The Motueka Star. PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. "Te Oranga Moti Iwi." TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1902.

Motueka Star, Volume II, Issue 50, 4 February 1902, Page 2

The Motueka Star. PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. "Te Oranga Moti Iwi." TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1902.

Sergeant "Dick" Stevens, late of the Second Contingent, and well-known in this locality, has applied for a comniiss--ion in the Ninth Contingent. Stevens, it will be remembered, was twice mentioned in despatches. Some changes are taking place in the .arrangement of the staff of the Horticultural Division, Department of Agri-

.Mr W- J. Palmer, the okl•est pomologist, will in future be relieved of a large portion of the travel3i»g. He will take charge of the horticmdiiiaral sections of the experimental e-Isafcions at Wairangi and Monjohaki. HlawwiE also.- continue the work of in - srferuatKHrin fruit culture in theTarai -- aikiidisti-ieA.. Mr S. I. Fitch, who has hitherto been located in the South Island, will take sap the work' in the utbhern portion of the North Island. MivW- A. Boucher, who is at present in charge, of the demonstration orchatdti at Auckland, will give instruction in ithe tAueklatid provincial .distinct. In consequence of the exceptional facili-ties-icir travelling \n the South Island, there, as compared with .in the north, have been got well inVihamd. .For the future, .therefore, Mr JJ'C. Blackmare will take entire charge, of the.. work in . the .South Island. .

QtVJar 6QO fat sheep and lamb£ were shipped by the Anchor Lme v steamer Kennedy on Thursday morning for Picton. They were purchased in the country districts by Mr Irving, buyer for the Christchur*ch Meat Company. The vital statistics for Motueka district during the month of January, as supplied by Mr Tarrant, Registrar, are, Births, 5,3, deaths 3. A partyof young men, hailing from this district is at 'present in harvesting operations at Bank's Peninsula. The. crop of grass seed is said to be light.

The following is the heading of a s-übscription list taken around Motueka lastsweek by-Karewa Riwai, who succeeded in c Electing a substant'al sum for the object in view :—Both Maori and European residents are kindly requested to assist, by a small donation, to put into-good repair and order the old Maori Cemetery, which although recognised -to be the oldest burial ground in the district, has been unfortunately let go to ruin.

At the Farmer's Union meeting on Saturday evening « Mr H. Everett mentioned that he had ■ written to a leading brewer ii> Eugland enquiring as to the Imp crop and .the chances of a market there. He had received a '■eply to the effect that growers had phenomenally large yields, and that none would be required from abroad. ! n November last Golding's were worth 60s per cwt and in December East IsLent hops could be bought for 37s per cwt.

A writer on trout fishing in the London Field says the Motueka River is " one of the finest trout, streams in the whole world. Teems with fine, firm, pink-fleshed, willing and game fish of all sizes. Not an earty river, on account of the unmelted snow on the mountains from- which the river takes its source. About November Ist the fish begin to take the artificial or fly readily. ._ Ihe ~ upper reaches lishable from Motupiko give sport towards the end of the season, when the fish travel up to -spawn. The chief fishing vantage-point is the town of Motueka, bnt accommodation with far-' mets-cam be-obtained right along the rives?V,course, and particularly good sport-may be had with the fly where jgia-B&ton joins it>

Wr The* business people~of' Motueka observed* Monday as a close holiday. A lurge. num be r of resi den ts left for Nel - somby Tsteamerj ecaohes and on horsefeck.. ;.:.;: f,:,-;, :;-,''.■

Hrwilllbe seen by-the ■ return pub ]islied>els"evv4iei'e,that over- two hundred! and fifty nine tons of fruit were shipped T from ~ Motueka ■ during the month of January, the quantity equalling;- T*i£sl 1 -cases. .

Wa-aare informed- several important chaiag.es -are* to be made ; i u the Nels-wv poli«e* dfs'triet, details s>f which jweyv*!! putsKkiiishoafcly..,-. , . - .'