ALEXANDRA..

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 114, 14 April 1870, Page 5

ALEXANDRA..

(From our own Corrcspoishni}.

On Saturday last the Mannherikia Brewery was christened by Miss Colemun breaking a bottle of champagne against the boiler of tl\e establishment. Mr. Finlay did the " heavy," and Messrs. Theyers and Bock returned thanks. There were a number of toasts drank, amongst which was " The Press," which was proposed by Mi*. Stanbrook, who tpok occasion to state that tho " Duustan Times " was a great boon to tlys district, &c-,, when there w.as a great uproar ami cries of "No ! no !■" Mr. Faclio, in returning thanks, said that ho stood there to vindicate his condnpt as regards this portion of the district, and sail that unt It lately he had to represent the three towns, Clyde, Cromwell, and Alexandra, which was a very difficult task. lie further stated that he had- always advocated the cause. <.>£ thp miners to, the best <>f lys ability. He was listened to not very patiently, and I- think ha displayed vepy bad taste 'in attempting tt> vindicate himself instead of returning thr-nks for one of the principal interests in. tho world. The company- was. large, and the good things of this world were amply provided to supply the inner man, and they were done justice to by all present— the " newbrew " in particular, which was reallvgood. The company broke up about six o'clock, after spending a- pleasant afternoon, everyone wishing Messrs. Theyers and Beck success iv their new uudertaking.

It is my painful duty to record the. death of Mr. John Leslie, of -the Boatman's Arms Hotel, who departed this life on the. evening of tho 23th M lrch. after a long illness. He leaves a widuw, but no children. lie was f illowed to the cemetery by one of the largest processions I ever witnessed up country. Two gentlemen, when about 200 yards from the cemetery, started their horses into a gallop, I suppose to try- their, speed-, but one of them had not. sjot frir before he was thrown heavily over his horse's head, the animal getting clear of rider,^ saddle and bridle all at once. A crowd soon gathered; and it was found to be Mr. Beresford, timber merchant. lie was insensible- for some time after he got home. Dr. Hue-, rows was telegraphed for, and arrived about an hour after the accident occurred. He soon informed the patient's friendsthat there was no immediate danger, and, thought he would be soon, abou-fc again. I am pleased to inform you that the doctor's surmises proved to be correct, for Mr. Beresford attended 'the kix'k last evening. I cannot resist this opportunity of pointing out the advisability of- tho inhabitants of Alexandra bestirring themselves in getting a medical man located in their midst, for in case of accident or any one being taken seriously ill we have to send to Clyde for medical aid, and before that arrives the patient may be dead: We have been without a doctor- for nearly twelve months. I any of opinion that there is a good opening for one of the profession at Alexandra, and I am also of opinion that a steady, persevering man, would 'make an independence in a few. years.

I must now turn my thoughts- in another direction, and inform you . what is doing in mining matters. The quartz excitement has somewhat subsided ; in fact, since the stoppage of the Alexandra Reef, at Butcher's Gully various parties have knocked off, with the. object' of increasing thp strength of~their company, the wacjes being too heavy- for hand bni!-. ing. Iveraoa's Roef. is stopped, birfc will be recommenced shortly. Among our sluicing friends great activity exists. Michael Kitt, at the Hjalf-mile Beach, is preparing for winter, and it is to be h-ipi'd 1 he Will meet with success at the bottom, to pay him for his labour and outlay. The Mannherikia "Water Race aud -Ovens Companies are both getting good returns. , There are now nine dredges on the river between the falls and Clyde, and they are making active preparations for winter on the bed, which looks more like thsTamar than the Molynoux.

Our town is greatly improve 1 of late by the erection of some very handsome buildings". Our worthy Mayor, Mr. Finlay, has gob a large building put up, tho like of which for architectural design and strength it wou\d be difficult to find anywhere up country. It lias a very fine front with ornamental pillars, also, tine fresco work round the windows. He deserves great prai.se for introducing buildings of such styb ; but the fact seems incredible when you, are told that it is composed of nothing but the ground it. is built on. By some composition prepared by Mr. M'Ewen, he is enabledsto make the soil alongside th'} house, suitable for ornamental buildings by far outstripping anything of the kind in the provincs, and, what is more strange, it gets so hard that you can't make any -impression on it evea with a-hammer. It bids defiance to a\l sor^s of weather ; .in fact, it combine \ the strength of granite with the beauty of marble. It also has another great advantage, one of considerable importance too, viz., in case of "lire, instead of, h win ; the- same effect on it as on other building', it-gets harder and harder still. There is no doubt it is one of tlie greatest scieutific inventions of the day, and one that confers a great benefit upon all classes in want of a home, as the material costs them nothing but the labour which is within the reach of all.