ALEXANDRA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 169, 4 May 1871, Page 6

ALEXANDRA.

(From our own Correspondent.) Since ray last mining matters have progressed favourably ; but-if we do not get rain shortly, the r.-ice owners will be short of water. Up to the present time, however, the whole of them arj running fall. The Ovens Water Tvaca Co have made application for a mining lease of ten acres, adjoining the Camp buildings ; and T believe it is their intention to sink for the main bottom this winter. The Manuherikia Co. have shifted their race to Sandy Point, midway between Alexandra and Clyde. Nearly the whole of this company (twelve in number) are married men, consequently they have been to a considerable expense in shifting their dwellings. I trust they will get remunerated for all their trouble. They have been in full work for the last fortnight, but have not been able to learn their returns. The Molyneux is at a low level just now, and most of the bank claims have commenced operations. The I lit or Miss Co. are at present working on a portion of the once famous Frenchman's claim, with every chance of making it pay by working with tramway and trucks. | Kett and party are laying down their tramway, and have their trucks on the ground, and expect to be in full -work before this appears in print. They have j over one and a half acre stripped, ready I for sinking. This claim will employ some eighteen men during the winter, bimmondsand Knowles, at Golden Beach, I are in full work, but aa yet have not reached the bottom ; they have struck payable gold on the false bottom, but it is their intention to persevere for the I main bottom before working the false one. There are several oth°r olsiiis at work, but I hftve nothing pnrticalar to report ■ j from them. The dredges are all at work between this and Clyde. The Galatea is still doing handsomely ; the Kearsage is also doing well ; and there is a report that 'the old original dredge (the Alabama) is on good ground ; the rest are making wages, and should the weather keep fine, or rather should the river keep low, it will be a prosperous season for the fleet. At Butchers and Conroys Gullies, all the tail races are in full work, but at present none of them are washing up. Iverson and Co., at Conroys, are preparing the ground for the erection of their quartz crushing machinery ; the reef is looking as well as ever, and the shareholders are confident that they have more than gold enough to pay for the whole of the machinery. I trust they will not be disappointed. From what I have seen of the reef myself, [ consider it should yield at least 3ozs. to the ton. There is a report of another reef discovered at Conroys, but I can learn nothing nothing definite as yet, although it is certain that five miners' rights were taken out this week for the purpose of taking up a claim on a new reef. I think I have given you all the mining news, and as for gossip, we are not that way inclined at Alexandra. There is a report current here that we are likely to lose the services of R. E. Field, Esq., our Gold Receiver, by his being transferod to Blacks, in the capacity of Warden. Should this be the case, I am quite sure our present Warden would not object, or I should say he would not care where he went so that he was away from his district. There is one thing certain, they do not work harmoniously together, which is a state of things to be regretted. I certainly should have had something to say respecting the "treadmill" business, had it not been for a letter that appears in our local journal from the Warden, who intends to take further proceedings in the matter. Such being the case, the least said the better.

Some time since a public meeting was held at the instigation of Mr, Hamilton respecting the water supply question, At said meeting a committee was elected to look after the interest of the district ; and I certainly did think this said committee would have at least held a meeting ere this. I know several of the members are good working committee men, and trust none of theii will loose the goad

name they have earned for themselves by neglecting the business intrusted to them. (Ftom an Occasional Correspondent.) April 25th, 1871. Our district is slowly emerging from the state of torpor into which v, subsides at the conclusion of every winter season, and as the Molyneux seems inclined to keep clown, everything else seems to look up. Horse tramways are being generally 1 adopted this season by the bank claimj holders, for the purpose of hauling the staff from the paddocks, and there is no donbt ground can be made to pay by this method which would not have cleared expenses by the old system of working. Kett and Co., at the Half-mile, and the Hit or Mis 3 Co., at Frenchman's Point, have commenced to paddock, and will be in full work next week. Noble, Garcia and Co., who were unable to overcome the water in their claim List season, are about to give it another trial ; they are building a new over-shot water-wheel of 20 feet diameter, which is nearly completed, and they have strong hopes of a successful season. lam informed that Messrs. Simmonds and Knowles are about to lay down a horse tramway in their claim at the junction of the Fraser River, for the purpose of working the upper SOiVluS of waslidirt, their present machinery not being sufficiently powerful to enable them to reach the main bottom. There is very little interest taken here regarding the election of Mining Delegate, and it is probable if the Teviot people bring forward a candidate, he will h.ive a walk over. By-the-bye, what is the reason that the Government wiseacres place Alexandra in the Teviot district when there is an election of Mining Delegates, while on every other occasion it forms apoition of the Dunstandiatr'ct? [ presume tliere is some mysterious official reason for the alteration, but the uninitiated fail to appreciate it ,1 had occasion the other day to visit the i interesting ruin which does duty for a courthouse at Alexandra. After scrambling with some difficulty on to the door step, I took a survey of the interior. The paper and lining being torn from the ceiling, g ive a noble view of the rafters covered in with iron in the list sta^e of riibtiness. One strip of the lining was in a fair state of preservation, and way hanging in graceful festoons over the seat of justice. Attached to one of tiie strips by a few tack 3 was a b -it ten which swung to and fro in dangerous proximity to whera the head of the "residing magistrate would be, and T would imagine ih<i effect to be very striking on windy weatl.er. Some temporary repairs} were bo effected by a j public-spirited spider, who, at the time of my visit, was busily engaged in securing a rafter to the wall plares by means of a strong cobweb. After seeing the buildi ing I thought that Mr. Pyko w;is quite excusable in saying that he would rather take seven days on the treadmill than hold a court at Alexandra. However, there is good in everything, and if the c-mrihousd has a tendency to cause parties to settle their ca^ea outside, it would be a pity to alter it. Slight I suggest that yon should devote a small portion of your valuable space to shipping intelligence. Don't be alarmed; I am not labouring under the impression that there is a "forest of masts" in the Tuapeka Basin, or that a powerful fleet ! of steamers \Ay on the ~Ynii.ah.una l-'ivcr ; neither do I suppose that your up-country J readers are intensely interested by the j announcement of the arrival of the " Codfish, 35, Captain Bunker, from | Rapatui, with a full cargo of potatoes and oatmeal," but it frequently happens that persons have friends coming out from the old country, and an occasional paragraph giving intelligence of passenger ships would be acceptable, when files of the " Daily Times" are not available.