MINING ENGINEERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1039, 31 January 1911, Page 6

MINING ENGINEERS.

THE CONFERENCE. SOJIE REMARKS OF INTEREST. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Auckland, January 30. •Deleg'tes attending the meeting of tho Australasian Hilling Engineers' Conference wore formally welcomed this morning by the Mayor. This afternoon they visited tho School of Minos and made a harbour excursion

The annual dinner was held in tho Masonic Hall this evening, and proved a notablo gathering. The whole of the Australian delegates, as well as tho majority of the -Now Zealand delegates, were present, and among tho guests wero his Excellency tho Governor, Sir Joseph Ward, and the Hon. E. M'Kenzic.

The president of tho institute (Dr. Bell), in proposing tho toast of "Our Guests," remarked that thej,- hoped that during, his Excellency's regime in NewZealand tho country would bo more fully developed. ' There wero vast terrae incognitas in the South Island arid in many parts of tho North Island which wero as yet unexplored, and he hoped that tho day would soon come when these valleys' would not bo populated only by mos.quitoes, but would resound with tho echo of mining whistles and machinery. Lord Islington's Speech. Lord Islington, in replying, said, that no one could fail to recognise and appreciate the astounding influence that science and skill were daily and increasingly bringing to bear upon tho discovery, development, and subsequent manipulation of Nature's endowments. Tho possession of tho latter;'oven though they might be abundant in a country, without full and unstinted application of technical skill and scientific knowledge, must lose their value. This seemed to him of paramount . importance, and it emphasised tho importance and value of such gatherings as the present. The mineral wealth of a country- sometimes resulted m a loss, ■ instead.of a profit, owing to tho lack of proper scientific knowledgo and development. By their scientific knowledge and skill, . they ■ would help the prosperity of both Australia and New Zealand, and would thereby increase the population of theso countries, thus strengthening these portions of the Empire. (Applause.) The Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister, replying to the toast of "The Dominion," "hoped that Dr. Bell, when ho returned to Canada, would hear of somo great mining development arising from his own investigations here. (Applause.)' New "Zealand was practically wholly unexplored- and undeveloped. so far as milling was concerned, and he was suro that this country would some day be of great importance in tho mining world. Hp .hoped that tho visitors, beforo they left. New Zealand, would give us the benefit of advice upon the possibilities of some of- the mineral portions of tho Dominion. The. Government wanted to help mining, and-it had helped mining, though, perhaps, it had not done as it ought in this direction, but that applied to others in other walks of lifo as well. Dr. Bell and Others, Answering tho toast of "The Institute," Dr. Bell explained that tho' object of the institute was the dissemination of knowledge of tbo science of mining, and the. direction of tho mining legislation of Australasia. They wanted: a comprehensive geological survey made of .Australia as well as of New Zealand, portions of .which had been surveyed already.

Captain Richards, . manager : of . the Mount Morgan mine, in supporting Dr. Bell, stated that, to the mining engineer, New Zealand, had .presented'somo very interesting problems, and, in somo of them, advanced work such as ecological survey .was being done hero which was not being dono in Australia. In Australia' they had no hot springs, no burning mountains, and no earthquakes. (Laughter.) It"was • with a 'feeling 'of great regret that they heard that. Dr. Bell,' who was setting Australia so great an example, was leaving, and ho wished that tho New Zealand Government would take steps' ; to continue tho good work how being carried on. ••