ALEXANDRA.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 191, 8 July 1873, Page 6

ALEXANDRA.

(from our own OORRESVONDENT.) July 5, 1873. I have very little to report in mining matters, nearly one-half the claims being idle owing to the severe frost we have had for the last fortnight ; while those claims which are at work cannot wash up any gold from the very fact that the other claims are idle. One dredge only is at work, the Galatea namely, which is making very good wages. The Pneumatic has made a start to work the Clyde claim, which, has been lying idle for the last three years. It is reported that they have succeeded in getting on to the rich lead of gold, and that they intend to put on a night and day shift this week. It is greatly to be hoped they will find it payable. Mr Siedeberg’s Lilliputian steam dredge is still idle. The Leviathan steam dredge has not yet made a start, owing to the fact that they have not yet been granted the application which they made for a special claim. Clyde—or perhaps 1 should say, the DunStan Mining Association—did its best towards preventing the grant of this claim. The fact is, nothing emanating from Alexandra will go down at Clyde. I -would draw attention to a leading article in the Dunstan Times of the 4th inst., the tenor of which is to the effect that Clyde wholly and solely is the Dunstan district. I will not try to confute the article, as it is perfectly evident that the editor is suffering from “ Bridge on the Brain.” On Monday evening last, the 30th ult., a public meeting was held in the Library Hall, to take into consideration the state of the road from Nieper’s to Alexandra. There was a very lengthy discussion on the subject, all i condemning the bad state of the road. Nearly the whole of the speakers were in favour of i making an application for a bridge to be put over the Molyneux at Alexandra, it being on the direct route from Dunedin to the Lakes, via Tuapeka. It was generally considered that our friends at Clyde must have rather more than their own share of cheek to expect that the Government should build them a bridge and make about ten miles of new road for the purpose of snuffing out Alexandra. However, it is intended to advocate strongly the erection of a bridge here, and there is no doubt the effort will be a success, as it must be plain to the Government (whoever they may be that are in office) that Alexandra is the right place for a bridge,—that is, to suit the traffic from Tuapeka to the Lakes. The Mayoralty chair is going a-begging again this year. There is likely to be no opposition. This will be the third year running without a contest. We have a" bright team in office now, and I don’t think they are to be beat, —that is, in this municipality.