ALEXANDRA NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2344, 19 July 1887, Page 2

ALEXANDRA NEWS.

[FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.J Alexandra, Saturday. Very far from progressing by “leaps and bounds” is our township. On the contrary we is fast retrogressing. One of our two hotels are closed, the Shamrock, the furniture etc. having been sold oft by Messrs Hunter & Co. under bill of sale. The £-10 license the publicans now have to pay leaves but little hope of a livelihood for more than one “ pub” and I fancy that our old friend at the Alexandra Hotel will not find business so brisk now as when he first opened here some 21 years ago ! The new gold saving machine, now being made by Messrs Fraser and Tinnc of Auckland, to test the washdirt discovered on the land of Mr Smith of Waitoa, as 'the invention of Mr .Tamos Sinden, of this place, and not by some one at Te Awamutu, as has been stated. Mr Sinden had prepared a model of the machine, which MrSmith came here and tested. Ho was so well satisfied with the principle and the test made, that he at once made terms with the inventor for the use of it, who is very sanguine of it turning out very profitably for all parties. Electioneering is not as yet much talked of here. Major Jackson is, of course, much thought of, and it will take a good man to beat him. That he will bo a strong opponent to the present Ministry is looked upon as a certainty, but as yet, the Major’s views have not been placed before us Last Tuesday the natives celebrated what they called Tawhiao’s Jubilee, that is the celebration of his accession to the Kingship, but not 50 years ago. There were not many natives at Whatiwliatihoe, but a collection was made consisting principally of coppers, amounting to the sum of £3 !)s. A great quantity of gunpowder was blazed away, also some dynamite charges, a few pigs and bullocks wore consumed, and a small display of fireworks in the evening commemorated the event. Not a glass of liquor to drink His Majesty’s health was to be found amongst them. So all passed off peaceably.