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Motueka Star, Volume II, Issue 56, 25 February 1902, Page 3

One of Charlestons best known and respected residents, Mr Gardner, is spending his annual holiday in Motueka just now. . -

Mr H. Rumbold's motion at the meeting held on Saturday night referred to the “quantity” of cargo shipped via Nelson, not “quality” as repotted elsewhere. In reference to the discussion which took place at the last meeting of the Borough Council on the subject of a direct steam service to Wellington from Motueka, and which was not reported in the Motueka Star, we have to state that the membfers of the Council, by a motion, almost unanimously carried, resolved that the discussion be not made public. In face of such a decision, it would have been a gross breach of faith on our part to have published It. We have nothing to do with the motives which actuated that body, but, we may state that on our part we have always endeavored to give fair and impartial reports of all public meetings held in the district, and in the case referred to we should have followed our usual course had not an embargo' been placed upon us by the Councillors. Mr F. W. Fairey, of Nelson is at present or a visitto Motueka. “Chum”, as he is generally called, is a real live citizen, and as a City Councillor has proved himself to be a man of progressive ideas. .

At the direct steam-service meeting, held on Saturday evening, the discuss-

ion at times was sultry. At one period Or Satherly wanted to know why the Mayor was not speck-illy invited and why the conveners of the meeting were ashamed to attach their names to .he circular issued. The Chairman and Mr Banfield warmly replied, to the efiect that they had nothing to be ashamed of. They had made the matter as public as possible. A supplement to the Gazette issued last Monday contains regulations regarding District High Schools, and regulations under the Manual and Technical Instruction Act of 1900. The last New Zealand Gazette notifies the re-appointment of Mr Daniel Bate, of Riwaka, as a member of the Nelson Land Board. Mr Bate has served on the Board for some years, and having a thorough knowledge of the lands to be dealt with, his services have been of great use to that important body. We congratulate Mr Bate on his re-appointment. An important meeting of the local branch of the Farmer’s TJnion will be held on Saturday evening next, the Ist March. The principal business to be discussed will be the direct steam service and as the question is of vital importance to the district it is hoped there will be a representative meeting. Messrs Everett Bros, notify that their local establirlrment will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday next in order to allow of their manager, Mr John Fowler, visiting Nelson in order to make a choice stlection of goods forth e coming season.

With this issue of the Motueka Starve circulate the programme of the Riwaka Collie Club, whose annual trial takes place in Mi- Thomas Macmahon’s paddock on Saturday the 29th March. An excellent programme has been arranged and as a considerable number of outsiders will enter-for the events there should be a large gathering. The matter lias been taken up with enthusiasm! by the officials and hoii. secretary which fact augurs well for the success of the gathering.

It is notified elsewhere 9 that a class of instruction for- officers will commence in Nelson on Saturday, the Ist of March. Further particulars published elsewhere. On Friday last we published an advertisement from Mr James Reilly, the well known and respected landlord of the Junction Hotel, of Takaka, inviting tenders for the erection of a new hotel at the Junction. It will be noticed that the tenders close on the 11th March and that further particulars may be obtained on application to Mr Reilly. We had an opportunitv of inspecting the plans submitted at the last meeting of the Motueka Licensing Committee for approval. The proposed hotel will be a handsome and convenient structure, providing for a large number of bedrooms, dining room and other rooms usually found in an up-to-date hotel. Mr Reilly is to be congratulated upon;his determination to meet the wants of his largely increased trade, and to keep pace -with the requirements of such a fertile locality as Takaka. '

Messrs Murray, Roberts and Co. report :—We offered a few bags of wool and 1500 skins last Friday. Prices showed no change from late sales, and catalogues were quitted at the undernoted figures :—Good crossbreds, 3d to 3§ per lb; dead and inferior, 2d to 2|d; hoggets, 14d to 2|d; lamb skins, 2|d to During the”year ended on the 31st December, 1901, the sum of L 526 7s was voted by the Harbor Board for travelling expenses. Mr P: G. Moffatt, of the Cash Store, has forwarded us the last number of the Auckland Weekly News for which he is the local agent. This popular weekly is still maintaining its reputation as

a high class colonial- journal. The illustrations, which are always good, include a number referring to the Nelson Jubilee celebx-ations, which are the best we have seen.

TheTaieri and Peninsula Dairy Company paid away no less than £1 7,000 last month for milk. This month the company expects to distribute close upon LIB,OOO. It is turning out eight tons of butter per day. The Waikato County Council has decided to unite with other local bodies in protesting against the cost of ,the last Government valuations. Tlie Council has been billed for* .£2OO for what is practically a copy of a private valuation that only cost it <£7s.

A settler in the Levin district informs a contemporary that lie has decided to try the experiment of manuring some of his land, .with . sawdust from one of the local mills. The material will be ploughed deeply into the soil.

The Wellington Post says : In the cliam which he has filed with the Clerk of Awards under the Workers’ Compensation for Accidents Act, 1900, Brian Francis Weller seeks to recover L3OO from Charles Edward Daniel, of Master-ton, sawmiller and builder. The papers set forth that at the time of the accident claimant was engaged on respondent’s tramway,' trucking timber. In mounting the truck to control the brake claimant’s foot slipped and he fell to the ground, a wheel passing over his leg. The injury was such that the leg had to be amputated at the thigh, thereby, it is stated, totally incnpftcitt hith from furtiiGr "worlv

Mr W. C. Buchanan has intimated his intention of contesting the Wairarapa seat in the Opposition interest. Mi- E. A. Kelly, a Norfolk electrician, applied three weeks ago for a, patent on a car to operate by electricity, .vhich he believes will carry mails overlanu at a rate of 400 miles an hour. The working model appears to warrant him in his belief. The car is shipshaped, with wheels as high as the car itself. It is built on the theory that a magnet always goes to the largest end of a piece of iron. Between the rails Kelly has arranged a series of iron plates, small at one end and large at the other, the narrow ends all pointing one way. The magnetised car used as a. model -follows these plates at a, high speed. As it reaches the tnd of each plate the current is automatically cut and the cars jumps to the next platte. A half mile circular track and a larger car will be built for the inventor’s next experiment.

Here is an indication of the money there is in dairying. 4. farmer at Bunnythorpe, leasing forty acres, is milking eighteen cows (three of which are heifers), for the milk of which he has been receiving an -average of over L 23 a month. He reckons to receive an average for the season of LlO a cow. Figs, calves an poultry will further add to the dairyman’s revenue, say another LSO, which brings his yearly income up to L 230. Allowing L4O a year for rent and another L4O for feed and incidentals, a net return is secured of LI 50. Wages have not to be considered, for the simple fact that owner does all the work himself'. As he puts it, “ he treats his wife like a white woman and allows her to confine her attention to the housework.” The cows which give the above satisfactory return are well-bred shorthorns of a proved milking strain. Shorthorns appear to do better on the Bunnythorpe-land than any other breed, though Mr Standen, the noted Ayrshire breeder, has done particularly well with the smaller breed. The secondary classes at the Gisborne School are stated to be working satisfactorily on their temporary basis of free education to-all* pupils who have passed the Sixth- Standard.