ALEXANDRA.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 127, 16 April 1872, Page 6

ALEXANDRA.

(From an occasional Correspondent Apr Since my last, mining matters ha proved perceptibly, and since the lati the claims have all been in full work, and party have started to work their e the Half-mile Beach, and it is to be that they will be more successful thai were last season. The Hit-or-Miss m, coming back to their old claim at F man's Point, the claim they have bee specting up the river having proved nc On Tuesday last, they formed a raft oi boxes, quartering, rails, &c, intend float it down the river to the Point; 1 some mischance the whole concern : away past the Point, headlong towar ! sea. Three of the shareholders gave in a boat, and succeeded in overtaM J but could not stop its progress, althoi | one time they got it fast to a rock. E | strain of the current proved too much: rope, which gave way, and the raft one started down stream. The plucky n the boat gave chase for about live mils ther, but were then compelled to give the raft having entered the rapids Butcher's Point. One of the men had a narrow escape from a watery grave, i got his leg entangled in the rope while ing it fast to the rock, but, fortunate him, it gave way ; as it is, his leg is set bruised. Some of the claims on the west bank Molyneux are doing exceedingly we I fact, it is very rarely that we hear com; J from those working on that bank. M' I Forrest, and party are progressing with : tail-race, and expect to get it comple i about ten weeks ; it is a heavy undert | and they deserve a rich reward. In n: ! reference was made to the Ovens Com I claim, on the Manuherikia 1 liver. i have managed to get off their first pw ; which yielded about twenty ounces i precious metal. They found they had stripping too near the bank, and art ; sinking their second paddock, indue j part of tlv j/t&HKSfc' hope to be d up by the S ■ week, and, fro; prospects ob should be thing handsome. It ought to be the for they have been to a deal of expens :as yet have got no return for it. The! i herikia Water Pace men are all in full j with plenty of water, thanks to the late i The number of Chinese is increasing m | they are locating themselves betwee j Manuherikia and Manorburn rivers. : informed that some of the parties aren I as much as £l2 per week per man. is plenty of vacant ground, and cveryo! j get water for sluicing purposes from Manuherikia River. Within the las! . J months, no less than ten water-races • : been constructed by the Chinese; s , I them taking-their rise opposite the Bal ! Hotel, above the crossing. Should the I I rise from 18in. to 2ft., nothing whatevc , |be seen of the water-races at the On j' and it will be dangerous for waggons. |; gies, &c, coming over the river, unless ,! happen by good luck to hit the proper ,; sing-place of the said races. \ j •On Monday last, Alexandra looked ,| by far than usual. One reason, no I ) was that it was Court-day ; but the pri . j reason was that it was the day on whi .: Chappie was instructed to dispose i r. j shares held by Mr Knowles in the * 3 i races known as "Knowles and Ofc . | A good deal of interest was taken a . j sale, and bets were even made as ti » \ should be the purchaser. As soon » j j bellman announced that the auctions , in the room, there was a general rush '< Bendigo, and the place was soon uncf T tably full. The auctioneer did not kee; ' ! waiting long, and the bidding was ' spirited up to £450, when it began t( -, j The whole property was eventually k» s down for £SOO to Mr Oliver, who now T | the lot in his own right. If there is as . j man in the district on the road to forra 5! is Mr T. Oliver, of Como Villa,— which •j | exceedingly pretty place, and will p ; j be described by me in a future letter. I j The commonage question has been [ i cause of considerable excitement here \\ my last. A monster petition has bee) _ ! up, and 400 signatures obtained. laj formed that Mr Turnbull has taken fr« x | this petition ; in fact, it is reported _ : while in Alexandra one day last weei r took the opportunity to abuse some oil e ; who took an active part in the matter, f i Turnbull is only a young man yet; j j as he grows older, he will learn more.