The Motueka Star PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. "Te Oranga Moti Iwi." FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1902.

Motueka Star, Volume II, Issue 57, 28 February 1902, Page 3

The Motueka Star PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. "Te Oranga Moti Iwi." FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1902.

The public meeting to be held in the Church of England schoolroom on Saturday evening is one of Jth& most important that has, been convened for

some years past, as matters are to be discussed which bear directly upon the commercial welfare of Motueka and outlying districts. It seems but a short time since Mr W. Moffatt biought.before the notice of the meeting of Fruit Growers- the desirablity °f asking the Government to subsidise a direct steam service between Motueka and Wellington. Little notice was taken of the suggestion at the time, probably" on account of those piesent being absorbed in the question of establishing the-projected Hnion. Since • then, however,, the matter has been freely discussed in season and out of season,, in public and privately, and the conclusion arrived at by the majority tradesmen, farmers, fruit growers and others—is that such a service is an-absolute necessity, that the time has arrived when it should be established, and that considering its somewhat isolated position and the fact that the district reaps no benefit from railway’- facilities, available to more favored localities, this important district has a moral, if not legal, claim on the Government for' favorable consideration and assistance. The cardinal point to be discussed' on Saturday’ evening is as to whether the service shall be a bi-weekly or weekly, one during a certain period of the year. We trust the question will be thoroughly gone into, and-if statistics of past exports and future indications point to the advisability of asking Government to call for tenders and accept a bi-week-ly service, by’ all means let that course be adopted. As a correspondent points out, if the authorities are requested to invite tenders for a weekly or fortnightly service for a term of say five years and it was afterwards found the increased volume of trade would have permitted of a bi-weekly one, the Government might raise objections to vaiying the conditions of. a contract which would mean an increase of subsidy. M batever the decision arrived at is, we trust no time will be lost in communicating with the Government. We would also suggest that a thorough canvass of the district he made for signatures to a petition in support of toe project. We know from private sources that an attempt will be made by interested persons to have the request pigeonhold or dealt with in such a way’ as to make the scheme unworkable. Now is the time for those who have the welfare of the district at heart to stand shoulder to shouldes sink all petty differences of opinion, and show’ the Government that they’ are in earnest about the direct steam service to Wellington.

It will be remembered that when the question of opening the High School was discussed at the public meeting held last month, several speakers emphasised the necessity of starting forthwith, instead of allowing the scholars to become rusty through such a long intermission between the time when the schools closed in December and the arrival of Mr Wilkes. The School Committee approved of the Chairman’s action in aeecepting the services of Mr James Lowe, who voluntarily’ offered to teach the secondary subjects, pending the arrival of the master. To-day the schools closed for hop-picking and Mr Lowe relinquishes his self-imposed task.. It is but right that his gratuitous services should be recognised. We learn from Mr Harris, the Headmaster, that he is highly pleased with the excellent work done by Mr Lowe, who has given instruction in secondary subjects, such as Latin, Euclid, Algebra, and Higher Arithmetic. Mr Lowe is a highly’ cultured gentleman, having in his time acted as lecturer in a training College at Dublin; in this Colony he has also held important positions and upon giving up charge

of the public school at Waitaki, in the South Canterbury Educational Dis.tiict, he was the recipient of a highly flattering testimonial. -We trust the Nelson Education Board will avail itself of his services should a suitable vacancy occur in its territory.