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penses connected with the treatment are paid by the school, and the bullion extracted is returned to the owner. Terms. The period of instruction extends over three long terms in the year, instead of four short terms of the same duration, as kept by the public schools and High School. First term, Ist February to 30th April; second term, 15th May to 15th August; third term, Ist September to 30th November. Annual examinations, Ist to 15th December. Lectures. Two public lectures were delivered last year at the School of Mines—one by Sir James Hector, F.E.S., Chancellor of the New Zealand University, on "The Geology of the Thames Goldfield," and the other by Mr. H. G. Pitcairn, representative of the Luhrig Ore-dressing Company, on " The Principles of Concentration." Both lectures were of a very interesting and instructive character, and were listened to by large audiences. Annual Distribution of Certificates. The annual distribution of prizes and certificates took place on the 2nd February. There was a large attendance of the public and of students. Among those present were Mr. B. Murray, F.G.S., Geologist for Victoria, Mr. Henry A. Gordon, C.E., F.G.S., and Mr. A. McKay, F.G.S., Mining Geologist. The prizes and certificates were distributed by the President, Mr. J. McGowan, M.H.8., and at the conclusion of the ceremony the Director and Mr. Gordon addressed the meeting. Mr. Gordon, in a very able and thoughtful speech, pointed out the advantages and necessity of a technical knowledge to all those engaged in mining and milling pursuits. He spoke in highly appreciative terms of the work being done by the school, and said it was a pleasure to him to hear of the successes of our certificated students. Governing Body. At the annual meeting, the following officers and Committee were elected for the current year: President, Mr. J. McGowan, M.H.E.; vice-presidents, Messrs. T. A. Dunlop and G. Bull; members, Messrs. G. S. Clark, J. H. Smith, W. Baker, P. C. Hansen, J. Brown, J. H. Whittaker; treasurer, Mr. J. Watson ; secretary, Mr. A. Bruce. In conclusion, the Committee have at all times afforded me their hearty support and cooperation in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the school, and the different mine-managers on this and other fields in the Hauraki Peninsula have at all times given myself and students ready access to their mines to conduct underground surveys and examinations. It affords me great pleasure also to acknowledge the valuable and willing helu received from my assistant, Mr F. B. Allen, M.A., B.Sc. REEFTON SCHOOL OF MINES. There has been a considerable falling-off in the attendance at this school last year, which Mr. Aitken, the Director, attributes to the repeated breaking-up of the classes, occasioned by his visiting the smaller schools on the West Coast, which, he admits, are of no practical value to those who attend them. The remarks of Mr. Aitken in reference to this are well founded, for it is well known that, unless the work is carried on continuously for a certain term, the teaching is, in a manner, wasted. If regular instruction were given, there would be a far greater chance of getting a large attendance : people would come from other places to attend the school, as they do at the Thames, and some good would result from the teaching. Itinerant teaching is only good to cause the miners to direct their attention to the necessity of becoming better acquainted with the chemistry of metals, and to enable them to distinguish the mineral ores wheii they meet with them, but a few lectures now and again are not of any practical value. During last year Mr. Aitken held classes at Boatman's, " The Progress," Brunnerton, Kumara, Stafford, and Hokitika, and also spent about two weeks examining and testing the ores in the vicinity of Mount Eangitoto, where gold and silver was reported to be found in a granitoid formation; but, after making a large number of tests, he did not find any ore which he deemed payable for working. There is a little gold in a belt of country which is composed of gneissic granite, which in many places has a distinct schistose structure, having veins of felsite through it in places. An adit was driven for about 40ft. into this formation, and from this adit a number of samples were tested. On one side of the gneiss formation there is a belt of altered slate, into which the veins of felsite run for some distance. A good deal of prospecting has been done on this belt. Two adits have been driven for some distance, following small veins of iron-pyrites, galena, and zinc-blende. Another adit has been driven at the junction of the slate and gneiss for 400 ft., and samples were taken from it and tested, but none of the results came up to expectations. There is, however, no saying where payable ore may be found in this locality, gold having been found—although in small quantities— in this formation. Two assays have been made during the year from tailings from the Globe, Progress, Welcome, Scotia, Sir Francis Drake, and Cumberland Companies' batteries, with the result that the minimum quantity of gold obtained was 2dwt. 6gr., and the maximum 13dwt. lgr., per ton. There is said to be about 44,400 tons of tailings at these crushing-batteries. Taking the average of the assays, these tailings contain sdwt. 21-7gr. of gold per ton, which gives a total value of £52,445. Of this amount the Globe Company has tailings having a value of £27,480; the Progress, £1,812; the Welcome, £10,950; Scotia, £1,043 ; Sir Francis Drake, £2,100; and the Cumberland Company, £9,060. If even 75 per cent, of this value were extracted, it shows that there is gold to the value of £39,334 that ought to be obtained with ordinary care.