ALEXANDRA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2676, 28 June 1905, Page 35

ALEXANDRA.

June- 24.. — Owing to ihe mild weather obtaining this past few days and the warm, rainfall, the river rose to flood level and reached a height of 13ft 6iri above normal. To-day the 31anuherikia was also in high fioo'd, and currying down immense quantities of^di'ift. "However, as soon as th© rain stopped, the Molyneux commenced to fall, and in 24 hours had dropped to the lftft mark. The 'Mairuherikiaf is also going down rapidly. The. gorge dredg&s and those working in the liver above Alexandra were compelled to stop dredging, an-d, doubtless, two or three weeks will elapse before the river will be sufficleoitly low to Tidmit". of -the gorge dredges icsuming work; -.As frosty weather has^agairt set'jin, -the other dredges may be in a position to 'commence." work- again during the - vreekj '„ ~ - * . Messrs ,, Knewstubb Bros., who -have the contract- for -erection of "the elevator on _ the Alexandra - Lead,, sic ' afeking .good' progress •with- the- work of -erecting the framing. ' The ironwork of- ths elevator 13 in-~ position for livefcing, and' as -so oh sb the rivets oome, to hand this' -work" will; -at once be goaes on ' •with. "Under the Jbands^of such contractors tho. shareholders xoay rest satisfied that the work will bs done satisfactorily and exped'iticuely.

The rise in the river has benefited the Molyneux Hjdraulic dwdge, as she lias a, much better .chance, on a high river, of working to advantage than on a low one. After a necessary overhaul, this dredge commenced •work last MonSay, but -with what res-tit I have cot heard. The mild wea-thei assisted th© dredgemastex of the <3 olden Beach dredge fo get the water through the race into the paddock, consequently the dredge has been" working the ■whole week. The Clyde dredge has been operating on a piece of good ground, which as of extremely limited area, and which may run out any ■tim*Having bought the pontoons of the old' Jftfaser Flat Gosnpany, the Eaxnscleugh Company purpose erecting on them very powerful dredging machinery to be driven by electric power. Ths Fraser Flat claim, in the boom «feys, was considered by experts to he one of -the plums in dredging; but, as this statement was not confirmed by actual work on the claim, the Earnscleugh Company purpose testing whether the claim be a plum or not. 53i* Eamsckugh No. 1 has be^n started egain, as also has Enterprise No. 1. i.hear that tho Eaxnscl^ugh TSTo. 3 has, owing, to the weight of tht «L«vatoi in frosty "" too littlefreeboard/hence the company pui^ose buildSng auxiliary pontoons, which •will be placed at the ends of the dredge in BVtak a way as to raise -in the water the "uresent pontoons from -6in to Sin.

Scots to the fore.— Hie Scottish Society "♦hat, owing to the efforts of a few patriotic Scotsmen, was formed a year ago, continues in a state of lively existence; and, by largely attending the- annual meeting, tlie members showed a. keen desire to keep green in their memories the land of theii biith. Mr William Fraser -was in the chair, and pointed out that the society had come to stay, and that the annual gathering would be equally as successful this year as ut ■was last year. The ireeting unanimously resolved that the annual social of the Alexandra Scottish Society be helc? ia ihe. Town Hall on ihe> evening of July 13. The society is "not strictly confined to Scotsmen, but anyone may become a rnembsr and attend the annual gatherin". The only restriction is that the. proBiamme mainly comprises Scottish songs and dances, with the national costume and music ■well to the lore. . Poultry Shew.— Thia show, which is to be told on Saturday, July 1, promises to be oven more successful than last years show. The members of committee are making every jprovision few. the tending and the handling of valuable birds coming from a distance, so that those desirous of competing with good Mrtock at this show need not bo at all tinad in' entrusting their birds to the care of the club. s There are some very fine birds in tnia district, and those who go in for rearing Wrds realise the importance of rearing onJy ihe best. * "The climate of this district being eminently suited for fowl breeding and rearing, -ti» aistiiet will in time become as noted ioi its fine- "breeds of fowls as it is ior its •luscious fruits. Such a statement may appear tc outsiders as somewhat optimistic, if not Just a little boastful; but it is neither the one nor the other, as the show on July 1 will amply prove. The secretary >f the Poultry Club me that the entries already number 289, which is close on 100 mow* entries than those fcxr last year. With

its strong membership of 120, the club has good reason tc feel gratified in anticipation of a successful show this year.