ALEXANDRA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 930, 13 February 1880, Page 3

ALEXANDRA.

(FROM OUR OW.V CO!! RESPOND EXT.) At the Court on Monday the only c.-ise that excited much a' tendon was fhat of the Police v Ballanlyiie, who was charge! by (Constable M‘ hood with indecently exposing himself at Alexandra on the 10 hj January The prisoner pleaded not guilty, and was defended by Mr 8!..0d Mr Inspector O’Donnell prosecuted. After <*vi I ence had been adduced. Major Ivddeli. who occupied the Bench, considered lhcharge p-oved, and sentence 1 prisoner to one month’s imprisonment with hard labour in Clyde Gaol. Evans, for committing a breach of the peace on the Ist February, at Alexandra, pleaded guilty and was fined 20s and 7a costs. In an action for trespass —Richard M'Natnara v. James S wayne Mr Wilson for plaintiff, the evidence was very contradictory, and after a lengthy investigation His Worship found Swayne guilty, ami fined him in the nominal penalty of Is and costs 275. Jas. Rivers v. Marche was a judgment summons for Ll7 12s 9d. Summons dismissed with costs for defendant. M'Kenzie, Fraser and party are busily engaged putting their dredge together a short distance above tin town. They expect to complete it and get it t. work in about two months, it will embrace many new improvements, the buckets being the latest designs. With the old rickety barge they had previously and the somewhat primitive maohi nery, they were unable to make it pay, and I do not see but that with all the gear iugnew embracing the latest improvements, they must m ike this more than pay. Below the Teviot in ground that was nothing like so rich as was that between Clyde and Alexandra, three of these current wheel dredges, the whole of them giving good dividends, the natural assumption there is that a like or even greater number would pay as well here. That there is gold in the river has been proved times out of number, the only wonder is that some of the superfluous capital of the country is not invested with the view of getting it out. No fancy schemes such as your sub-mar* ines and pneumatics are wanted, but such a machine as is used in deepening channels in rivers and harbors, one that will remove dirt without limit, with the additional apparatus for treating the dirt to extricate the gold from it, and it must perforce pay. With the motive power provided free of cost, the only attention required being to replenish the oil feeders, the most benighted individual must see that with gold, even in the most infinitesimal particles, that tho machine must pay. I am endeavoring to g»t at something like the cost of a dredge complete on the river, say either Clyde or Alexandra, and when obtained, I will ask you to publish it, an 1 if after then public spirit is so lethargic as not to go into the scheme, that is admitting the cost to be anything in reason, I will then say speculation is dead. The contractors for the bridge here are making headway, the Eastern pier, and which isa handsome piece of masonry, is finished up to a level with the roadway, and work is now commenced on the Western one. These men are exceeding theexpec'a tions of their most ardent admirers by the display of such tact in dealing with a work of so great a magnitude, and it no particular mishap occurs, they should be able to turn

it over with a c°od balance to their credit. Many were the croakers that ominously shook their heads, and owl-like looked wise when foreboding trouble and disaster, but one by one they are getting wonderfully cute, and eee now that they reckoned without their host. There is not a great amount of mining being carried on about here just now. but those that are so engaged are making a fair thing of it, the principle field is on the West bank of the Molynenx between here and Clyde, and which I think may be fairly to occupy some 511 all told, Chinese included. On the east bank there are only two parties, while up the Mannherkia there are some few more, each itself adds hut little to the general meal, but as a whole they tot up w- el ly a very respectable bag of gold. There a-e also parties working at Doctor’s and Botcher’sPointsand Butcher’s.('nnroy’s.and Black nan’s gullies, and others again at Bal l fliil Flat. The miring peculation of the district 1 think I may set down at about 150. The farmers and fruit sellers are now in the height of their glory reaping th ir respective harvests, which al l round nromise well.