ALEXANDRA.-July 31.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 27, 6 August 1869, Page 3

ALEXANDRA.-July 31.

(From our own Correspondent.) Numbers of those who have- waited patiently year after year for the Molyneux going down as low as it was the -first year of the rush have now come to the conclusion that it is not likely to do. so, as the great quantity of tailings constantly running into the river, both here and further up the banks, has filled up the bed so" much that it is impossible it can go down low enough to permit the working of the ' beaches known to be payable. Dredging, then, would appear to be the only method by which we are likely to obtain the precious metal; and there is a great part of the river below the township, which is ; known to be rich, but undredgable in of the rough and rocky ; character of its bottom.

I hear that the G-alatea dredge is off the gold again, and is to be removed, onto another beach on Monday, and my next will inform you with what success. I understand that the Alabama dredge will be finished with its present rich, claim in two or three weeks. The proprietory have done well in this claimdividends of £7O, £BO, and sometimes over £100; per man per week, being not unusual.

The frost has been pretty severe during, the last two or three weeks, to the great annoyance and loss of the various sluicing companies, and work could only be carried on occasionally while it lasted; within the last few days we have had a soft wind, and the snow is fast disappearing off the ranges, sol think the most of Xing Frost's reign is over for the season. The flat which lies between. Mr. Low's

station and the Balmoral Hotel, at the crossing nlace of the Manuherikia river, aboub 2h miles from here, has bsen the scene of some little excitement during the past two weeks. This flat, not long ago was entirely bare, with only a tussock here to be seen, is uoav dotted with white tents, payable gold having been struck by at "least one party. Daily parties are going prospecting, and getting the necessaries for setting into work. How this rush is likely to turn out I am unable at present to say. The first; party which set in are doing pretty well,' and some of the others, speaking froru the prospects, state that it will pay : .wages. As the stripping is only from two to four feet, no great difficulty is experienced in prospecting it. It is -a wonder that this large flat has been left lying unprospected till now, considering* that the first track (and only one) to this place leads through the centre of it, and consequently has been traversed by thousands of miners. It seems to have been the general opinion that it was deep, and that digging would therefore be troublesome on account of I Avater.

On Wednesday ( 21st ult.) we had some diversion in the township on the occasion of it being the election day of Mayor. Mr. Robert Einlay Avas again returned to office—this being his third year. Mr. Eivers, storekeeper, opposed him, and the contest was a keen one. The event gave the means of enabling some of our drouthy cronies to get demonstrative on the cheap. On Monday last Mr. Yincent Pike delivered a lecture in the schodlh'ouse, the proceeds to go towards lining the ceiling of the building and repairing the residence of the schoolmaster. The subject of lecture Avas "Sparks from the Anvil and flashes from the Fire." After giving us some select specimens of English, Scotch, Irish, and Yankee wit and humor, and keeping the house, which was crowded to the door, bursting Avith laughter for about an hour and a half, the lecturer wound up by reading the riddle of his text—sparks from the anvil (he explained) as wit, and flashes from the fire as humor.