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In reply, I beg to state that immediately on receipt of your letter I called a meeting of the Board. The Board met yesterday, and adopted the report of the College Committee, which had previously considered the subject. A copy of this report is forwarded herewith. The Board will shortly forward a carefully-prepared statement showing the appliances at present possessed by the College for giving the instruction required ; also an estimate of the annual expenditure for the salary of a lecturer, together with an estimate of the expense to be incurred for a set of models and a metallurgical collection. In conclusion, I have to state that the Board will gladly assist in every way in the establishment of the proposed school. I have, &c, W. MONTGOMEEY, The Hon. the Secretary for Crown Lands, Wellington. Chairman.

Enclosure in No. 3. Repoet of the College Committee. The College Committee, having considered a letter from the Colonial Government recommending the establishment of a School of Mines, and having also considered a report furnished to the Chairman by Professors yon Haast and Bickerton, is of opinion that the College possesses very sufficient appliances for giving instruction in almost all the departments of study included in the usual curriculum of a School of Mines, and would only require the addition to its staff of a Professor or Lecturer in practical mining, applied mechanics, mechanical drawing and surveying, a set of models, and a metallurgical collection. The Committee suggest that the relation between a School of Mines and a School of Agriculture is such that it is desirable for the College Committee to confer with the Committee of the School of Agriculture on the subject, and bring up a further report. The Committee recommend the Board to authorize the Committee to prepare, for transmission to the Government, a full report of the present means of the College applicable to the institution of a School of Mines, such report to be submitted to the Board at its next meeting. Christchurch, Bth February, 1877.

No. 4. The Chaieman of the Boaed of Goveenoes to the Hon. tho Seceetaey for Ceown Lands. Sic,— Canterbury College, Christchurch, 19th March, 1877. I have the honor to state that the Board of Governors, having given the question of the establishment of a School of Mines in connection with this College careful consideration, has decided that it is desirable such a school should be established ; and that, as the College already possesses very sufficient appliances for giving instruction in almost all the departments of study included in the usual curriculum of a School of Mines, the annual expenditure, in addition to that required to maintain the present staff, would be inconsiderable. The Board will be prepared to establish the school if a grant of £150 for maintenance be given annually by the Colonial Government, and the sum of £300 be provided to defray the first cost of a set of models and a metallurgical collection. I have, &c, W. MoNTGOMEEY, The Hon. the Secretary for Crown Lands, Wellington. Chairman.

No. 5. The Undee Seceetaey for Ckown Lands to the Chaieman of the Boaed of Goveenoes. Sic, — General Crown Lands Office, Wellington, Ist May, 1877. With further reference to the proposed establishment of a School of Mines in connection with the Canterbury College, and to your letters on the subject, dated the 9th February aud the 19th March ultimo, I have the honor, by direction of the Hon. the Secretary for Crown Lands, to request you to be good enough to state how many days in the week, and how many hours of such days, the Board of Governors would be prepared to cause to be devoted to the subjects of the proposed school, and whether a teacher would be occupied exclusively in the duties connected therewith ; such particulars to be stated in relation to the subsidy mentioned in your letter, and on the supposition of its being grauted. I have, &c, W. Montgomery, Esq., Chairman, Canterbury College, Christchurch. J. Giles.

No. 6. The Chaieman of the Boaed of Goveenoes to the Hon. the Seceetaey for Ceown Lands. Sib— Canterbury College, Christchurch, 14th May, 1877. In reply to your letter of the Ist instant, I have the honor to state that a great part of the teaching power required for a School of Mines is already provided by the College, and that with the