25

C—3

" Scale of Charges for Public Assays and Analyses —continued. £ s. d. Analysis of limestone and calcareous freestone I com P lete ••• ••■ 10 0 {partial ... ... 010 0 „ coals and fuels, each... ... ... ... . . 0 10 0 rocks and soils J«TPlfte 2 0 0 (partial ... ... ... ... 1 0 0 „ fireclays and slags ... ... ... ... ...100 „ manures ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 0 0 waters 3 0 0 (partial ... ... ... ... ... 2 0 0 „ nickel-, cobalt-, and chrome-ores ... ... ... 010 0 „ concentrates ... ... ... ... ... 1 10 0 „ complex sulphide ores, &c. ... ... ... ... 110 0 " Class-fees. " Begistration or membership for a year, 10s; all class-fees ss. per quarter for each subject, excepting mechanical drawing, 21s. per quarter. " Students are supplied with crucibles, glassware, apparatus, chemicals, &c, free of charge, but they must make good all breakages. "Experimental Plant. " Parcels of gold- and silver-bearing ores, up to three tons, are treated exhaustively, and reported on, from £3 to £5 per ton or part of a ton, according to the nature of treatment required. All expenses connected with the treatment are paid by the school, and the bullion extracted is returned to the owner. " Laboratory Fittings and Appliances. " During the past year the Committee has added various useful and much-needed pieces of apparatus to the permanent stock of the school, including a small 9in. pelton-wheel and a revolvingbarrel for conducting experiments with different classes of ore by amalgamation, chlorination, &c.; also, a small experimental leaching-vat for similar purposes. These proved exceedinglyvaluable in the practical demonstration of gold and silver treatment for the class on metallurgy. Among other useful apparatus obtained are an Attwood's machine, and a revolving friction-table, used for practical demonstration for the class devoted to physics and experimental science. " Governing Body. " The Committee for the current year, elected at the annual meeting held in February, are as follows : Mr. J. McGowan; Vice-presidents, Messrs. P. C. Hansen and T. A. Dunlop ■ members, Messrs. George Bull, G. S. Clark, H. W. Moore, J. H. Smith, Dr. Williams; John Watson, treasurer; and A. Bruer, secretary. " In conclusion, I have, as in former reports, to express my great obligation to the Committee for their ready support and co-operation in forwarding the interests of the school, and for the generous manner in which they have dealt with the funds of the school in procuring necessary appliances and apparatus." The Thames is remarkably well situated for a School of Mines, the quartz workings being actually inside the town boundaries, and adjacent thereto, so that every workman has an opportunity of attending the night classes at the school without interfering with his daily labours. The young students have also an opportunity of seeing the practical working of the mines. The mine-managers allow them to go at intervals below-ground to, in some instances, make trial surveys and to note the manner the workings are carried on. The test-plant is attached to the school, and so many parcels of stone being tested gives them a greater insight into working of crushing-batteries than ever they could gain from technical teaching illustrated by diagrams. It is very gratifying to find that all the students who passed their examination last year have received appointments in the colony; some as assayers to companies, and some employed by the Cassel Company; while the student who got the highest number of marks has been appointed assayer to the Bank of New Zealand at the Thames. REEFTON SCHOOL OF MINES. The Beefton School has also been well attended last year, considering that the mines are situate a good distance from the township; but to compensate for this, Mr. Aitken, the instructor, held regular classes at Boatman's, Progress, and Merrijigs, for the convenience of those who could not attend the classes at the Beefton School. At some of these branch schools there are advanced students who take a great interest in the school, and give instruction in the absence of Mr. Aitken. The number of students attending the schools in the Beefton District last year was 52, as against 34 for the previous year. The instructor also visited Denniston and Brunnerton. At the former place there was very little interest taken in the lectures given by Mr. Aitken, but at Brunnerton the lectures were greatly appreciated. The following is a report by Mr. Aitken, the Instructor and Director of the Beefton School of Mines, for the year ending the 31st March, 1893: — " I have the honour to report on the work and progress of the Beefton School of Mines and its numerous branches for the past year, ending 31st March, 1893, which has been the most successful year the school has yet had, as may be seen by the increase of attendance, and the work executed by the students at the last annual examination. 5—C. 3.