ALEXANDRA

Cromwell Argus, Volume 1, Issue 49, 19 October 1870, Page 5

ALEXANDRA

(From our own UorrpxpoutleiU, ) October 17, 187 a Since my last letter the weather has been very changeable. At times the wind blow so high that you could scarcely recognise anything live yards a-head of you for dust ; in fact, if you were travelling a.;ainst the wind, you could make but very little headway. At other tun :s, the weather is everything that can be de-sired. But the country, more particularly the agricultural districts, could do with a little more rain, and I have no doubt they will get it in due season.

In mining matters we have nothing to complain about, although the river is now runnin >- at its summer level, and, as a matter of course, most of the bank claims have suspended- opera* tions. Some are still at work, running off top stuff in readiness for next season. .Nearly the whole of the claims had cleaned the bottom of the ground they had stripped. This speaks well for the truck system. lam informed that it is the intention of Messrs Kett and Co., at Halfmile Beach, to lay down a tramway, and work their claim with the aid of trucks. The same number of hands will have to be employed, but they will be able to get over four times the quantity of ground, and that is a great consideration. The Manuherikia Ground .Sluicing Company have their tramway and trucks in working order, but were compellod to knock off last Thursday, as one pump would not keep the water under. They have consequently had to get the shaft of their wheel lengthened, so as to lit it for working two pumps. J trust they will be successful in reaching the bottom, and finding payable, gold, for they richly deserve it. There is- no other party in the district who have done so much prospecting as this company, and thoy are still at it. Their neighbours, the Ovens Company, are doing very well, and intend shortly to follow the example set them by the Manuherikia Company, and sink for the main bottom. These two companies hold the only water rights on the east side of the Molyneux, and they make use of all they bring in themselves. There is work for six times the quantity of water on this side of the river if it could be got on to the ground, but every available drop of water is taken 'up. The only source from which water can be brought is the Manuherikia River, but it would have' to be risen somewhere in the neighborhood of ' the White Horse Hotel, and be brought through Drybread, Tinkers, Devonshire Cully, &c, and dropped into the head of Wai Keri Keri Valley. There is no doubt it would cost a considerable amount of money to bring the water such a distance ; but it would commence to pay on reaching Drybread, and I believe would pay itself for construction on to the head of the Wai Keri creek, whence it would flow on to the Dunstan and Alexandra flat.

The workings at Conroy's and Butcher's Gullies are being carried on satisfactorily, but no one is washing-up just now. They all-appear to be satisfied with their prospects. These two gullies have been worked for the last seven years,' and there is every likelihood that they will be worked for at least ten years to come. It is the intention of the shareholders hi the quartz reefs in tiiese two gullies to again commence operations in their claims. I believe they intend to erect crushing machinery shortly. The Ditiwtan Times correspondent at this place is pretty near the mark, I think, when he states that one machine would do for both reefs, at least until such time as it is placed beyond doubt that the reefs are payable. I would enter at greater length into this subject, but that I am afraid of being taxed with borrowing the opinions of others ; but in a future letter, if I am not anticipate!, 1 will certainly do so. The dmlgjs have sll stopped work,.some on account of too much water; and others that could work are at law. The dredge Galatea, owned by Halliday, Gordon and Co., is supposed to have discovered the richest claim on the river between Alexandra and Clyde. It appears from what 1 can glean, that Halliday has two shares in this dredge, and Gordon one share, and three others hold a share each. The last named three Work their own shares, Halliday and tiordon work theirs with wages men. This dredge was on a good claim from last season, and the owners have netted as much as £.35 a man' per week this season ; but all things must have an end, so had this claim, for it is worked out The last week they worked the wages had to be paid, but the dredge produced nothing to do it with, so Halliday and Gordon thought it best t« rent their shares, which they did to the men who were working for them. 1 cannot give now the terms and conditions, but the men worked a week under the contract, during which time they shifted the dredge about a mile down the river, and prospected a beach which proved to be very rich. On the Saturday Halliday and G or. lon repudiated the contract entered into the week previous, and told them they were still wages men, and insisted on receiving the dividen I from one of the parties who is the manager, and got it piid over to them. 1 believe they got fourteen ounces of gold the last three days of week. It appears it is an oral contract, anl the owners of the dredge think they can do away with it. Law is a queer thing, but I am inclined to think had the returns been twenty shdlitijs per share for this said week instead of what it is, that the wages inou would not hive got the oiler of four pounds on Saturlay night. Municipal matters are dull. A Town Clerk is at last olected, and I think they have a man that will keep the council in the right road. I believe it is the intension of the Council to have the whole of the g >ats destroyed that are not kept oil the tether.- No doubt they aro great posts, and at the same time are very useful where there are young children ; in fact, [ ill n't see how mothers could well do without them, but 1 suppose they will have to keep them chained. The beer browed at the Alexandra brewery is considered by some not to be so good as it was some time since, but I hear it is owing to the proprietors making their own malt, which, I doubt, they aro not up to, I trust that their next brew will be tip to the mark. I would bo sorry to hear comnlnints. as T am aw«.re this B.ieculation has cost a large sum «f mousy, and they deserve to succeel, and I believo it to be in their own hands to do so.