practice, of his profession in Nelson. Surveys will be undertaken in all parts of the province. Residents in this district will do well to bear this in mind.

A press telegram received from Nelson informs us that the scholarship examination results are just out. John Jennings of the Motueka Borough school has carried off one of the district boys scholarships, being also close, up to the Tinline winner. The following are the results :—Tinline ; John Harder, Westport, 473 marks. District Boys ; John Jennings, Motueka, 462. Town Boys ; Allan Gilbert, Nelson, 419, School Commissioners'; Bertha’ McLean, 4 Riwaka, 429. Distant Girls; Muriel

Harknes% Reef ton- Waimea Girls: Esther Wilkes, Richmond. Master Allan Gilbert is a nephew of our worthy Postmaster-. On Tuesday evening Mr R. Hursthouse sliowed us a- sample of the Kentish Hero black currants, of which he has about 200^'trees. They were certainly the largest we have ever seen and have evidently been grown on suitable soil'. Two of the currants comfortably fill a small Bell & Co’s match box “there is no room fora third. A stor y comes to us which is worth repeating if only to show the meanness and duplicity of some persoirs. A certain individual who prides himself upon being a fowl fancier, borrowed a bred rooster from a friend in order ®b improve his own strains, a very necessary arid, commendable step. After the lapse of a reasonable period, he was asked to return the bird. Instead of doing so, he procrastinated and scenting money and renown entered his friends bird as his own at a poultry show. The rooster won a prize which was, without scruple, pocketed by the fancier, who has since told the owner that the cbanticlier had sickened and died. Nevertheless, there is proof that it still “claps its wings and crows.” Of course this did not happen in Nelson.

The showery weather of the past ie .v days has had the effect of ripening the raspberries earlier than was anticipated. In consequence, the growers have alreaey summoned the pickers. We hear that a consignment has already gone to the K. Jam Fact >ry. We publish to-day the Christmas and New Year time table of the Nelson section of the New Zealand Railwavs. It will be noticed that the Station Master has made complete and satisfactory arrangements for the conveyance of the public. As a large number of residents from this side of the Bay intend spending the Christmas holidays in Nelson, it will be well for them to study the time table carefully. The summoned meeting to elect officers for Court Perseverance A.O.F was held on .Frida}- last the 13th inst., U.R. Bro. C. Avery in the chair. The following members were elected as officers for the ensuing year : C.R. Bro. W. J. Moffatt, S.C.R. Bro. J. w! King, S.W. Bro. C. Crichton, J.W. Bro. R. W. 11. Rankin, S.B. Bro. J. A. Boyes, J.B. Bro. E. Smith, E.S. Bro. P. G. Moffatt. His Worship the Mayor informed the Council last Tuesday evening that he had received a letter and telegram from Mr McKenzie re the proposed Harbor Board for Motueka. Mr McKenzie suggested wiring to the Minis-

ter of Marine asking him to take the necessary steps to call the Boaid together and bring the Act into operation. A telegram received later on hinted that action was being taken and he piesumed something definite would he done very shortly. The funeral of the late John Staples took place on Wedhqsday afternoon,

when a number of old settlers and

others followed the cortege to the Old Cemetery where the last rites were by the Rev. Thomas JohnMi' D. Gardiner of Motueka has forwarded us a dish of Mammoth Long Pod beans, which are capital eating, and of extraordinary size. Three of the pods left with us measured 3ft 4in. If any other local grower can heat this let us hear from him and taste of the quality of them. They must be sent along during the Christmas festivities t > be thoroughly appreciated. A sort of “Jack the Ripper” has t -olea out in Odessa in the shape of a you" h eighteen years of age named -vm K apian off. With a long bladed po.-ket-knife he has stabbed no less

than sixty-seven women, mostly girls attending the colleges. The man has been captured, aha when the mail left was under observation in the hospital. Word comes from Hawkes Bay that things agricultural were in a bad way there also up to last week. The drought had made its self felt in every direction, and hot winds had tended to blast the countryside. The hay crop promised to be hardly worth saving, wheat, oats, and barley had apparently stopped growing, the pastures were parched. A note from the district dated 6th inst. says : —Nearly every one has finished shearing, and now hay harvesting is in full swing, and the farmer views his crop ruefully, as it is unusually light throughout the district.

A correspondent of a Dunedin paper makes a very sensible suggestion in the interests of the public. He asserts that an epidemic of carbuncles on the necks of the adult population has been traced to, or has followed, a visit to the barbers’ shops. He further affirms that carbuncles are an infectious inflammatory disease, which can be spread by inoculation. He suggests that barbers are not sufficiently, careful washing their hands and implements of trade after going from head to head. Operating surgeons have had to learn this lesson, he says, with splendid results, and he thinks barbers might advantageously follow in their footsteps, to the greater health, comfort, and cleanliness of the general public.