WHO WAS TO BLAME? Those connected with the battery blame the mine directors entirely. They very justly point out: "Here have the share holders in these mine; been cryingj out for a chance to get their stuff crushed and their mines opened uv> We give them th.it chance." And vet when our battery is ready for crushing, they well knowing it would bo ready, not a mine has sent us a pound of quartz"' The Battery Company had made arrange-! ments to open on some stutf from tho Otama mine, but sudden complications in ' that mine caused the directors to wire the mine manager not to send any stuff for I

! crushing till he should receive further j orders. The pivei;;: J miners on the field say | that .". ;tavfc should have been made with ! tho =••( ■■-. Mjr-s .•:::'• [ _us on low grade, or any ' ; kind or muiiocLy stuivi before anyone ,• i .liotild ho a.-keu to send good' quartz for treatment, 'i'iioy claim that witn new 1 l :im:ii'_am_torj:, plates, pans or wlmt • I ever i.i y may be, a large amount of ;!th j :.;;.u will ut fir.-o bo lost on the surface | till the little inequalities are worn oil. The battery people say that is nonsense, but ; i mi .ers art: pretty obstinate in tiieir belief's ■ ' about batteries, and nave, no doubt, been j i ai.cjtati on some extent by -this special be ■ lief. ■ j Another reason that seems bo have , weighed with the mine owners was a kind ■| of gun tie bashfuiness. They were like a lot .] of blushing beauties before a weighing ■ I machine, crying, "Oh you go hrst, Mary." i "Oil no, you go. :: Nobody liked to ba first to try their quartz ab the new battery; i for fear, perhaps, that it should not turn j out quite so well as Had been hoped. How- I over, tiio John Bull mine had the ■ pluck to make the first start; and ! ! doubtless others will follow. Even on Wed ■ I ues.lay a quantity of IoW - grade j stud' was promised, and on it a start was to jbe made. 