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into the kiln. This ore is conveyed from the bottom of the kilns to the battery-building on tram-way-trucks, and emptied into the hoppers, after which the whole process of treatment is carried on by gravitation until the ore is pulverised, when it is lifted by an elevator for delivery into the solution-tanks. There are three solution-vats, 22ft. in diameter and 4ft. deep, with mixing-tank, sump, and all the necessary appliances required for treating the ore by the cyanide process. After the ore is leached, the gangue is then sluiced out of the vats and carried away by a chute into a distributingbox, from which the material passes over a copper-plate coated with quicksilver. The cyanide solution cleans any particles of gold that are not dissolved, and it readily adheres to the quicksilver. The whole of the plant is very complete, but by far too small for the quantity of ore there is to deal with in this mine. This mine and the Komata have been recently purchased by an English company, now termed the Waitekauri Company. The following appears in reference to this new company in the Auckland Weekly News: — '■' The Golden Cross and the Komata Companies are now incorporated under the title of the Waitekauri Company. The whole of the details have now been fixed up, and the cash will be paid over in London in the course of a few days. The company is formed in 150,000 shares of £1 each, out of which 15,000 will be reserved for future issue. Of the cash, £25,000 is to be paid to the shareholders in the Golden Cross Mine, and £10,000 to those of the Komata Mine, whilst a sum of £35,000 is to be set aside as working capital. Since the amalgamation of the Golden Cross and Komata, and the floating of a company in England for the more efficient working of these splendid reefing properties, a great deal of outside interest is being taken in the development of the lodes. It will therefore be of interest to our readers to state that on Corbett's level the lode has been driven on 280 ft. to the rise into the upper workings, and 80ft. beyond it, making a total length of reef opened up of 360 ft., gold being carried from end to end. Our Paeroa correspondent telegraphs as follows: 'As a sequence to the recent amalgamation of the Komata and Golden Cross Mines, and the floating of the new company nvLondon to thoroughly develop the properties in question, a considerable amount of interest is now being centred in the mine, and there is no doubt that its success or otherwise will go far to determine the future of the Waitekauri field. There is, however, a splendid body of ore fully 23ft. wide in the Golden Cross section of the property, already exposed for a great length awaiting further development, while in the Komata section the main reef has been driven on for about 40ft. For that distance it has averaged fully sft. in thickness, and is producing a good payable ore, so that it will be seen the new company has excellent prospects in view. No time is to be lost in putting into execution the big scheme contemplated by the Golden Cross Company—namely, the driving of a new level from the junction of the roads, which will be about If miles in length when completed, and also the erection of a large and effective crushing-plant at Waitekauri. A contract has now been let to Mr. Sorrenson for the supply of 30,000 ft. of sawn timber at 9s. per 100 ft., and to Mr. J. Hartley for requisite slabs and props : the price being, slabs 15s. per 100, and props varying from £7 10s. to £10 per 100. Tenders are also being invited for driving the first section of the new tunnel, the distance being 500 ft. When this work is commenced, it will be watched with increasing interest; as it proceeds it will traverse virgin country for a couple of miles, and unearth perhaps gold-bearing lodes yet unknown.' " The construction of this new level will cut across the country-rock at nearly right-angles to the line of the lodes, and it will serve four purposes, namely— (1.) For laying down a tramway by which the quartz will be conveyed either by a horse or wire-rope haulage. (2.) In going across the country there is a fair prospect of cutting other lines of reefs which abound in this neighbourhood. (3.) Underneath the line of tramway a channel will be constructed to convey water for driving a Pelton wheel, which will be required to work pumping machinery to drain the mine at low level, and also to carry away the water from the pumps. (4.) It will also serve as a level to open up the mine. The scheme appears a large undertaking, but, when the cost of drainage is taken into consideration, there is abundance of water in the creek to effect this, as the depth of this level below the surface at the mine will give a head to produce sufficient power to do all the pumping that will be required. From the outlet end of this tunnel a ground-tramway will be laid down to the battery, where there is plenty of water-power to drive the forty heads of stamps that is erected. No doubt it will cost a considerable sum of money to complete the whole of the works, but it will be a good line of road to convey the quartz to the reduction-works at a cheap rate. It may also be stated that, although this company is entirely separate from the Waihi, the most of the shareholders in the one company are shareholders in the other, and as the Waihi Company contemplate the erection of a crushing plant with a hundred heads of stamps near the junction of the Waitekauri Creek with the Ohinemuri, where there is an abundant supply of water-power available to work all the machinery, the Golden Cross tramway can be connected with this plant if the present reduction plant at Waitekauri is found inadequate to deal with the quantity of ore that can be got. If the lodes in the Golden Cross ground continue to go down, carrying the same quantity of gold as they do at present—and, judging from their size and character, there is every likelihood of them doing so, although no man can say for certain what wealth lies beneath what is visible—the present indications are such as lead me to believe that this mining property is not surpassed in value to any yet opened in the colony, the Waihi mine not excepted. During the last year there were twenty-seven men employed in connection with the mine, and 1,569 tons of ore crushed, which yielded 5,3340z. gold; also 200 tons of tailings was treated for a return of 1,0840z. gold.