ALEXANDRA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 39

ALEXANDRA.

March 3. — The Alexandra Fire Brigade, with the object of taking part in the Fire Brigades' Demonstration in Dunedin dttring the- week, has been practising diligently of late with hose and r-eel. To assist to meet expenses the brigade iiteld a torchlight procession yesterday evening, and in the presence of a large ass-emb-lage of residents went through, on the recreation reserve, some quick practice, which met with appreciative, response when contributions v were taken up.

Water Supply. — Owing to tha exceptionally dry weather prevailing of late, there has been no water in the town mains for the past two weeks; consequently, gardens are quickly becoming brown and bare. The Korougb Council, to mi-iigate the evil -as far as possible, Jias connected the mains with the Chatto Greek race, - but at best this is only a makeshift, the pressure being of little account.

Obituary. — Mr •Craven Pager, one of the old pioneers of the district, passed away at his residence this morning. Deceased arrived in the district in ,the early sixties, and followed ■mining a-nd other pursuits for many years, finally settling down to farming and dairying. Deceased was an upright and censcientiotis man in all M 3 dealings, and esteemed and respected by -liis fellow residents of the district. 31r Paget -was 69 years of age, and leaves a grown-up family to mourn their loss.

MINING. » j Of iCiig news there is but Kitie to ! ckronide at the present. The river continues '1 to fall slowly, being now* sligHily over the | 6ft mark above normal. The Moa has been | moored to • immediately below the junction of the Manuherikia with the Molyneux, where she has been -working during the week. Here, I think, thi3 dredge must -encounter the full force of the drift brought down by the Manuherikia, as well as the deposited material I at the river's month. 121 conjunction, with this, it must be borne in mind that when the Molyneux is running high it acts as a wall to back up tha waters of the Manuherikia; consequently, quantities of fine material are deposited immediately at the mouth of the Manuherikia. "When the waters of the Molyneux begin to recede, the eroding action of the Manuherikia commences to cut away the deposited material. Hence it follows that on a quicJriy-falling river for some considerable distance below the confluence of the two rivers travelling drift is greatest.

The gorge dredges, I hear, are being__put into good working order for the winter's work. The buckets of the First Chance are being re-lipped at the foundry, and every effort is being made by the manager to push on the "work, that the dredge may bs ready for the low liver during -winter.

"The Alexandra Lead is boring into the bank at the lower end of the claim, and is working very steadily.

The Manorburn Mining Syndicate, I hear on reliable authority, has met with such encouraging prospects that they ptirpose bringing in water from Hope Creek to work their valuable property. At present their manager is busily engaged in taking race levels on which to cut the water race. If a sufficient supply of water can ba brought on to the ground — and I have every reason to believe that by storage this can be done — the syndicate has a prosperous future before it.