C—3.

The following table shows the results of the late examinations:—

Results of Annual Examinations, 1897.

Three students competed for the scholarship, obtaining the following average percentages K. M. Barrance, 89-6 per cent.; W. Donovan, 86-6 per cent.; H. E. Metcalfe, 84-6 per cent. No award was made. The following tables show the separate parcels of ore treated during nine months of the past year, and the returns therefrom. The value of the bullion recovered amounts to £280, a somewhat higher average per month than for the preceding twelve months. The great majority of the ores received at the Thames School for treatment are not suited to the cyanide process. Amalgamation of the tailings after a previous cyanide treatment is not satisfactory in practice, but with many of the ores cyanide can be used to recover from the tailings the bullion that has escaped amalgamation. This would point towards wet-crushing and amalgamation as the most suitable process for the field generally, followed by cyanide on the tailings. Subject to permission granted by the Director, students are allowed to obtain practical experience in the metallurgical plant, and several —viz., Messrs. Croucher, Banks, Finn, Campbell and others—have rendered valuable assistance|from time.

6

Subject of Examination. First Class. Second Third F ., aa Class. Class. Total. General and mining geology Pumping and winding ... Ventilation and explosives Mining and applied mechanics Theoretical chemistry (senior) Theoretical chemistry (junior) Practical chemistry (senior) Practical chemistry (junior) Practical assaying, dry (senior) ... Practical assaying, dry (junior) ... Practical assaying, wet (senior) ... Practical assaying, wet (junior) ... Surveying (land and mine) Map-drawing ... Mineralogy and blowpipe Metallurgy Mechanical drawing 2 4 4 7 4 3 9 2 1 2 2 P 2 7 1 "4 2 3 6 5 6 7 6 1 5 2 23 4 2 3 6 2 6 4 1 1 2 1 2 "i 9 3 6 8 4 6 4 1 1 Totals 60 25 101