30

a—3

The total number of students on the roll is forty-three, with an average attendance at the classes as follows : Assaying, 5-7 ; chemistry, 6 4 4 ; mineralogy, 55 ; mechanical drawing, 14-0 ; steam and applied mechanics. 15-4 ; land and mine surveying, 9-2 ; mathematics, 21*0 ; mining, 8-8 , Two ladystudents attend the classes for mathematics and drawing. Five students sat at the annual School of Mines Examinations, the results being four first-class passes, two third-class passes, and two failures in subjects. For the supervision of the examination the services of the Rev. J. Barton, M.A., were obtained, the Director of the Reefton School of Mines being unable to reciprocate with me. During the year, 107 assays were made for gold, silver, copper, tin, platinum, molybdenum, and also for cerium and thorium. Analyses of bullion were also made for the local banks, and experimental tests of ores by berdan treatment, and by cyanide and chlorination tests ; also refining of base bullion, and removal of gold from copper plates has been done, as well as analyses of boiler feed-water and incrustations. Sixty analyses of coal (most of them for the Westport Coal Company) were undertaken ; among these, one was a good sample of jet obtained from the coal at Denniston ; a portion of it was sent to the Government Analyst for confirmation. His analysis is as follows : — Per Cent. Fixed carbon .. .. .. • • • • • ■ • • 27 - 8 Hydro-carbons .. .. .. • ■ ■ • • • • • 69-8 Water .. .. .. .. •• •■ ■• .. Cf'B Ash .. .. ;,..-■ 1-6 100-0 From this it may be noticed that the sample submitted is really a variety of cannel coal. Another interesting sample of anthracite coal was from Fox's River ; our analysis of it was as follows :— Per Cent. Moisture .. .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2-6 Volatile matter .. . . . • ■ • • • • • .. 3 - 4 Fixed carbon .. . • • ■ - • ■ • • ■ • • 91"0 Ash - .3° 100-0 Sulphur . . • • • • • • • - • • • • • • °' 3 Numerous specimens of minerals and rocks have been identified, but in the case of rocks we are greatly handicapped for the want of a good microscope with polarising attachment. At a meeting of the members of the Council, students, and general public held last month, the certificates and President's medals were presented to the successful students by His Worship the Mayor of Westport, the gold medal being won by Master Leo Harney, with an aggregate of 165 marks for two subjects. This student's marks for junior mathematics—viz., ninety-three—are the highest gained in the colony for one subject this year. In conclusion, I wish to thank very heartily those who have assisted us in many ways m the work of the school: the Westport Coal Company, through the medium of their obliging manager at Granity (Mr. G. Fletcher), for the installation of the electric-light in the class-room at Millerton ; the Miners' Union for allowing the use of the aforesaid class-room at a nominal rental; the Inspectors of Mines (Messrs. Tennent and Richards) for donations of minerals and ores ; the Council of the Westport School of Mines, and particularly the Secretary, Mr. Edward Young; and lastly, Mr. Kenneth Ross, President of the Branch School of Mines Committees of Millerton and Granity, an able and zealous member, to whose indefatigable efforts the success of the institution is due in an eminent degree.

REEFTON SCHOOL OF MINES. The Director, Mr. J. Henderson, reports as follows :— I have the honour to submit the following report on the Reefton School of Mines for the year 1905. Classes were commenced in the second week of March, and continued throughout the year till December. The attendance was rather unsatisfactory during the first term, but was better during the second and third terms. On Roll. Attendance. First term .. .. . • • • • • ■ ■ .. 23 18 Second term .. .. .. .. • • .. 29 24 Third term . . . ■ • • • ■ • • • • .. 32 21 Instruction was given in chemistry, assaying, surveying, mining, metallurgy, and mechanical drawing. At the annual December examinations the following passes were obtained : Eight firsts, three seconds, and two thirds. Mr. J. Williams was successful in securing the School of Mines Scholarship, being the first candidate from the West Coast to do so. For the examinations held in January, under the Mining Act, five students sat. Of these, one obtained a first-class mine-manager's, and two battery-superintendent's certificates. During the year seventy-three assays were made for gold and silver, and eight for other metals. Also five parcels of bullion were cleaned, &c.