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that the year just ended has been one of the most successful the school has had since its inception, both in respect to the efficiency and usefulness of the work done, and to the attendance of members. At the commencement of the period under review, in order to bring the benefits of the school within easy reach of all classes of the community, the subscription for the year was fixed as low as possible —viz., 10s. for a family ticket, and ss. for a single ticket. Under this system upwards of thirty subscribing members were obtained, and the average attendance for the session was twenty-two. " The income derived from this source, supplemented by proceeds of a public entertainment and by a subsidy of £10, amounted to £34, almost the whole of which, after providing for sundry minor expenses, as fuel, light, advertising, &c, has been either expended or allocated for necessary material and appliances. The school is entirely dependent for instruction on amateurs—the lion's share of the work having been performed by Mr. W. M. Purkiss, to whom members are greatly indebted— although in this connection I must not forget to mention that for a period of two weeks the services of Mr. W. Goodlet were placed at our disposal, and the classes which he held nightly were well attended and highly appreciated. The members met every Thursday evening from May to October, inclusive, in quarters in the Police Camp, kindly placed at our disposal by the Government. These quarters have been comfortably fitted up as a class-room and laboratory, and although very much is still wanting in the way of apparatus and material, a very fair beginning has been made in this direction. " The work done during the year has comprised theoretical chemistry, practical chemistry, and laboratory practice, mineralogy, and blow-pipe determination. Practical assaying has not been attempted owing to the lack of a suitable furnace, and other necessary appliances. As, however, these have been ordered from London, this very important and essential branch will be taken up during the ensuing year. " In order to further add to the usefulness of the school, it is proposed that an additional class, to be composed of the elder scholars of the public school, shall be formed. It is thought that by well grounding the rising generation in the principles of chemistry and chemical manipulation, teaching them the elements of mineralogy and blow-pipe analysis, and thereby training their powers of observation, a firm foundation will be laid, upon which, and upon which only, the solid structure of the wonderful science of chemistry can afterward be reared." OTAGO SCHOOL OF MINES. The school attached to the Otago University at Dunedin has been subsidised by moneys from the Mines votes for the last eight years, and this is the first year that any report on the work done at the school has come to hand. The following report of Professor Ulrich to the Chancellor of the University is taken from the Mining Journal, and shows that considerably more interest is taken in the subjects taught at this school than was done a few years ago. Indeed, it maybe said the Otago University owes a debt of gratitude to Dr. Black for the energetic and logical manner in which he disseminated his views on the necessity of those intending to follow up mining having a technical education. His lectures in the different mining centres caused such enthusiasm amongst the miners that local schools were got up at almost every mining centre, and, it may be said that the miners, for the first time in this colony, had an opportunity of witnessing a practical demonstration of the principle and method of testing the different ores met with. At the time the local schools were inaugurated very little interest was taken at the Otago School, there only being some three or four students, and, in some cases, only one student attended the mining lectures ; but by his report last year there were nineteen students, showing that it is only by the interest taken in subjects in connection with mining all over the colony that the number of students at this school has so greatly increased. It is only those who can afford the means to attend the University classes that can avail themselves of the knowledge imparted at this school of mines. Whereas on the goldfield centres, such as at the Thames, the men are able to follow their ordinary avocations during the day and attend the school at night, and thereby enabled to earn their livelihood and attend the mining classes at the same time. The Otago School is doing good work, and deserves to be well patronised. The Director is without exception the best mineralogist in the colony, and has the advantage of being practically acquainted with the methods of mining. It is to be hoped that in the future the department will be able to get a yearly report on the work done at this school so as to show how it is progressing. The Director, Professor H. F. Ulrich, reports as follows: — " In compliance with the request of the Council I have the honour to submit the following report on the work and results of the School of Mines during the past session (1892): — " The school was attended with satisfactory regularity by twenty-two students, three of whom were casual students for two special classes only—viz., assaying and general geology, whilst the remaining nineteen were regular registered students, who entered with the intention of going through one or more of the courses of study prescribed in the calendar for the several divisions of the school. " Before giving an abstract of the work done by these nineteen students, I have to mention that, owing to various circumstances, a number of the students—since the school was first opened— did not hitherto strictly follow the curriculum prescribed in the calendar for the divisions they intended to qualify for. Of the above number, three students, for instance, with the intention of gaining the B.Sc. degree, took other university classes, leaving the missed mining classes for future sessions ; whilst several others, indifferent as to finishing the course in three years, took per year one or two classes less than prescribed, thus requiring a fourth year for completion. In former years it has also happened that students took more classes than prescribed during one session in order to have more time for the study of certain subjects during succeeding sessions. Failure in passing the examinations in a certain class and the consequent necessity of attending the same