0.—3.

32

manager, Fraser River, Canada ; (9) Walter A. Given, M.A., B.Sc, lecturer, Thames School of Mines ; (10) J. W. H. Piper, superintendent of construction, Eckstein and Co., Johannesburg"; (11) Allan Jackson, assistant manager, Guiana Gold Company (Limited) ; (12) F. B. Allen, M.A., B.Sc, Superintendent of Technical Education, Western Australia ; (13) G. W. Thomson, A.0.5.M., assistant mining engineer, Duff Development Company (Limited), Kelantan, Malay States. The old students who have been placed in responsible positions in the past five years in different parts of the globe so far as can be ascertained are as follows :— Year. Number. 1901 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..8 1902 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 1903 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 8 1904 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..11 1905 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 47 The students who occupy such positions as those of cyaniders, assayers, assistant surveyors, &c, are not included in these numbers. These are the posts from which they graduate into more responsible places. Laboratory. During the year eighty-four samples of ore and minerals were assayed for the public by Mr. Waters at schedule rates, and in the same period twenty-four samples of rocks and minerals were examined and reported on by the Director free of charge. Summer Work for Students. During the summer of 1905-6 employment was obtained by eighteen of our second- and thirdyear students in mining, metallurgical, surveying or geological work in different parts of the colony at current rates of remuneration. Senior Scholarships and Honours in Applied Science. The New Zealand University at the present time grants senior scholarships and honours in all the purely academic subjects—one senior scholarship and honours in three grades in each —but no scholarships or honours in the subjects relating to applied science, such as economic geology, mining, metallurgy, applied mechanics, surveying, &c This surely ought to be remedied. Applied science is the connecting-link between the university and every-day industrial and professional life, and some incentive should be held out to the university graduate to qualify himself in some measure above the need of the ordinary pass. If the University of New Zealand is to be a living factor in the industrial progress of the colony it will be done chiefly through the efforts of its graduates in applied science. To grant scholarships and honours in such fundamental subjects as mathematics, physics, mechanics, and chemistry is admittedly right and proper, but to withhold like reward from the graduates who choose a course in which the principles of these subjects are applied, is a phase of our university system not in touch with the times in which we live or in accordance with long-established English usage. It is gratifying to note that several of the candidates for degrees in mining and metallurgical engineering have in recent years shown an excellence in their examination results, as awarded by the English examiners, that would have entitled them to honours had the subjects of examination been subjects in which honours are granted by the University. College and University Examinations. AH candidates for the engineering degrees of the New Zealand University are required first to sit for the College examinations, and after an interval of a week or ten days then to sit for the New Zealand University examinations. The papers set by the College and by the New Zealand University ow cover the same ground in all subjects. The College examinations occupy ten or twelve days, the University examinations about ten days —altogether some three weeks. After sitting the College examinations the candidates are often quite exhausted and ill-prepared to battle with the University papers, which follow after a too-short interval. Our present method of examination is modelled on the ancient Chinese system, which has now been set aside in China by an Imperial edict, dated 1905, in favour of the more rational methods of examination followed in Germany and America. The German system was fully described by the writer in his annual report for the year 1904. It should be noted that these remarks are not intended to apply to the humanities, but only to the subjects taught in applied science. Acknowledgments. I have much pleasure in placing on record my appreciation of the zealous and efficient work carried on by Dr. Marshall, Mr. D. B. Waters, and Mr. G. Armstrong, lecturers, and Mr. Norman Shand, demonstrator, in their different departments during the past year. Special acknowledgements are due to Dr. Marshall and Mr. Waters,