The Motueka Star PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. “Te Oranga Moti Iwi.” TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1901.

Motueka Star, Volume I, Issue 39, 24 December 1901, Page 2

The Motueka Star PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. “Te Oranga Moti Iwi.” TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1901.

Christmas Day, with all its associations, will have come and gone before our next issue. We therefore take this opportunity of wishing one and all a Merry Christmas with a full measure of enjoyment on Boxing Day. In order to give our staff a wellearned holiday, during Christmas week the Motueka Star will not be published on Friday next.

The favorite S.S. Lily makes special: excursion trips to and from Nelson during the present week, full particulars of which will be found elsewhere.

Mr E. G. Wilson, Station-Master-in Charge of the Nelson section of the New Zealand railways, sends us a handsome card conveying the compliments of the season froth the staff of the Nelson section. We heartily reciprocate and can hear testimony to the fact that the section is now managed in a most efficient manner.

The following new police regulation has been published : “Every member of the force shall retire from the service on attaining the full age of sixtyfive years. This regulation to take effect from the Ist day of January next.”

The question of outstanding rates cropped up at the last meeting of the Motueka Borough Council. The Town Clerk mentioned that there was a fair amount owing but that he anticipated no difficulty in collecting the whole. Mr Everett also remarked that during the time he had acted for • local bodies, the loss through non-pay-ment of rates,did not amount to more-

than X2.. Such a state of affairs is most satisfactory and is evidence of the commercial soundness of the district.

Mr F. 33. Farmar,.managing director of Messrs Laery &. 00., Ltd., of Wellington paidi a. short, visit to Motueka yesterday.. He left per S.S. Manaroa m the evening, and expects tu 'pay a more extended, visit shortly.

A word of thanks is due to Mr F. W. Starne- r of Lower-Moutere, for kindly supplying a wagon and three horses to convey the scholars of that locality to the gathering held at the Central School on Wednesday last. A very appropriate pictorial almanac has been handed to us by Messrs Ryder Bros., the well known batchers, glhe subject is “A Royai Inspection,” Biid depicts her late Majesty the Queen, blessed memory,, inspecting and passing judgment upon a fine beast. “Trooper” sends a letter in reply to a communication which appeared in our last issue. The: first letter w*as published on the assurance there was cause for complaint against certain officers. If the aggrieved one will now place the matter before the captain we nave no hesitation in saying the complaint will be promptly and impartially investigated. Possibly he is not acquainted with the following paragraph (203) which appears in the Volunteer Regulations r —“ Any member of the Volunteer Force proved to have written or to have instigated any eommunicatiinti a. newspaper on matters connected with the Defence Forces of the colony or any portion thereof, or calling in question or reflecting upon any act of any supeiior officer, is guilty of iinsubordination, and is liable to be dealt with accordingly ; and if the communication relates to confidential matters regarding the defences of the colony, the offender is further liable, under- “The Official and Colonial Defences Secrets Act, 1891,” to be dealt with as therein laid down. If the offender be other than an officer, M he is further liable to a fine under section 109 of the Defence Act.” There is also another paragraph (194) which should be read in conjunction with that just quoted : Although it is intended that every opportunity shall be given for inquiry into well-founded complaints, and the redress of grievances, members of the Volunteer Force will be personally responsible if thev prefer complaints of a litigious, frivolous, or malicious character.” Mr Thomas Humphries, Commissioner of Crown Lands, Nelson, paid an official visit to Motueka yesterday. There is a decided change for the better in the weather and there is every indication that holiday makers will be favored with fine days. On Sunday heavy ram fell during the whole day and as a consequence the church services were not well attended.

Mr E. Burrell, of Ngatimoti, has forwarded letters to the Nelson Chamber of Commerce, City Council, HarborBoard, Waiinea, County Council, and the Motueka Borough Council, soliciting the support of the bodies mentioned in aid of the proposed railway from Motueka to Richmond and suggesting a meeting to advance the project as much as possible before the next session of Parliament.

The last issue of the Weekly Press contains a photograph of Bugler A. N. Matheson, one of the youngest mounted troopers in the Colony. Bugler Matheson, whoisasonof “Gus” Matheson, the popular landlord of the Coach and Horses Hotel, Nelson, is nine years and six months old, and accompanied his troop, the Wakatu Mounted Rifles, to Wellington on the occasion of the Royal visit. L ist week Mr and Mrs S. G. Robins >n, of Tabaka, wer-e presented with a handsome silver teapot and a silver mounted set of carvers by the mem-

bers of the Church of the Epiphany, as a mark of esteem and appreciation of their services in connection with the Church. Mr and Mrs Robinson are leaving the district. In response to an advertisement for ten volunteers from this district to serve in South Africa as members of the Eight Contingent, sixteen names were sent in. Of these ten men were selected, who have passed all the examinations and will proceed to the camp at Nelson at an early date. It is anticipated the contingent will leave New Zealand during January. The Awatere bridge, which is designed for railway and ordinary traffic, is now out of the contractors’ hands. It is a unique structure of fine appekrance. The length of the top floor, over which the rails are laid, is 1037 ft. That of the ordinary traffic floor below is 861 ft, with a width of 12ft and an average height from the river-bed of 40ft. The superstructure is carried on nine cylinder piers, three concrete piers, and one pier of piles. Captain Popham has made a claim of X 10,802 against the Wellington City Council for land proposed to be taken in Molesworth street for street-widen-ing purposes, The Council has decided not to admit the demand.

Three wheat export houses in New York have been forced to close on account of the demoralisation of the grain market and the low ocean freights. One firm has lost XI 60,000 over eighteen contracts.

When the Premier was travelling overland from Christchurch to Blenheim the other day, representative residents in one of the districts passed through laid before him its wants. One speaker mentioned, towards the close of the interview, that rain was very badly needed. Mr Seddon jocularly said that he would ar-range for a down pour. Strange to say ( on the following morning rain set in. When the Premier heard of this, he sent a telegram in which he expressed the hope that the people of the district were satisfied with the prompt way in which one of their principal requirements had been supplied. The message caused much amusement in the district.

A Napier telegram of Friday last says At the Ist wool sale of the season to-day there was a full attendance of English and local buyers. The clip generally was bright, clean, well-grown, and light in condition. Bidding throughout was brisk for fellmongers’ lots. Fleece wool, in sympathv with London rates, was lowered. A number of holders preferred to save for the London market. In comparison with last year prices show a drop of 2d for bright, coarse wools, for log-stain-ed and coarse wool, and about I|d for finer wools. Prices —Fine crossbred aud half bred, 4d to 5d ; good conditioned crossbred, 3d to 3fd ; log-stained, 2d to 2fd ; pieces, l|d to 3d ; bellies, l|d to 2gd ; locks, Id to l|d. The triumph of equality is strikingly shown in America. The fact that President Roosevelt sends his seven-year old son Archibald to one of the public schools at Washington, is hailed with delight by those persons who hold that everyone is equal to everyone else. Young Roosevelt is in the same class with Victor Sshulz, son of a baker; Elsie M’Neely, daughter of a bartender ; John Tyler, son of a coachman ; Elsie Linch, daughter of a confectioner; Abraham Draintonstoek, son of a tailor; Abraham Cohen, son of a grocer : and Frank Morrison, son of a sexton. Here is a subject for speakers at prize distributions ceremonies during the ensuing week. The following toast was proposed at a fireman’s dinner-, and was received with loud applause :—“The Ladies—their eyes kindle the only flame against which there is no insurance.”