ALEXANDRA SOUTH.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1224, 14 August 1885, Page 3

ALEXANDRA SOUTH.

(From a Correspondent),

The subject of the prosecution of the Otago Central Railway was discussed very fully at the weekly meeting of the Alexandra Mutual Improvement Society held on the 4th current, and it was unanimously agreed that in the interests of promoting further settlement, of opening up the interior of Otago and of providing means of exit for produce from settlements already existing, that this railway should be pushed on as rapialy as possible towards completion, and that such a work when completed would directly add to the wealth, resources, and further settlement of Otago, and thereby benefit the whole Colony. On the 11th, discussion of the Local Bodies Finance and Powers Bill was resumed, and the concluding 32 clauses of the measure considered s-uafim. Several'clauses were struck out, amongst which was the 37tb, which provides for the imposition of a royalty of 2s fid per ounce on all gold obtained by mining. Clause 40, which proposes to enable local bodies to purchase land to bo sub-divided into ten acre sections on _ which they may erect cottages for labouring men who may ultimately purchase them, evoked an animated and interesting discussion, but the clause was eventually retained as it stood. At. tho conclusion of the debate the whole Bill as amended at both meetings waa finally approved of. The subject fixed upon

for the 18 th was the discussion of the question whether the present prevalence of such athletic sports as cricket, football, pedestrianism, running matches, etc., and to which so much attention and time are devoted, was for the welfare and benefit of the Colony ! And this subject will be followed on the 25th by a discussion on the best means of obtaining an adequate water supply for the present requirements of the municipality of Alexandra. The county council have just completed some repairs, much needed, to the road between Alexandra and Blacks, but we have heard a good many complaints as to the dangerous deep ditches which it has been found necessary to make so close to the centre of the road. Some predict that unless these ditches are sloped away somehow, a serious accident is likely to take place, the roadway being so nairow and the ditches so’deep, we have heard that a memorial is about to be got up to ask the county to form this road properly (which is the main road to Blacks from Roxburgh and Alexandra) as far as Watson’s, as the river fords are not always reliable and may change any moment, and there is a good deal of traffic on this road.

The long spell of frosty weather that baa lately prevailed over the. district is very seasonable, and no donbt will be followed by a genial spring, which will be gladly welcomed by fruit growers and others. At present the Old Man, Cairnmnir, Mt. Pisa, the Dunstan, the Hawkdun, and Rough Ridge have a good coat of snow which, however, under the warm sun of the lengthening day is beginning to melt away. Should a wapm wind, however, or mild weather with rain now set in, a very considerable flood would bo the result.

At present mining and commercial matters are decidedly dull, but renewed activity may come in with the spring. “ Oriffel” is said to be all the cry down country, and some have asserted that the new rush is to cause increased traffic by coach aud waggon, and that perhaps half-a-dozen new waggoners will be on the road to Cromwell and the Lakes, while hundreds of diggers from far and near will shortly make their- way to the new diggings. The rabbits appear to have got a good clearing at present on most of the neighbouring runs, and the winter’s work of poisoning is pretty well finished. It is said that a good few are still to be found on wastes, reserves, commonages, and in the vicinity of some of the townships