OTAGO SCHOOL OF MINES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 198, 19 August 1904, Page 6

OTAGO SCHOOL OF MINES.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Thursday. ' Dr. J. E. M. Robertson, the wellknown New South Wales mining engineer and expert, who recently paid a visit to Otago, wa.= so impressed with accounts he received of the good work done by the University of Otago in the training of mining students, that in appreciation thereof, and as an incentive. he offered the Council two gold meUals, one for the best mining student in quantitative ohemicul analysis, and one for the best student in mining and land mine surveying, actual as well as theoretical. On learning that the students ire required by the regulations to acquire practical experience in coal mining before obtaining diplomas, he offers to find positions for one or two students to study coal mining methods, as practised in New South Wales, during the students" summer vacation. The Professorial Board, in recommending the acceptance of Dr. Robertson's handsome offer, takes the opportunity of expressing gratilieafcion that so important a testimony to the excellence of the work done in Otago School of Mines should have been received at the present time. The committee of the Mining Stu dents' Association has passed a series of resolutions as to the inadvisability of removing the School of Mines. It is pointed out that the closing of the School of Mines annuls the value of the diplolna of assoeiationship, which would become practically worthless. Diplomas cannot be replaced. There are now 65 associates of the school holding important positions in manj- lands, such as the Australian States, South Africa. West Africa, Kgypt, Abyssinia, India. Straits Settlements, Canada, Brazil, and New Zealand, and it would be unfair to them to practically destroy their educational credentials. Seventeen associates have been engaged as directors and lecturers in Australasian mining schools. The closing of the school would destroy this opening, since whilst the new school was being worked up other colonial schools would be steadily producing men, who would step in and take these positions. Despite the difficulties, the .standard of work is such that Australian writers hold the Otago Mining School up as a standard to which their teaching should aspire. The meeting forcibly protests against the transformation of the diploma from thai of a well-known vigorous institution into that of a defunct institution, and the obvious conclusions which the ontside public wilJ in time draw.