ALEXANDRA

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 155, 26 January 1871, Page 7

ALEXANDRA.

The annual meeting to receive the report and balance sheet' was held in the Schoolroom, on the 9th inst. Mr. L. Gr. Ryan occupied the chair.

Report.

Your committee, in making their report, state when they took office, they found there was a contract entered into for the erection of schoolmaster's new residence, but not commenced. That there were about seventy children attending the School, some of them (girls) requiring the assistance of a female teacher. Found that the whole of the School fees were given Mr. Ried in lieu of the £100 usually paid to schoolmasters as portion of their salaries, thereby leaving the committee without any source for funds. Your committee have to report the school-m-aster's new residence completed and occupied by "Mr. Ried ; the contractor's money, viz., £250 los., paid. Your committee, seeing tiic necessity for the services of a mistress, made application to the Education Board, praying that one might be appointed, which was granted, and on tiie Ist July, IS7O, Miss Fraser, on whom the appointment was conferred, entered on hei duties. Your committee, finding the assistance 'of a female teacher absolutely necessary, and that if Mr. Ried was allowed to retain the • whole of the School fees, there would bo nothing to pay the female teacher's salary with, offered Mr. Ried a guarantee of £200 per annum for his services, which offer was accepted. Your committee, during their term of office, have held twentyone meetings for tho despatch of business ; also made application to the Education Board for a grant of £ioo for the purpose of enlarging the schoolroom, but tiic answer received was that all the money voted by the Provincial Council for school buildings was already appropriated. They would suggest to the new committee to renew the application at an early date, considering it obsolutely necessary that the schoolroom should be enlarged, so as to make it convenient for two teachers. The schoolmaster's old residence has been repaired, which is occupied by Miss Fraser, and they report the whole of 'the School property in good order and repair. They have also to report collections made during their term of office to the amount of £51 18s. Ccl. from different sources. The sum of £o was expended in prizes. An examination took place on the 22nd December, 1870, when the prizes were distributed according to merit. In placing our resignation again in your hands, it is with pleasure we report the Alexandra School self-support-ing, and trust it will ever continue to be so. We have the honour to be, Gentlemen, Your obedient servants. Johjt Cole Chapple, On behalf of the Committee.

The report was moved by Mr. Eankin and seconded by Mr. M'llroy, and carried. A high compliment was paid to the retiring committee by the meeting, the whole of whom were reelected, with the exception of Mr. Stanbrook and Mr Field. Messrs Rivers and Beactie being the two new mem bers. The balance sheet shows a balance in hand of £1 11s. 6d., and uncollected fees, £37, leaving the committee free from debt. On the 16fch, the committee held their first meeting- for the purpose of electing their officers — all the members present. Mr. Chappie was re-elected chairman and secretary, and W. Theyers as treasurer. The only other business transacted was the filling in of returns for the Education Board. A vote of thanks to the chair closed the proceedings. The thanks of the whole community are due to the School Committee for their exertion in the cause of education, for the last twelve months, and I hope they will continue in the same path for the future. There is one thing certain, Alexandra manages to elect parents having children attending School as members of committee, and no doubt it is a very wise course. The ladies of Alexandra have assisted the committee to a very great extent, and have also made subscriptions to the extent of nearly £20, which is not included in the returns of the committee. I believe it is the intention of the ladies to keep a fund of their own for the benefit of the children.

Mining matters here are healthy, but the late thunderstorm did considerable damage to the tail races at Butchers and Conroys Gullies, which will cost the prospectors same time to repair. The water races have also suffered damage, but not to the same extent as the tail races ; in fact the whole of the water races are again in working order. Several of the dredges have already made a start, and I expect the whole fleet to be in full work within a fortnight ; that is if the river does not rise above its present level. The quartz reef at Conroys is still looking well. Mr. M'Qucen has paid his reef a visit respecting erecting machinery for crushing purposes. The Butchers Gully Reef is not yet in work, the machinery alluded to in a former communication not being completed.

Things political as yet are very dull, although within the last few days several candidates have declared their intention of contesting the election. For the House of Representatives we have in the field Messrs. Meivyn,

~~~ m^*^ aM^^* m **** mam^ m * mMtlmim ■■■■■■ ■■■■mi Fraser, and Hughes, and if no other candidates come forward, Hughes, without a doubt, will be the man of our choice. Jle has been solicited by Clyde and Alexandra to come forward. Mr. Mervyn has also boon asked to address the electors by a few who think it would be consoling to that gentleman if nothing more comes of it,' after the treatment he has received at the Teviot. Mr. Fraser is a squatter, which is enough to blast his chance with a goldfields constituency Mr. J. C. Brown has received overtures to stand for this district, but up to the present time has given no definite answer. Had he consented to stand, his success would have been almost certain. For the Council, we have already in the field Messrs. Mervyn, Worth, Hughes, and Dr. Nivon, and, I believe, Fraser ; so we will have a good number to choose from, but I am of opinion both events will fall to the lot of "Honest John."

On "Wednesday last, the boatman at the Manuherikia Ferry discovered a young salmon lying a few inches out of tho water at the junction of the Manuhenkia and Molyneux Rivers, it measured 7 inches in length, and caused quite a sensation at Alexandra, it being the first salmon caught in New Zealand. The fish was given to Vincent Pyke, Esq., who immediately placed it in spirits of wine and for .vnrded it per first coach to the Superintendent.