ALEXANDRA. From an Occasional Correspondent.)

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 171, 18 May 1871, Page 5

ALEXANDRA. From an Occasional Correspondent.)

As usual, jnst as the river claims were read}' for paddocking, and the claimholders were expecting some return for their outlay, the river. rose, thereby stopping the work for a fortnight at least ; however, there is no help for it, unless some such scheme should be earned out as that which was proposed a few years ago, viz., | to turn the water from the Lakes into the I Mataura. The scheme was objected to at i the time — partly on the score of expenso, I and partly for the reason that such a large | body of water turned loose would have a tendency to ground-sluice the late Province of Southland into the ocean ; and ! now that that proviuce is united to Otago, j it is a question for our legislators whether j such an easy method of at once lowering the Molyneux and liquidating the Southland debt, is not worthy of their earnest consideration. The miners in the gullies are pursuing the even tenor of their way, and I have nothing particular to chronicle regarding them, excepting that the C( ckatoos are beginning to tread rather closely on the heels of the miners, and if straws show which way the wind blows, I think it will require a good deal of forbearance on both sides to prevent a bitter feud springing up between them. It is an undoubted fact that much land has been leased for agriculture in this district which was known at the time to be auriferous, and which should never have been granted ; but as that which is " everybody's business is nobody's business," the land was allowed to be taken up, and now it is hardly possible for diggers to open up any new ground without being stopped by an agricultural lease. I have no wish to say anything against agriculture on the gold fields ; but if it cannot be carried on without destroying the market for its own produce, and driving the customers out of the country, I think it is time that some restriction should be placed on it in so far as regards auriferous lands. Of course, T am aware that in the event of any land being proved to ba aiirfierous, the Government have power to cancel thes'j leases by compensating the lessees, and I would suggest that the first time they exercise that power, the official notice of the fact should be secured for the museum, as one of the rarest of curiosities. The question is one which the Mining Delegates would do well to take into consideration, for under the present system only two courses are open to the miner — either to leave the country, or submit to a tax in the shape of compensation to the small settler, in comparison with which the export duty and miners' rights sink into insignificance. There were two votes polled at Alexandra for the election of a mining delegate, a result which shows the absurdity of placing Alexandra in the Teviot district. Nature and the Knobby Ranges were opposed to tho union. The residents in the two places are for the most part strangers to each other, and as it could hardly be expected that the candidates would put themselves to the expense of a journey to Alexandra for the purpose of expounding their views, the miners here recorded their votes at Clyde for tho Ounstan candidates, in preference to voting for strangers of whose opinions they were entirely ignorant. A lad named George Cameron was seriously injured from a kick by a donkey lately imported into the district by Mr. R Lancaster, and whicli was an object of curiosity to the juveniles of the township, most of them never having seen one previously. Cameron and two other lads mounted the donkey at one time, and "Jenny" resenting this treatment, bucked young Cameron off, who, in falling, received a severe kick on the temple, but [ am happy to state that he is now in a fair way of recovery. This same donkey was the occasion of a civil war between the rival townships ; the Clyde people, with that lust for aggrandisement for which they are notorious, resolved, as there was only 'one donkey in 'the district. ' "Clyde being -the commercial centre," vfcc, was entitled to it ; so they dispatched*

1 an emissary to procure the animal at all , hazards After • some fruitless negocia- ; tions, this gentleman endeavoured to [ effect an elopement with- " Jenny," but the attempt being, discovers 1 led to., a sanguinary conflict, in which victory was declared for Alexandra^ and 'Jenny" restored to the arms of- ln»r am cted j relatives. The Clyde gentlem mis apj plying for a war indemnity of £.~>o,' and V Pyke Esq R M, has been . appointed arbitrator in the case.