ALEXANDRA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 448, 18 November 1870, Page 3

ALEXANDRA.

(From our own correspondent.) The news from our quartz reefs are still very encouraging. The prospects obtained in prosecuting the development of Conroy’s reef are gaining in richness and the shareholders, though exhibiting a vast amount of stoicism, are elated ; but, at the same time are not creating that furore ef excitement some of your neighbors did upon finding a piece of stone on the surface, and, with a microscope or other ingenious contrivance, discovering the existence of a speck of gold in it. Alexandra has even been noted as a quiet place with unobtrusive and reserved inhabitants, and they are not likely to be led into an act ol rowdyism or outrageous act of disseminating false rumors because the lucky reefers] of distant parts are wont to do so, In this as future commnications, it is my intention to confine myself to facts as the occur, therefore your readers nor you Sir, must expect from me any gorgeous picture unless the circumstance demand it. But to the subject of my letter. Iversen and party are still working away. The cut is now some one hundred feet long, with an average depth of fifteen feet On Saturday last, at about twelve feet deep, where the reef is about three feet thick, a first rate patch of stone was come across. Froma pieceabout four pounds in weight oneounceof gold was crushed. There is no saying how much of this stone there is, as no gold was visible till it was washed, when, to use Air. Iverson’s own words, it looked as if it was all gold. The company are making every preparations for their crushing machinery. The preliminary steps, obtaining sight for machinery, head race, and dam are all taken, and the meeting of shareholders, which is to be held on Monday next, will decide regarding the mill. As yet, neither of the other claims on either side of the prospecting claim have as yet struck the metal, but, as work is being carried on most vigorously, a few weeks will decide whether the gold is confined to one claim. The shareholders of the Butcher’s Gully reef have met, and determined to commence work during the coming week. This company, it will be remembered, obtained a first class prospect, (over one ounce to the ton) from their first shaft. From the second shaft, over which they expended some months’ labor, they were driven out by water before striking the dip of the reef. This season they pin pose baling the first shaft, and following the reef from where they left off. In sluicing matters I have no great progress to report. The JManuhcrikia ground sluicing company hive been compelled to abandon for a while their attempt to reach the main bottom, the water being too heavy for them, awaiting the river dropping to a lower level, they intend starting two strings of boxes ana washing the top semis. The Ovens company have applied for a lease for mining at the rear of the township ; this giouud has been always looked upon with favor, when everything isarranged they will try for the bottom, and it is to be hoped with better success than their neighbors. At Frenchman’s Point, the Hit or M iss Company, and at the Half-mile Beach. Michael Kett and party, are busy washing away the top stuff off their claims, in readiness for the river to be low enough to commence paddocking. Most of your readers will doubtless remember the tunnel claim at the foot of Conroy’s. It was abandoned about two years ago. A short time since a party of miners took the claim up, and have been sluicing the whole hill away, so far as I can learn with very good results. There is nothing new to report from the sluicing claims at Butcher’s, Conroy’s, and Blackman’s Gullies. The miners have plenty of water, and are working away most vigorously. Mr. Diumiuy left here on Wednesday morning for Dunedin, taking with him the model of his machine, as also a petition to his Honor the Superintendent, praying that the Government Engineer might he instructed to inspect and report upon his plan for raising water from the Molyneux. Should the report be favorable, the Government could not do better than devote a portion of the money voted for supplying the goldfields with water to putting Mr. Druinmy’s plan into practice. At any rate the district will have to see to th t.