ALEXANDRA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 162, 16 March 1871, Page 5

ALEXANDRA.

(From our Own Correspondent.)

Mining matters here are looking healthy, and the river is lower for this season of the year than I have ever known it at Poverty Beach, on the west bank of the Molyneux and at the junction of the Earnscleugh. Kuowlcs and Simmons' claim is in full work ; they are suiking a very large paddock 80 x 100 feet, and expect to reach the false bottom this week, where they are confident of obtaining payable gold. As yet, the main bottom has never been reached in this claim, but a considerable portion of the false bottom has been worked, a portion of which was very rich, which induces Knowles and Simmons to believe they will get good gold on the main bottom. At present they are employing fourteen wages men, and as the work progresses they will have to increase the nuinbur The Hit or Miss Claim is also at work, but with what results I am unable to learn, but am of opinion that ti.i; company have worked the best of their ground, although they believe they have plenty of good ground loft. I hope they will not be disappointed. Kett and party, at the Half-mile Beach, have also commenced operations, but asjyec I have no news from this claim to gi\ c you ; in fact all last season I could give you no reliable information, owing to the shareholders keeping very close as to what they were doing. I am crediably informed they have ve/y good reasons for so doing. There are several other claims on the west bank of the river in work, bub as yet I have nothing parcicular to report. At Butchers and Uonroys Gullies all the claims are in full work, and all doing well ; in fact I believe the last claim taken up in Butchers Gully will prove to be the richest claim in the gully. The fortunate owners are Cummins, Cary, aud Winton. The Ovens Water Race Company are working away at their claims on the east bank of the river, and are doing very well, and their race is running full of water. The Manuherikia Company's race, which takes its rise higher up the mountains than that of the Ovens, has been short of water for some time, but at the present it is again running full. This company have been engaged in extending their race some four miles up the Hat, where they have taken up laige claims, and 1 believe it is their intention to take a spell at getting gold instead of following up the prospecting, which they have been doing for the last two years. The dredges are reaping a rich harvest this year. Most of them are doing well, but I must particularise the Galatea and the Kersage. Some weeks the Galatea has netted nearly £100 per share, and I think £30 is the lowest weekly dividend for the season. The Kersage, as yet, cannot boast of so large a dividend as the Galatea, but it is the general opinion that she will net more gold by the end of the season. The river between this and Clyde has quite a lively appearance, there being no less than nine dredges within cooey of each other, and as the men sing away whilst heaving at the winch, it reminds one very much of being on the jetty at Dunedin. Messrs. Iverson and Co., at Conroys Gully, are still working away at their quartz reef. For some length of time they have been driving along the course of the reef, and I am pleased to inform your readers that they have been raisin? golden stone to grass ever since my last communication (which is now some time since, having taken breathing time during the elections), and are still doing so with every prospect of its continuing. The shareholders have accepted a teuder for the erection of crushing machinery, and 1 shall be very much disappointed if their first crushing does not rather astonish some of the knowing ones. lam convinced there is gold enough at present on the surface to pay for the whole of their machinery. We have been very quiet here since the election of Superintendent. This place was about equally divided, the townsmen supporting Macandrew and the outsiders Reid. However, it is now all over, but J could a tale unfold, not very creditable to some parties concerned in this same election, but will pass on to the election of the Provincial Council. We have at present three candidates in the field, viz., Dr. Niven, Mr. Worth, and the gentle Shepherd, and I think one of the greatest puzzles you could give any man to solve would be to say which of the three is best fitted to fill the office they are aspiring to. If it was left to me, I would say, "Doctor, stick to your practice;

Worth, stick to your farm ; and to the gentle Shepherd, attend to the rams," which, 1 think, would be the best advice I could offer them.

By-the-bye, I hope your Vagabond Reporter will not find his way to Alexandra. If he does, I am afraid one of tho ex-members of the school committee will figure in his report rather prominently, but I will not say a word ; no, not I, but will leave your Vagabond to tish for himself, should he pay this place a visit.