ALEXANDRA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 547, 11 October 1872, Page 2

ALEXANDRA.

o—• (FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.) Monday last was somewhatof a gala day, as besides the usual numbers that wer in town to attend the Court, a large number came in from various parts of the district to attend the three Auction Sales advertised to take place on that day. The first Sale, conducted by Ivlr. Chappie, was that of the Newcastle Coal Pit, sold by order of the mortgagee ; this property has ever been looked upon as a valuable one, and the spirited competition over it prove beyond doubt that it is so. It was knocked down for the sum of 3G9/., Mr. Paget being the successful purchaser A four-roomed cottage was next disposed of by Mr. Faehe, and realised 21/. on y. A general adjournment was now made for lunch, after which Mr. Chappie issued a general invitation to visit the Hit or Miss Company’s claim on Frenchman’s Point, the whole together with all the plant, he disposed of for the very- small sum of 105/. Mr. Nuttail, the agent for the Sub-maiine Gold-mining Company, visited us on Saturday and Monday last, and Worked most energetically in bringing the scheme under notice. On Monday evening he held a capital meeting, when ho entered into the most minute details regarding tho construction aid working of the boat. Throughout his harangue he was attentively listened to, and he was accorded an unanimous vote of thanks for his interesting and instructive discourse.. The public voice speaks favorably of the scheme, and 1 think it will be well supported here. Considering that Alexandra is the seat of all the dredging operations that have as yet been started in the Province, one or more °i its people being connected with eve y-gold-mining dredge, whether on the Molyueux, theKawarau, or the Shotover, this unanimous expression in favor of the submarine boat must have been most gratify-iug to Mr. Nuttail, and should do much towards placing it high in the public estimation. All practical men pronounce it as being adapted for its proposed work. The reeling mania, which was so strong here some twelve months back, has completely vanished. This is much to be regretted, as there not only exists in the neighborhood payable reefs, but also one of the most compact crushing batteries in the Province, it is truly no business of anyone but the owners whether the battery is at work or whether it lies idly rotting ; but why they do not put it to a profitable use is a mystery I cannot solve. The Conroy’s Reef has not been worked for a long spell. Perhaps, if a party of out-siders were to take it up. some little energy might bo awakened among the original shareholder. The Butcher’s Gully- Reef is also lying iu perfect quietude, with a good plant for draining the ground, consisting of an Overshot water-whee. and seventy feet or more of a six-inch cast-iron pump, with all the necessary gearing and connexions. After all the money that has been expended on the claim, it is a pity more energy was not thrown in to test the reef. 1 hear the whole plant is now for sale. The cap of the reef, if I remember rightly-, yielued twenty-two pennyweights to the ton. There is one work of some magnitude going on in the district, 1 refer to the Gorge Creek Water Race, it is being constructed to command the high lying ground above tlald-hill and Spear Grass Flats, eventually debouching in the Molyueux. When this race is completed a decided impetus w ill be given to mining in that neighborhood, and will doubtless be a paying speculation. On account of this race a sharp look out is being kept on the movements of the agriculturalists in the locality, and every fresh application under the Agricultural Leases is opposed tooth and nail. This opposition is creating strong feeling. There is nothing particularly- noticeable among the sluicers, all are at work with plenty of water.