As the attention of most Australian mining men has for some two years past been focussed upon the attempts to amend the MacArthur-Forrest Cyanide Patent in the various colonies, it will be unnecessary to remind this Institute that in Victoria the attempt made in 1895 to amend that patent not only failed, but was not appealed against. And not only did the Commissioner of Patents decline to permit the claim covering " dilute " solutions alone, but he went very much further and declared-' There is no doubt in my mind that the amendment is the outcome of subsequently acquired knowledge.The non-appeal against that decision renders it fairly open for this Institute to take cognizance of the proceedings which have gone on since in V ictoria-proceedings of a nature which evince excellent tactics on the part of the patentee, (which tactics may be repeated again) -that is the application a second time to be allowed to amend, but which by keeping up a state of non-finality would have a tendency to obstruct mining enterprise. That obstruction does not make itself apparent . in Victoria, which has out-distanced every other colony in the number and extent of its non-royalty paying Cyanide Mills; but without doubt,,in New South Wales where the same -or rather to some extent the same -Patent Laws in regard to amendments now prevail, a good deal of holding back, till some further decision is reached is evident.