5

E.-7

The number of old students on the register expected to continue their studies during the past session was thirty-seven, and sixteen new ones entered, bringing the expected attendance number up to fifty-three. However, five of the old students did not return, a sixth, after a few days' attendance, became seriously ill and died, and of the new students one, after a few weeks'irregular attendance, was compelled, on account of illness, to give up further study, whilst a second'gave up the school after three months' attendance, thus reducing the total number of regular students to forty-five; and if to this number be added two—namely, one student who only took the evening class in assaying; the other, H. Black, who, although having gone through the whole curricula of mining and metallurgy last year, as mentioned in my report, attended classes in several subjects a second time (thus enabling him to convert the third-class examination certificates he previously obtained in the respective subjects into first- and second-class ones) — the attendance number of students during the past session was forty-seven. Owing to the prevalent epidemics of influenza and measles, which attacked a number of the students, especially during the first part of the session, the various classes were not so well attended as in previous years, which accounts no doubt for a number of the failures in several subjects at the recent examinations, as shown in the table further on. With regard to these failures I cannot, however, omit to remark that I consider most to be due, on the part of .some of the students, to insufficient preliminary knowledge at entry of the school; on the part of others to inattention at lectures and want of proper study; and on the part of yet another section to insufficient study through having taken too many subjects— i.e., more than those prescribed, with the intention of securing during a three years' course, besides the diploma in mining, the certificate of metallurgical chemist and assayer. The recent decision of the Council requiring the passing of an entrance examination, and an attendance of four years in the case of students desiring to obtain more than one diploma or certificate, will doubtless check the number of failures in future. Of the sixteen new students who, as previously explained, were reduced to fourteen, one, working for the B.Sc. degree of the University of New Zealand, took only general geology, with the intention of taking other mining classes afterwards, and another attended only three subjects— namely, practical and theoretical chemistry and general geology, in the two latter of which he failed ; whilst a third student attended all the classes of the first year's curriculum, but did not sit for examination in any other subject but practical chemistry, in which he passed. The other eleven students attended all the first year's classes, and, with the exception of two, who failed in mathematics, passed all the examinations. The thirty-one older students consisted of fourteen who, having last year passed in mathematics and chemistry, adhered mostly to the prescribed curriculum for the second year's course, but in the recent examinations one failed in mining, theoretical mechanics, theoretical physics, and surveying; another failed in mining, mineralogy, theoretical physics, and general and special metallurgy ; a third failed in mineralogy and surveying ; a fourth failed in theoretical physics and general metallurgy ; and two failed in mining. Amongst the seventeen remaining older students were four who, through failure in mathematics at last year's examinations, were prevented from attending several of the classes of the second year's course, whilst the other thirteen consisted of students of three, four, and five years' standing, most of whom should have completed their studies this year. But some did not attend all the prescribed lecture courses, whilst others failed in the examinations, probably through having taken more than the prescribed classes. Some have even failed a second time in the same subjects. Thus, it happens that only four of the thirteen can leave the school as having successfully completed their studies for the chosen divisions, whilst the other nine students, in order to obtain certificates, will have to return —some for attending classes they missed, some for re-examination in the subjects they failed in, or for attending the respective classes a second time. The four students who are leaving the school are as under :— Francis A. Gutten : He passed well in all the subjects of the mining, metallurgical, and geological, divisions, and that of metallurgical chemist and assayer, and he is at present entitled to claim the diploma of Associate in Geology and the certificate of metallurgical chemist and assayer. For obtaining the diplomas of Associate in Mining and Metallurgy he still requires, however, to do nearly all the practical work in mines and metallurgical establishments prescribed for these divisions. In the recent examinations he distinguished himself in securing first classes in six and good second classes in two of the eight subjects he required to attend for finishing his studies. Ormsly G. Adams : This student passed the examinations in all the subjects of the mining division and that of metallurgical chemist and assayer, having shown special ability and application in accomplishing this work during three years' attendance at the school. In the recent examinations he distinguished himself in gaining first-classes in six, and two good second-classes in two of the eight subjects he required to attend to finish his course. He is entitled to claim the certificate of metallurgical chemist and assayer; but requires to engage for several months more in practical mining work for qualifying him to claim the diploma of Associate in Mining. During the past session he satisfactorily acted as my assistant in the classes of mineralogy and petrography. Geoffrey G. Sale : By passing well all the prescribed examinations for the mining division, and of that of metallurgical chemist and assayer, he is at present entitled to claim the certificate of the latter division : but he requires still to engage for two or three months more in practical mining work, in order to qualify him for obtaining the diploma of Associateship in Mining. Adam Hay: Having passed the examinations in all the subjects of the mining division, and that of metallurgical chemist and assayer, he is entitled to claim the certificate of metallurgical chemist and assayer; but he has still to engage for several months more in practical mine work before he becomes qualified for obtaining the diploma of Associateship in Mining. He showed ability and application in finishing his studios for two certificates in the course of three years,