The Motueka Star PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. “Te Ora Mota Iwi.” FRIDAY, AUGUST, 15, 1902.

Motueka Star, Volume III, Issue 105, 15 August 1902, Page 2

The Motueka Star PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. “Te Ora Mota Iwi.” FRIDAY, AUGUST, 15, 1902.

At the last meeting of the~Motueka B >rough Council, His Worship the Mayor stated that owing to the exceptionally div winter experienced the c l!s upon their finances for repairs and upkeep of roads had not been heavy and he thought the time was opportune to extend the footpath in High Street. The suggestion was approved of by Cr Moffatt, on whose motion it was agreed that the overseer prepare an estimate of. the cost for the next meeting of the Council. There is, therefore, every ground for believing that, ere long, this necessary work will be carried out; a work which will certainly be an improvement to the Borough, und one th it should have been done years ago ~— Inferred possibly on account of (that spir tof stagnation which has in ‘the pist blinded those in power to the fact ‘ that if Motueka is to keep pace With the times a progressive policy must be adopted. It does not require a powerful intellect or an abnormal faculty of observation to detect the steady growth of the district. The business people realise the fact and, as a proof of their bona fides, some are taking steps to erect larger and more modern buildings. Such improvements will benefit the Borough from a financial P 'bit of view and we wouUlv reject*' fully ask His Worship the Mayor' to

show his appredidtibh "tlielr "enterprise and by way of his occbp&hcy , cjiyic cbair,‘ 1 ' ’by making practical ' the question s< of properly lighting the main street/of 1 the Borough. Thq e|)j& thereof vvouid ‘ not’ be large, a lid the public 'convenience studied m the manner indicated woutd be marked yrith, apjifdbatibn by all. We question very much if there is another' Borongh ip the colony so badly treated in this respect r as Motueka, and it is high time the reproach ini this direction,' levelled at the devoted heads of long suffering tradesmen and citizens generally, by visitors was ,promptly strangled. The ancient, and in its way valuable, lahterri of the,lrishman, has been the mainstay of the residents for many years ; they would noyr appreciate artificial aids when the Queen of night is favoring some .other portion of this terrestrial habitation. As a considerable amount of discussion has taken place, \yith reference to the cost of metal crushed,by ;the stonebreaker, as against that broken by hand at the price fixed by the Motueka Borough Council, namely four shillings per yard, the following statistics, supplied us by a resident upon whom we can place complete reliance, place the position fairly and squarely before the ratepayers : -r- /

Average cost per j'ard, is io 7-743. Engine (£2 each day), and labor : —On 7th July, 5 men and 1 cart, and extra cart lor half the day; Bth,• 4 men and 1 cart; 20th, 5 men and 1 cart ; 22nd and 23rd, 5 men and 1 cart each day. It will be, noticed ; that during the five day’s crushing the machine broke 222 yards of metal at a total cost of L2O 8s 9d, as against L 44 8s which would have to be paid for a similar quantity of hand broken metal,the difference in the two totals being L 23 19s 3d. The machine at present is being worked at a disadvantage and cannot give a more satisfactory account of itself because of so much manual labor being required, besides horses and carts, When : thd machine is' ' properly equipped, as contemplated by the Borough Council, with feeding hopper and elevator, the cost per yard will be reduced by at least one half of that now quoted. *) On Coronation Day His Worship the / Mayor referred to the proposed memorial to be erected at the shore end of the Motueka wharf t > the memory of troopers who had served and died in their c juntvy's cause at South Africa and expressed a hope that the project ■ would speedily be brought to a successful issue. The question .was referred to by several speakers at the.last meeting of the Br-ough Council but nothing . of a definite nature , was done* although ) all approved of the proposal: Over a year ago Mr H L. Moffntt started a subscription list for the purpose and 1 succeeded in collecting a smn of money \ which he is prepared to hand, ■ over at 1 the proper moment. , He has on seve- , f ral occasions brought-the matter under. I public notice, with the hope that some ' oerson or persons, with.more freedom f-om official duties than he possesses, w mid take definite and prompt action. The memorial suggested Can. be procured at a cost of say .£3O ; already there is in view .ab jut one-half the am >uat required and if fresh subscription lists were circulated and . an . active c myass., made the balance .could loe c illeeteo. witjiiu a short interval The time is ripe f m it. just now, for \ with memories associated with a happy

", . ,ivdi 1 iuiv-t>.&J »spi««ql&o-j bln /'termination qf ap,4,, f en<- t 1 .t|iA‘onempnt g£ ,^.ing. w -#£**¥3 .pej:-.iQd of Pnxfety and suspense throughj illness, loyal. ij f qll readily consider, suph 'fM! qqntribution a peace offering.,*,, I

Date. Yards. Expenses. £ s. d. Cost per yd s. d. Juty 7 37 4 5 3 2 3 24-37 8 45 3 14 6 1 7 13-15 20 -45 4 3 0 1 102-15 22-23 > *95 8 6 0 1 .892-95 Total 222 2° 8 9 •