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gold to pay for working at the points where it is exposed. It was on this level where the gold commenced to make on the reef where they have been working, and which was almost of a barren character above this to the surface. The former remarks only apply to the main lode; but there are numerous veins and leaders branching off the main lode which, although very small, are yet, some of them, very rich. From a little over twenty-four tons that was obtained during last year from these leaders close on 6990z. of gold was obtained, representing a value of £1,956 17s. Kapanga Company. —This is a purely English company, which was formed for the purpose of purchasing the ground held by the old Kapanga Company, and opening it out at a lower level, to thoroughly prospect and test it. The capital of the company is £185,000, which is divided into 185,000 shares of £1 each; 29,885 of which have been declared paid up, and 17s. per share has been declared paid up on the balance ; thus leaving the available capital of the company to be £23,267 ss. This company commenced operations on the 4th August last, to do preliminary alterations to the machinery and foundations of the pumping-gear before commencing active operations in the mine. These alterations were so far completed by the 28th September that a commencement was made to pump out the water from the old workings. The water had to be taken out with the original pumps which were in the shaft previous to the old company suspending operations, which consisted of a lOin. plunger working from a depth of 218 ft.; below which there was one draw-lift lOin. in diameter, which lifted the water 84ft.; and below this another draw-lift was placed which raised the water from the bottom of the shaft, about 118 ft.; the total depth of the shaft being 420 ft. The whole of the water was pumped out in December last, when the company dispensed with the drawlifts, and placed new pumps in the shaft previous to commencing active mining operations. These pumps consisted of three plungers, one of which is 12in. in diameter, and lifts the water to the surface from a depth of 215 ft. Below this another plunger is fixed, lOin. in diameter, which lifts the water 72ft.; and below this there is another plunger, 9in. in diameter, lifting the water 132 ft.; below which a 9in. draw-lift is fixed, and used for sinking the shaft to a deeper level. They expect to cut the Kapanga lode in the shaft at about 70ft. below the present depth, and Scotty's Reef at 40ft. deeper. Since the new pumps have been fixed sinking has commenced, and at the time of my visit in April 17ft. had been sunk. The company has also commenced to drive on Scotty's lode at the 300 ft. level. This was formerly cut in the main level at 600 ft. from the shaft, and the lode worked for 240 ft., when a split occurred, forming two leaders. The company is at present driving on one of these leaders with the expectation that the two will again unite, and at the junction a good shot of gold will probably be got. The pumping-engine is one of the old type of Cornish beamengines, which has undergone a thorough overhaul. The framing of the intermediate shaft which works the pumps has been replaced with two new trestles. The connecting-rods, balance-bob, with foundations, are all new, and erected in a very creditable and substantial manner. The main shaft, which is 14ft. by Bft. in the clear for the first 300 ft., and 10ft. by 7ft. 6in. below this depth, is all framed and slabbed, and framed off into two compartments for winding and one for the pumps and ladder-shaft. Everything has been done in a substantial manner to work the mine. There is a battery of twenty heads of stamps, which is worked by a horizontal high-pressure engine, 13in. cylinder, which also drives two berdans and one Borlase buddle. The manager intends, when he commences crushing, to use quicksilver-tables, and also blanket-tables. The winding-engine is one that was formerly used by the old company —portable, but has also undergone a thorough overhaul, so that it may be said is now equal to new. The total expenditure on the mine and plant up to the 14th February last was £4,300. Goromandel Company. —This is a company formed with partly English and partly colonial capital to work the mine formerly known as the "Union Beach." The capital is £40,000, in 40,000 shares, of which £25,000 has been subscribed and paid up : £15,000 is held as reservecapital on the 15,000 shares which have not been allotted, but are held by the company. This company commenced operations about two months ago, and had up to the time of my visit expended about £900. There are two shafts on this mine—one 180 ft. deep, Bft. 6in. by 6ft. Bin., in which is fixed a 12in. plunger, with 9in. column. The other shaft is not so deep as this one ; but it is intended to sink it down to a depth of 280 ft., to make it the winding-shaft for working the mine. In order to sink the shaft to a greater depth, and also to provide sufficient power to lift the water, the company has ordered from England a Cornish beam-engine, with a 40in. cylinder, with 9ft. or 10ft. stroke, and purpose to provide sufficient pumps and gearing to sink to a depth of 800 ft. if the lode proves payable for working from this depth. South Kapanga Company. —This is a new company which has been formed to work some ground adjoining the Kapanga Company. One of the principal shareholders is Mr. Copley, one of the proprietors of the Thames, and also one of the shareholders in the famous Shotover claim, where a large amount of gold was obtained near the surface. A new shaft has been sunk down to a depth of 97ft., which is 12ft. long by 4ft. wide, and which will be divided into four compartments— viz., two for winding, one for pumping, and a ladder-shaft. They are also erecting a steam-engine for winding and pumping. A tunnel has been put in for 115 ft. from the shaft at 90ft. below the level of the surface, and in about 50ft. more it is expected to strike the reef, where very rich stone was obtained some eighteen years ago. It is considered by those who are acquainted with this ground that it is likely to turn out well. Tiki Distbict. This is a district where a large amount of gold has been obtained ; but it is extremely quiet at present. There are only a few miners at work, almost the only claim at work being Blackmore's, and in it prospecting is principally being carried on. I went into the workings on the road-level, and inspected the reef, which is about 18in. thick ;Jbut, from what I could learn, there is little or no payable quartz on this level. There are two lodes on the top of the hill—one 3ft. and the other 2ft. wide, having an underlie of 1J to 1, which have been worked to a depth of 70ft. The top reef appears to be a slip from some reef on the top of the range, but cannot be traced, although