MINING ENGINEERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 25, 31 January 1911, Page 4

MINING ENGINEERS.

•THE CONFERENCE AT AUCKLAND. ANNUAL DiNNER. [BY TBLEGBAPH— PBESS ASSOCIATION.} AUCKLAND, 30th January. The annual dinner in connection with the Australasian Mining Engineers' Conference was held in the Masonic Hall this evening, and proved a notable gathering. The whole of the Australian delegates, as well as the majority of the New Zealand delegates, were present, and among the guests were His Excellency the Governor, Sir Joseph Ward, and the Hon. R. M'Kenzie. The president of the institute (Dr. Bell), in" proposing the toast of "Our Guests," remarked that they hoped that during His Excellency's regime in New Zealand the country would be more fully developed. There were vast terrae incognita© in the South Island and in many parts of the North * Island which were as yet unexplored, and he hoped that the day would soon come when these valleys would not be populated only by mosquitoes, but would resound with the echo of mining whistles and machinery. THE GOVERNOR'S REPLY. 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 the discovery, development, and subsequent manipulation of Nature's endowments. The possession of the latter, even^hough 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 the importance and value of such gatherings as the present. The mineral wealth of a country sometimes resulted in a loss, instead of a profit, owing to the lack of proper scientific knowledge 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 these, countries, thus strengthening these portions of the Empire. (Applause.) AN UNEXPLORED COUNTRY. The Prime Minister, replying to the toast of "The Dominion," hoped that Dr. Bell, when he returned to Canada, would hear of some great mining development arising from his own investigations here., (Applause.) New Zealand was practically wholly unexplored and undeveloped so far as mining was concerned, and he was sure that this country would some day be of great importance in the mining world. He hoped that the visitors, before they left New Zealand, would give us the benefit of advice upon' the possibilities of some of the mineral portions of the Dominion. The Government wanted to help mining, and it had helped mining, though, perhaps, it had not done a's it ought in this direction, but that applied to others in other walks of life as well. OBJECT OF THE INSTITUTE. Answering the toast of "The Institute," Dr. Bell explained that tho object of the institute was the dissemination of knowledge of the science of mining, and the direction of the 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 some rery interesting problems, and, in some of them, advanced work such* as geological uurvey was being done here which was not being done in Australia. In Australia they had no hot springs, no burning mountains, and no earthquakes. (Laughter.) It was with a feeling of great Tegret that they heard that Dr. Bell, who was setting Australia so great *n example, was leaving, and he wished that the New Zealand Government would take steps to continue the good work tiow being carried on.