The Motueka Star PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. “Te Ora Mota Iwi.” FRIDAY, JULY, 18, 1902

Motueka Star, Volume II, Issue 97, 18 July 1902, Page 3

The Motueka Star PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. “Te Ora Mota Iwi.” FRIDAY, JULY, 18, 1902

Arbor Day was a season of enjoyment for the pupils attending the Motueka Borough Schools, who assembled in considerable numbers at the Port and with the assistance of His Worship the Mayor and several members of the School Committee commemorated the day hy planting between two and three hundred trees, blue gums, pi tins insign is and macrocarpa. During the aftei n ;Oi;i a tin of lollies, thoughtfully presented by the Chairman of the Committee, M.r R. Rankin, was distributed and duly appreciated. It is to be hoped every t ree planted will grow to sffbr d shelter m the future to those who assisted at the labor of love.

During a late visit to Nelson, Mr R. Hursthouse, ex-Mayor of Motueka, purchased with a portion of the purse >i sovereigns (presented to him by the nublic -in recognition of his many valuable services to the district during ;i long residence in Motueka) a valu•ible watch and a handsome gold chain. Che watch is suitably engraved on the inside of the case and we trust the mvner will be spared for many years 1) regulate his incomings and out ■ goings by this gift of the people.

On lo>king over the minute book •Cntaining the records of the meetings A the Trustees of the Motueka Cc.me-t-M-v, who have laley handed over tv eir trust t > the Torougu Council we fihd that the fi'st meeting was held on the 4th of February 1871, the trustees being Rev W- Thomas (Wesleyan) Yles rs F. D. Greenwo; d, J. Noden, \Y. Vv. C ippitis and H. A. Tarrant. "We believe the last mentioned is the only survivor of the trustees and it is worthy of record that during the 31 veers which have elapsed Mi- Tarrant has acter, as Hon. Secretary and

Treasurer, and, has also bepn chairman since 7 November FB9BU 1 * r ; 1 !

, On Wednesday evening the first practice of the Motueka .Gymnastic Club was held in the'.Church of England schoolroom. When there was a very good attendance of members, who went' through, a number of exercises under the direction of Mr Fitzsimmons, assisted by Mr .Fraser. There are.suspicions 6f comedy and tragedy associated with many public bodies and we find the Motueka Cemetery Trustees were no except i>n, although their discussions and '.deliberations were of a funereal character. For instance, the minutes reveal the fact that in 18.78, one of the trustees evidently thought he was on the scent of some horrible crime for it is record-. ed that “Mr had reatoi t> su-tpect that a body had -been buried in the' Cemetery ground without the consent of the trustees.” ' It was agreed “that the grave digger dig down wbeie he suspects the burial has taken place.” There is nothing further in the minutes to show whether a corpse was found “indecently interred,” or whether, after delving at the spot suspected, no trace of a corpse-was found. Again, a complaint was made that the acting .sexton (gone to his long home many years ago) had not dug the grave sufficiently for the long bier to be placed therein and thao he was the worse for drink. Needless to say, the “Knave of Spades,” as the poet Hood calls the grave digger, denied the soft impeachment, but we find that at a later date he was accused of again falling away from grace, and like the wicked, “standing in slippery places.” The Borough Council sat as a Domain Board on Tuesday evening when it was decided that the Clerk write to lessee of the D >main requesting him to remove gorse etc, from the land ; alsi) that his attention be drawn to the fact that the rent is, overdue. Cr Moffat,t''thought the B >ard should make an effort to improve the reserve by planting trees, such as the oak, ash, and similar trees. He moved That Crs Edwards, Groobv and Trewavns be a committee to purchase suitable trees and plant and protect the same. Carried. This concluded the business. In addition to the two new buddings to be erected shortly, we are informed that Mr John Rumb >ld, draper, etc, has purchaser} a sect on of land on the northern side of Mr Manoy’s bacon factory, on. which he intends to erect a substantial, two storey shop, which will he complete in every respect. Mr Rumbold evidently believes in keeping pace with the times and we trust his venture will meet with success. The building is to be commenced shortly.-

The poisoned grain supplied to the Council by Mr R. J. Trewavas, and delivered to the residents .last week, has been laid with most satisfactory results. From many sources we Lear of sudden deaths a mongst the feathered tribe, whole “colonies” being wiped out of existence, and the advances made for- pairing in the spring time brought to an abrupt termination. “Fie cometh not” will be the burden of the song of the surviving hen birds.