a—3

10

At the New Zealand University Examinations held in November, 1906, mining students obtained the following distinctions: Honours in Science, 1; Masters of Science, 3; Senior Scholarships, 1 ; Final B.Sc, 2 ; Final 8.E., 2 ; First Section 8.E.. 2 ; and for the fifth successive year the Sir George Grey Scholarship has fallen to a mining student. During the past five years the following open scholarships have been obtained : Two Rhodes Scholarships ; three 1851 Exhibition Scholarships ; four Senior Scholarships, New Zealand University ; and six First-class Honours in Science, all by mining students. Expenditure on Schools of Mines. The following table shows the expenditure by the Government on schools of mines since their inauguration, exclusive of subsidies paid to the University of Otago towards the School of Mines in connection with that institution : —

The above statement shows the amount expended on the different schools of mines throughout the colony ; but, in addition to this, the sum of £12,053 6s. 2d. has to be added, as that has been paid to the school of mines attached to the University of Otago, £500 being paid last year towards maintaining the school, which makes the total expenditure up to the 31st March last to be £46,582 18s. This expenditure has extended over a period of twenty-two years. The schools of mines examinations were held in December, 1906, and eighty-five students presented themselves for examination in some of the twenty subjects on which papers were set, the result of such examination appearing in the New Zealand Mines Record of 16th January. Only one student — viz., Mr. W. M. Durant, of Reefton—succeeded in obtaining first-class passes in the requisite number of subjects to entitle him to one of the four Government scholarships at the University of Otago, of the annual value of £50, tenable for three years. I have, &c, Frank Reed, Inspecting Engineer of Mines.

Financial Years. Chemicals Subsidies towards ! and Apparatus, the Erection of also Mineralogical ScholarSchools of Minos, and Specimens . ships. Maintenance. supplied to Schools of Mines. Salaries of Teachers, and Travellingexpenses, &c. Total Sum paid by the Department towards the Schools of Mines. 1885-86 1886-87 1887-88 1888-89 1889-90 1890-91 1891-92 1892-93 1893-94 1894-95 1895-96 1896-97 1897-98 1898-99 1899-1900 1900-1901 1901-1902 1902-1903 1903-1904 1904-1905 1905-1906 1906-1907 ... ... £ s. d. 257 16 6 253 15 9 42 10 0 142 2 0 217 6 6 181 14 0 312 3 4 197 0 5 390 0 0 820 0 0 352 14 11 1,089 18 6 740 15 2 990 3 4 866 10 11 1,155 12 3 1,379 15 6 1,575 15 3 1,401 2 11 1,806 19 5 1,836 6 6 £ s. d. 36.19 9 409 1 4 253 14 1 6 12 9 181 14 10 54 8 0 45 10 10 58 18 6 29 19 9 32 19 7 24 3 8 56 3 4 63 5 1 134 18 8 88 18 8 17 3 0 87 2 1 11 15 8 £ 50 100 100 50 50 98 49 158 92 100 49 100 £ s. d. 1,223 9 10 2,716 9 3 1,714 9 6 1,139 4 1 716 3 10 620 9 9 689 5 9 670 1 0 858 19 4 773 17 8 849 3 0 834 12 8 780 19 0 729 10 11 52 16 3 77 7 10 69 16 4 111 0 0 109 15 10 362 19 6 440 9 4 388 18 5 £ s. d. 1,260 9 7 3,383 7 1 2,221 19 4 1,188 6 10 1,040 0 8 892 4 3 870 19 9 982 4 4 1,055 19 9 1,209 8 6 1,719 3 0 1,346 6 1 2,00Q 17 3 1,553 5 8 1,117 3 3 1,098 2 1 1,337 13 8 1,783 14 2 1,866 9 9 1,881 5 5 2,383 10 10 2,337 0 7 Totals ... 16,010 3 2 1,593 9 7 996 15,929 19 1 34,529 11 10