11

C—3

alumina (AI 2 O S ), 0-93 ; carbonate of manganese (MnCO.,), 212 ; carbonate of zinc (ZnCO a ), L 54 ; nickel and cobalt, doubtful traces ; residue insoluable in hydrochloric acid (mainly silica), 1-40. (3.) Hard but slightly decomposed andesite, from No. 5 level, Waihi Mine : Silica (Sio 2 ), 61-69 per cent. ; alumina (A1„0 3 ), 16-21; protoxide of iron (FeO), 4-74 ; oxide of calcium (CaO), 3-40; oxide of magnesium (MgO), 209; oxide of potassium (K 2 O), 1-52; oxide of sodium (Na 2 o), 4-81; loss on ignition, 5-25. A considerable number of minerals and fossils have, as in past years, been presented to the school by various donors. Our thanks are particularly due to the Eev. Joseph Campbell, M.A., F.G.S., who has given a large number of European, Australian, and New Zealand minerals and fossils ; to Mr. James Park, F.G.S., for a collection of characteristic New Zealand Triassic fossils, and a number of mineral specimens; and to Mr. Maurice Casey, of Auckland, for a collection of ores from New Caledonia. Owing mainly to these and other gifts made from time to time, the school has become possessed of fairly good collections of minerals and fossils, but at present we have no proper accommodation for them, and much of their value is therefore lost. I hope it will not be long before the committee see their way towards adding a room to be used as a museum to the present building. No additions have been made to the school-buildings during the past year, but the Committee have added to the apparatus and laboratory-fittings as far as the limited means at their command would allow. A special grant from the Mines Department enabled the Committee to procure a small but useful library, and to fence and plant the school-grounds. It gives me great pleasure to thank the Committee for the great attention they have given to the requirements of the school, especially the financial part, and for their willing assistance in various matters connected with the working of the school. I have also to thank the assistant lecturer, Mr. K. M. Barrance (who is about to take up a similar position at the Thames School of Mines) for the energetic and faithful performance of his duties, and Mr. A. B. Hardinge, who during the past two months has given his services as drawing-master. In conclusion, I am glad to say that the Waihi School of Mines has continued to progress during the past twelve months, and will, I am confident, not fail to make similar progress during the coming year. NELSON SCHOOL OF MINES. Mr. W. F. Worley, Instructor, reports as follows : — Blowpipe Analysis Classes. Two classes for the study of this subject met weekly throughout the year. Class A consisted of sixteen boys, who had had no previous experience in the work. Class B consisted of eleven boys, who had received one or more years' previous instruction in the subject. In Class A manipulative skill with the blowpipe, and the testing of such minerals as are easily identified by simple blowpipetests, was all that was attempted. In Class B the elements of mineralogy were taught, and the blowpipe-work extended so as to include the testing of all the common ores of commerce. By the end of the year most of the boys in this class were able to identify any simple common ore, and one or two of the brighter boys could test successfully fairly complex ores containing three or four elements. All the boys in this class were taught to pan-off a dish of washdirt, and to test quartz for gold by grinding and panning. Both classes were taken on to the Dun Mountain mineralbelt to collect specimens of ores and rocks, and some of the specimens thus gathered were afterwards tested in the class. An examination in blowpipe-analysis was held at the close of the year's work. Nine boys entered for the examination, and five of them succeeded in passing. Six test-substances, all differently marked, were used at the examination, and at least four of these had to be named correctly to secure a pass. Assaying. During the year thirty-three assays and tests were made for the public. Two of these were samples of tailings from the Golden Blocks Mine, the rest being new finds of quartz. Three samples of quartz brought from Collingwood yielded 6 oz., 90z., and 28 oz. of gold per ton respectively, and free gold could be easily seen in some of the stone. When, however, fresh samples were obtained from the same locality, by persons not the original prospectors, the assay results were nil. Some more samples were obtained from the same spot, and they also proved barren. How the gold got into the first samples is an unsolved problem. Miscellaneous Tests. In the course of the year several qualitative tests were made for the public, but only a few of these were recorded. One of them, however, is of special interest. This was a test to find out how much manure is likely to be washed out of soil by heavy rains. Some land had been planted with potatoes, and heavily manured with artificial manures, consisting of bone superphosphate, nitrate of potash, and lime. After the application of these manures heavy rains set in, and it was feared that a good deal of the manure would be washed away. Some experiments were therefore made to ascertain how much manure is likely to be washed out of soil by heavy rains. A large flower-pot was filled with loamy soil, and the soil was afterwards manured with 20 grammes of superphosphates, 10 grammes of nitre, and 15 grammes of lime. One litre of water was then passed through the soil, and the water tested for the amount of solids held in solution, only small quantities of the water being used for the purpose. It was found that out of 45 grammes of manure added to the soil only 5 grammes had been washed out of the soil by an amount of water that would represent a very heavy rainfall. The remaining portion of the water was then passed