SCHOOL OF MINES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13625, 19 December 1907, Page 6

SCHOOL OF MINES.

AN ASSOCIATESHIP DIPLOMA.

IMPORIANT UNIVERSITY MOVE.

With the object of encouraging students to lake a. systematic course of study, when through any cause tney -ire unable to take the degree, the University College Council has decided tc institute, in connection with the recently established School of Mining Engineering, an associateship diploma, which may be gained la either mining 01 metallurgy. The course occupies three years in cither case, and is intended primarily for tl-oee who arc unable to spend the four years required for the B.E. degree of the N.Z. University ' It iu hoped that the majority of those entering this course will have passed the matriculation examination. This is not essential, but intending associateship students must produce satisfactory evidence of their knowledge of English grammar, composition, spelling, and punctuation, arithmetic, algebra, and freehand and model drawing. A good working knowledge of the above subjects is the minimum of what is absolutely necessary in order to make reasonable progress in the subjects required by a mining or metallurgical engineer.

The student must attend nine-tenths of the classes in each subject, for the work must be thoroughly done, and exemption from this regulation can only be granted on account of illness or some exceptional cause after special consideration by the Professorial Board.

The examination,? are conducted by the professors and lecturers, and are held at the end of each term in the case of School of Mines subjects, and at the end of the year only in preliminary subjects. The teacher is the sole judge of the fitness of the student to pass in his subject, and the year's work as a whole is taken into account when making the decision. In the event of a student failing in one subject oi the year's work he must obtain additional instruction in that subject, and pass the next examination in it, but tailure in two or more subjects entails a repetition of the whole year's work. In his vacations and before entering the final year of study, he must put in at least six mouths of practical work in coal and metal mines, if taking the mining course, or in metallurgical works,. if taking the metallurgy course, so that he enters . his final year with some practical knowledge of his subject, and, is thus able to reap the full advantage of the instruction offered.

The fees for either course total »about £55 for the three years, or £63 ten the combined lour years' course in both subjects. The student with some grit in him can earn a fair wage in his practical work, during the vacations, and the cost of books and apparatus in moderate, about £15 being ampl« for this purpose in the three years. ■ Hence one of the prominent features of the course is its small cost, which places it within the reach of those with the most moderate means.

For the first year, the existing college buildings and equipment suffice, but for the second and third years additional accommodation is necessary, and as soon as the preliminaries have been settled a building will be erected and in this will be held all classes in those subjects required by the mining, metallurgical, and engineering students. When this building has been erected and the apparatus unpacked students may feel satisfied" that they will obtain an up-to-date course of instruction. •

Those who are able to do so are strongly advised to take both mining and metallurgy, since it is difficult to predict which of these subjects will eventually claim the greatest share of their attention. Adadditional vfiar is required in order to do this. The more fortunate ones, who are able to take the B.E. degree of tho N.Z. University spend three years ..instead of two over their preliminary-studies, and are thereby enabled to get a more thorough grounding before proceeding to their special subjects The degree course occupies four years, or five years for tho double course, and is somewhat more expensive, chiefly because of the fees required for the various University examinations. The cost {not including books, etc.) is £90 for mining and £91 for metallurgy, or £110 for the double degree.