ALEXANDRA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 466, 24 March 1871, Page 3

ALEXANDRA.

(from our correspondent )

It was reported here recently that scarlet fevorlmdattackedsome children residing on the west bank of the Molyneux. This naturally caused some alarm. It was at one time suggested that the school should be closed. However, it was afterwards discovered that there was a difference of opinion between the medical men of the district, as to whether the children in question were suffering from the much dreaded malady or not, and the School Committee deemed it advisable to proceed no further than to request the parents of the children to keep them at home, and to take sanitary precautions in the using disinfectants in the school Regarding jvolitics, we may say we have gone completely out of the business. The election lor the Provincial Council passed off about as

flatly as an election could pass off in a

well organized municipality. The re- - turn of Mr. Shepherd was considered certain from qis first announcing himself, and with good reason, for the majority of the electors almost pledged themselves to vote for him, Dr. Niven held a meeting here but it was not large! y attended, and hisefforts vigorous though they were, to turn the tide of popular favor were unavailing. Mr. Worth put in an appearance on Tuesday, and also spent some time canvassing, but the result of the poll showed that he was not “the Man for Galway” By an easy transition I pass from the election to a footrace—or rather two footraces—which occurred on the polling day and attracted more attention that the spectacle of Britons natural born or naturalised—exercising theirglorious privelegeof voting for Shepherd, Worth or Niven. The races were between Messrs. Jenkins and M'Naughton. In the first event the former gave the latter 3 yards out of a hundred and fpat him ; and in the second he essayed to do the same, giving his opponent 3 yards in 150, but failed. The shareholders in Iversons Beef . Conroy’s, I am happy to say, have decided upon sending to Dunedin for a crushing machine. Messrs. Kincaid M‘Queen and Co. are the contractors, and the price of the mill is ,£S2O. The Ovens Company were compelled to abandon the shaft they commenced the water being too.heavy. They have not, however, given up their idea of finding the main bottom, but they intend to devise some other means of reaching it. Preparations are being made to give a fitting reception to the Bight Bev. Dr. Moran, the Boman Catholic Bishop of Dunedin. . His Lordship will probably arrive on Wednesday next., _

In the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Monday last, the case of M'Kersey v. Chaplin, a claim for puntage, was heard. Defendant objected to pay oh the ground that mail coaches were

exempt from paying puntage, but on Mr. Pyko stating that such was not the case, Mr Chaplin’s agent paid the amount demanded. The case of IN' ieper v. Parker was further adjourned for a fortnight on account of the absence of Mr. Brough. Mr. Wallace, Mr. Brough’s clerk, claimed the right to appear on the grounds that he possessed the requisite qualification under the Scottish bar, and also as Mr. Brough’s clerk. The Resident Magistrate however declined to recognise M.. Wallace's right to appear.