ALEXANDRA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 124, 23 June 1870, Page 6

ALEXANDRA.

(From our own Correspondent.) Since my last, we have had scarcely a flue day, until Friday last — in fact, nearly all mining has been suspended, and the owners of dredges aud bank claims are all idle ; but the owners of water races have . been kept busy repairing damages caused by the floods. The whole of them at" present are in full work, and I , trust they will continue so. The bank claims will be at work again in a few days, but the dredges will not be able to make a start this week — in fact some people think there will be no dredging this winter. Should such be the case, the townships of Alexandra, Clyde, and Roxburgh will suffer very considerably, as in the winter months they mainly depend on dreding and the working of bank claims, which are impossible to work until such time as the river falls to a certain level. I trust it will soon be at the required level, so that we may again see smiling faces. The farmers also have been sufferers by the heavy rains, but not to the same extent as down country. The sluicing claims at Drybread, Tinkers, Devonshire, and at Blacks, are all in full work, and have suffered less than any other district, from the floods. The sludge channel at Blacks will soon be completed, which will be a great boon to the water race owners, as they will be

able to work some very good ground which could not be worked before. There are tenders called for the construction of a flushing channel, to carry forty heads of water from the Manuherikia river, to be used for keeping the sludge channel clear. The cost of those works is borne by the Grovernment and the inhabitants on the principle of L 2 to £1. On Tuesday last, as Mr. Crossen, of Speargrass Flat, was assisting to cross Mr. Lancaster's cattle, his horse got into a hole in the Manuherikia river, and both rider and horse went out of sight ; and on coming to the surface, the current was so strong that it twisted the horse round like a top, and Crossen lost his seat, and again went clean out of sight ; but on again coming to the surface, he struck boldly out for the shore, calling loudly for his horse. He landed about 200 yards further down the river, although he is a first-class swimmer. He was provided with dry clothes, &c, by Mr. Job Tay^r, and is now none the worse for his ducking.

In school matters we are going ahead at a great pace. We have a new schoolmaster's residence just completed. It is a four-roomed house, built of stone, with lath and plaster partitions. It is quite an ornament to the town. Our school committee some time since made application to the Education Board for the appointment of a schoolmistress, which was promptly granted, and I am informed the Committee has made the appointment, and her duties are oo commence very shortly. It wa3 an appointment very much needed, as eighty scholars are too many for one person te attend to ; and I am informed by one member of the committee that within six months from this date there will be 100 children attending the school. If such should be the case, an addition to the schoolroom must be made — in fact it should be done at once, as t^ere is not sufficient room for the present number, with two teachers. To the credit of the Education Board be it said, they are always ready and willing to vote money for school buildings where they are required, and I have no doubt before long we shall see an addition to the school premises in course of erection. I am quite sure the Board will have to be applied to in this instance, as the Committee have all their work before them to raise money for the schoolmistress' residence and repair the fence around school reserve. About two years ago the reserve was fenced with a paling fence, and last year a double row of quicks was planted dl round said fence, which had the effect of loosening the earth round the posts, and that with late rains damaged the fence considerably ; but at the present time it is again in thorough repair.

Within the last month there has been no less cha'n 500 head of cattle &o)d at Alexandra, Cromwell, and Queenstown. I should imagine the auctioneers have had busy times of it lately. I believe the whole realised fair prices, particularly Lancaster's.