C—3.

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some good work, and nearly fifty men are kept, constantly employed by them. But the trouble in this field seems to be the failing supply of water. A great deal of bush-clearing has been done, thus exposing the races to some very dry winds. As a consequence, the water-supply is very limited when there is not much rainfall. Round Hill Mining Company. —This company has two elevators at work, and the area of ground treated during the year was 10 acre 3 ; the amount of gold won being 1,843 oz., an increase on that of the previous year, while the amount paid in dividends during the year was £1,130. The water-supply has not been good, on account of the dry weather and heavy winds. New paddocks are about to be opened, which will necessitate the removal of the elevators. The total cost of this work, added to that of new piping, will be over £1,700 ; but the elevators will then be a fixture for three or four years' work. Ourawcra Mining Company. —This company, capitalized at only £3,000 in £1 shares, has proved itself a very payable concern, £13,615 having been declared in dividends since registration in 1895. The dividends for 1910 amounted to £900, being equivalent to 6s. per share. This company also is handicapped by the inadequate supply of water. Okepuki. No large gold-mining companies are in operation in this field, the sluicing-work being entirely confined to the individual miners, all of whom seem to get a very steady livelihood out of their employment. The smelting-works, erected in 1909 by the New Zealand Smelting Company, have been closed down during the year. The manager is at present out of the Dominion on business in connection with works, and it appears likely that operations will be resumed on his return. The New Zealand Coal and Oil Company carried on extensive and successful boring operations during the year. Four bores were put down, and proved that a considerable area of coal und oilbearing shale occurs between the site of the works and the sea-coast. Preservation. Crown Gold-mining Company. —The property which was formerly held by this company was sold in September last to Mr. George Holloway, who has since been doing some development thereon. Prior to the sale very little work was done. Tarawera Company. —The preliminary work on this property is now aearing < ompletion. and the company expect to start operations some time in April, 1911. There are six men at present employed, but if smelting begins there would be employment for mon , . Morning Star Company. —The reef on this claim is about 6 ft. wide, and a litile gold has been found in the quartz, but not sufficient to pay. In the vicinity of the rich shoot worked by the former company an upper drive has been commenced, with favourable prospects of success. I have, &c, G. Cruiokshank, Warden.

ANNEXURE C. REPOKTS OF DIRECTORS OF SCHOOLS OF MINES. Professor James Park, M.lnst.M.M., M.A.1.M.E., F.G.S., Director of the Otago University School of Mines, to the Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. Sir,— Dunedin, 14th April, 1911. I have the honour to report as follows on the work done at the Otago School of Mines during the year 1910 :— The mining school for the year showed an attendance of thirty-one students, of whom eight were taking the courses in mining and metallurgy, three the course in geology, and five the course in surveying. Of the remaining fifteen students, oleven attended the classes in geology, two the class in dental metallurgy, and two the classes in surveying and applied mechanics. Twentynine students presented themselves at the annual examinations in October, and all passed except one in mathematics and one in surveying. In the New Zealand University November examinations, Henry Mayall Budd gained the M.Sc. degree, with first-class honours, in physical science and geology ; Leonard J. Wild, second-class honours in geology; and Montague Ongley, the New Zealand Senior Scholarship in geology. Mr. W. A. Macleod, B.Sc, A.0.5.M., general manager of the Brilliant Goldmining Company (Limited), Charters Towers, was awarded the forty-guinea prize of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, London, for 1910, for his paper on " The Surface Condenser in Mining Power Plant." Two graduates of the school of mines who had already passed the necessary examinations, and presented satisfactory evidence that they had complied with the regulations relating to practical work, were awarded the diploma of Associate—namely, one in mining and one in geology—and three were awarded the certificate of Land and Mine Surveyor. The diplomas granted by the University of Otago in the divisions of mining, metallurgy, and geology since 1887 are as follow : Mining, 90*; metallurgy, 49 ; geology, 16 : total, 155.