TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR MINERS.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1840, 19 May 1885, Page 2

TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR MINERS.

Professor Black has submitted to the Ministry a report of his visit to the goldflelds. In the eight weeka at his disposal, he delivered 44 lectures at 15 different places, and established testing classes at nine centres Mention is made of the clubs established by miners, and the good they would do i£ they received support. Ke says: " During* my visit to the coait as well as to the Otago G-oldfielda, I was strongly impressed with the large fields open for teaching to crowds o£ intelligent men such subjects as geology, and mineralogy, the use of the blow-pipe, the chemistry of minerals, and the extraction of metals from their ores. The men are thirsting for this kind of knowledge. They present the saddening spectacle of standing: together in clubs, with funds subscribed for procuring chemicals, books, and apparatus, but with no one left to teach them the use of these appliances. There was never a better opportunity offered to any Government or University authorities, of providing suitable means of instruction to so large a number of earnest students eager to receive it, and no body of students will make a better or more direct use of the instruction provided them. Such instruction, if liberally provided, will convert many of these miners into intelligent prospectors, since they will be able to identify valuable ore when they find it (which is not the case at present). The country will reap a thousand-fold in. the development, of its great resources and expenditure judiciously made in this direction." Professor Black said that he had forwarded a scheme to the Government for special instruction in general branches of knowledgo in the goldfields, viz., geology, ore dressing, mineralogy, metallurgy, analysis and assaying, mines surveying, mining. After a few years of this work, which would be carried on in Otago by Professor Black and assistants, he anticipates there would be a demand for a fully equipped School of Mines. The report was referred for a report to, the Mines Committee. /