ALEXANDRA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2686, 6 September 1905, Page 39

ALEXANDRA.

Sept&niboit 2.—On Thursday aftstrnoon a weluunro change took placs m the weather and 1 a steady rain began to fall, oo'ntdnuing up till this morning. Conssquently, tha river ha.9 dsen to the sifc 6in mark. 'Ibs Mtfauhcjrikia has risen sovcra.l feet, and is oaa-rying down an immense quantity of debris, with tihe result that the gorge dredges are stopped, and will not be able to recommence operations for a week or ten days. Owing to th<s necessary material required for this elevator not comiing io hand as early as expected the Alexandra. Load will not be> leaidy to begin dredging under a fortnight or thxeo weeks. Arrangements are being madia to work the Golden Beach dredge by means of O'Brien's pa-tent. The Molyneux Hydraulic continues to battle -against ihe high batik, -which will n.o;t decrease in elevation as tihe dredge -works.up the claim. The returns do TTrtlaTnore than cover working expensea " Personal.—On Thursday afternoon Miss .Townsh&n, who filled' the position of first ■.assistant in tho Alexandra School for tho past two years, waa the recipient of a -handsome* travelling rug and a pearl brooch fi-om her late scholars prior to he.r departure to take up thct position of inistres« m the school at Blacks. The presentation was made on behalf of th® children by th© head master, Mt Clc-so, who referred to tho kindly relations that had existed between thei children fiaxl -their teacher. Ho assured Miss TowDshcnd 1 thai the matter of the presentation wao entirely taken up by tho children, and on ilia* account he thought that she would festcen- it -the moro highly He congratulated Miss Tcwnshend' on her promotion, but expressed regret at parting from a goad teacher, more especially as the relations among the membsis of ifa> staff had) been of the most cordial na/tuire. In writing on a* school matter I mmy-pemark tihai I am told bhe School Committee haa applied -for a relieving teaches, but ,that <me.«unno+. ba procured. Clearly teachers are very jsoaarcs, and one need not be surprised at -this, considering the beggarly pay attaclas:! to the position. In fact, one is surprised ais a young lad. 'of ability taking up ihe profes-pion-'of teaching at all, and from the present _cutlook it appears that the future educationists of the -o&Iiony are to be wornim. Emtextainment.—A children's -emfortaininent in .aid of llie' Presbyterian Siinday School Kbrary fund, took place in tibus Town Hall yesJarday' evening,. but owing to the weaither the attendance •'•was not £o 'good' as expected. All H3ie -performers were ebildron, -Tanging in ages rfnom.six years of age to sixteen. Altfhongh.t.Dot Approving of children's - entertainments for several'reasons>Cl cannot but express iriygr&tific'atiafr at being axeseat at this one, amd, if • ,the "ohijareai praaMee in their later years !hd' 'beautiful pireoepts brought out in- their ■ little' gaan©3"and songs of yesterday evening, then •tfhey will Tuuve lost riothing from lack ol Bible instruction in tho public schools. Much, credit is dtae to Mira Dcwai, Mras Niiaper, Miss CWeron, amd Mr Churchill for training .ha children so efficiently in their scvaral parts, also to Miss Closa for playing -the necessary a.ooompamdments. Th© Rev. J. Maoße mad© _an efficient chairman, and gave an appropriaio address, which wag attentively listened to.