(From a Correspondent.)

Tuapeka Times, Volume VIII, Issue 438, 27 February 1875, Page 2

(From a Correspondent.)

Miners in this district have been working with a full supply of water since the new year until lately, but owing to the dry weather they are now on short allowance, and if they do not get rain shortly several parties will be thrown idle. Mr. Kitt, at Golden Gully, ia able to work his full shifts having a large amount of storage room for water. Although his reservoirs cost him a heap of money to construct, he will be amply repaid for all outlay, being able to work his claim whilst those who are not so fortunate as to have storage for water are walking about idle. The Manuherikia and Corporation races have a fair supply as yet which they keep fully employed. There are a large number of Chinamen working on the old Manor Burn Flat, and if one may judge from appearances, they are doing well. As a rule they take a halfholiday on Saturdays, and may be seen journeying towards Alexandra in mobs, and nearly the whole of them are well dressed (that is for chinamen) They are the owners of five water races, that take their supply from the Manuherikia River, near Kobertson'a Balmoral Hotel. Until lately the crossings were all open, but now the whole of them are substantially bridged, which is a great boon to travellers. These' Chinamen have also three races from the Manor Burn, and the whole of this water is used in boxsluicing groimd that has been worked by Europeans some years since. This flat always had the character of being patchy, and when off a patch a claim was often given up as no good. But lam satisfied that the system followed by the Chinese, viz., taking everything on a face, that this ground will pay them. In the last issues of the "Cromwell Argus" and " Dunstan Times" is a report of a deputation (James Samson, Esq., Mayor of Alexandra, and James Hazlett, Esq., M.P.C.)who waited on Mr. M'Kellar, Goldfields Secretary, in connection with the Waikaia bush road ; and being one of those who consider our worthy Goldfields Secretary snubbed the deputation, I think I cannot do better than give his own words, as reported in your above-named contemporaries, so

that your readers may^udge for themselves, and then I will gV© my views on the subject :— " Mr. M'K& said that if the information gathered \y the Alexandra Town Council was oorrect, there could be no doubt of the advantages o f having a road to the bush in Nation ; but in matters of this kind the &>yeramentwerein the habit of relying \jpn the reports of their own officers. In deference to the opinion of the Alexandra, people, he (Mr. M'Kellar) would promise that the Engineer would make a flying survey of the proposed road, and report upon it. He would also be asked to report upon the extent and quality of the bush which was sought to be opened up. It might possibly be that the extent and quality of the bush would not be worth the expense of a road. Mr. M'Kellar then said that in the event of the Engineer's report being favorable, the Govern- • ment would not undertake the work till it had been sanctioned by the Provincial Council. It was understood that the survey spoken of would be made before the next meeting of the Council." Without entering into detail as to the public meetings that have been held respecting this road to Waikaia bush, the number of times it has been before the Council, or the two practical men who have traversed the proposed road and reported on the same, and on the excellency of the bush ;. I will simply state that I consider the Goldfields Secretary's answer to the chief magistrate of Alexandra and the Member for the district anything but courteous, as pervading every sentence he throws a doubt on their statements. Further, I am sorry to see they pocket the affront so quietly ; but it may be that it ia only the lull before the storm. What little experience'l have had respecting the Government officer's report — or, I should rather say, his making of roads, particularly in this district — it certainly is not of a very high standard. Take for instance the " sand road " between Alexandra and Clyde, which is still in an unfinished state — in fact it is obliterated from view.

With your permission I .frill now thank " Ferry " for his correction respecting the ferry approaches. I find that I was in error, and that the alterations have been sanctioned by the Engineer. I will have something to report on these approaches in my next. The master and mistress of the Alexandra School tendered their resignations to the School Committee, or I should rather have said that the mistress had. done so, which resignation was accepted. After all this had taken place, the master waited on the Committee and made & proposition to them to the effect that ha had been elected to the Forbury School, but that he would not leave Alexandra, if the Committee would disband; and give him the entire management of tha School and the fee 3, oufc of which he would pay tbe mistress £25 ; £20 for fuel and lights aud cleaning, and £5 for prizes, the remainder to go into his own pouch. A very moderate demand, but the Committee could not see it and told him so, when he said he would slightly modify his suggestions and at the same time he con&i lered, as the holder of a firstclass certificate, he was entitled to all he asked for ; but again the Committee could not see it, so he had to tender his, resignation, aud by the action of tht> Alexandra School Committee the Forbury School will have the benefit of a gentleman holding a first-class certificate. lam of opinion the Commi fctee has a great deal to auswer for to the rising generation.