The town of Motueka in the South Island of New Zealand lies close to the mouth of the Motueka River, on the western shore of Tasman Bay. It is, after Richmond, the second largest centre in the Tasman Region, with a population of 7125 (2006 census). The Motueka Ward had an estimated population of 10,900 at 30 June 2009.
The surrounding district has a number of orchards, as well as growing a variety of specialised crops such as hops, and formerly serving as the main centre of tobacco growing in New Zealand. A number of small vineyards have developed in recent years, one (Neudorf) gaining an international reputation.
Nearby beaches (such as Kaiteriteri Beach and Marahau) are very popular with holidaymakers, and the area around Motueka has one of the country's highest annual sunshine-hour indices.
Motueka, as one of the nearest towns to the Abel Tasman and Kahurangi National Parks, has become the base of many tourism ventures in those parks, as well as in Nelson Lakes National Park, and in other recreational areas. Extensive limestone cave systems (including Harwood Hole in the Takaka Hill area north of Motueka) attract cavers and rock climbers. Sea kayaking and tramping now attract many thousands of visitors each year.
Motueka is a former New Zealand parliamentary electorate. It was first created in 1860 and lasted until 1890 election. In 1896 election the Motueka electorate was recreated, and lasted until 1946 election.
In the 1860 electoral redistribution, the House of Representatives increased the number of representatives by 12, reflecting the immense population growth since the original electorates were established in 1853. The redistribution created 15 additional electorates with between one and three members, and Motueka was one of the single-member electorates. The electorates were distributed to provinces so that every province had at least two members. Within each province, the number of registered electors by electorate varied greatly. The Motueka electorate had 311 registered electors for the 1861 election.
Localities within the electorate were Motueka and Mapua. The Motueka electorate took in about half the area of the prior Motueka and Massacre Bay electorate; the other half had gone to the Collingwood electorate.
We were going nowhere faster than you
Our engines were racing hot and our skin turning blue
Out of our skulls no sleep for a week
You could say we were major league tweeks
We were so strung out and having a blast
Part of that white trash underworld criminal class
We were running those scams, living life on the lam
Living so crazy, eye always looking out for the man
Lowlife trash, bikers and assorted riff-raff
Could you kick it down is what we used to laugh
We were so strung out and having a blast
Part of that white trash underworld criminal class
We were strung, dumb and problems we thought we had none
Generational meth lab dysfunctional kinda' fun
We were going faster nowhere than anybody else
Sure as hell wasn't good for our health
I know we just had to see how high we could fly
Just hope you made it through to the other side
We would never front you off, but could you front me and pay you back real soon
Stealing mail, cashing checks, sweating it out in the heat of noon
Snitch us out and we'll make you pay for it some day
Thick as thieves is what we used to say...
Going nowhere fast... nowhere fast... nowhere faster than you
Then sure enough you're looking out from inside a cell
Trying to figure a way out of this hell
Easy getting hooked tougher getting out
And if you make it then you got the right to sing and shout
We were so strung out and having a blast
Part of that white trash underworld criminal class
We were strung, dumb and problems we thought we had none
Generational meth lab dysfunctional kinda' fun
We were going faster nowhere than anybody else
Sure as hell wasn't good for our health
I know we just had to see how high we could fly
Just hope you made it through to the other side
We would never front you off, but could you front me and pay you back real soon
Stealing mail, cashing checks, sweating it out in the heat of noon
Snitch us out and we'll make you pay for it some day
Thick as thieves is what we used to say...