NELSON NOTES

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 95, 17 January 1924, Page 9

NELSON NOTES

APPLE CROP MATURING EARLY

(By Telegraph—Special Corresnondent.) Nelson, January 16 At the monthly meeting of the Hampden Street School Committee last evening, considerable pleasure was expressed at the succssful termination of the committee’s agitation for an additional room to the school. This means that children who during the past twelve months had to be sent to other schools further away, will now be able to attend. There is a possibility of a delay of a week in the school resuming owing to the short time left for the erection of the room. • Material for the new reinforced concrete bridge over the Hope River, at Glenhope, is now to hand, and work will be commenced at once. It will be necessary to remove the old bridge and a temporary structure will be erected in . the meantime. The new structure is of one span of 50 feet. The estimated cost is £lOOO. Work has already been commenced on the new bridge over the Wai-iti River at Brightwater. The structure will consist of seven 40-foot spans, estimated to cost £4500’ A "special” night, arranged by the Horticultural Society yesterday, was a great success. A display of gladioli was made on a large staging, and the beautiful blooms made a magnificent showing. A short talk was given by Mr. Arthur Day on the culture of the gladioli. Owing to the early ripening of Cox’s oran"e and Worcester anples this year, the Fruit Control Board has approached the New Zealand . Fruit Federation with a view to securing a chamber for the export of these varieties by February 5. A reply has been received stating that the federation was unable to secure earlier shipment to England than by the Cornwall (16,000 cases) on February 20.

At to-flav’s meeting of the Harbour Board, a letter wag read from the Marino Department stating that unless the board was. prepared to find half the cost of maintaining the Nelson lighthouse, the Minister would very seriously consider tho question of declining to further maintain, the light. Members expressed the opinion that there would bo a strong protest by shipping people if the light were done a.wav with. Cnnsiderntion of the matter was deferred pending a reply from the Harbours Association, With a view of encouraging ocnan liners to call at Port Nelson, the Harbour Board to-dav passed a resolution giving a rebate of 90 ner cent, on dues on vessels calling and lifting fruit tor export of a minimum cargo of 200 tons. It was stated that 100,000 cases of fruit were expected to be shipped from Manna this season. A motion was moved at to-dav’s meeting of the Harbour Board, that the special rate of one-sixth of a nennv in the £1 to cover the cost of interest on the £65.000 loan for harbour improvements, be not collected thjq year. After some discussion, during the course of which tho chairman expressed the opinion that the whole onesfion of finance should he considered before taking action, the motion was lost on the casting vote of the chairman.