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C—2

VIII. SCHOOLS OF MINES. The Government annual examinations of the students attending the schools of mines throughout the Dominion (excluding the Otago School, which, being connected with the University of Otago, holds separate examinations) were held in December, 1912, the following being a summary of the results by senior students from each school, arranged in order of seniority in average marks obtained :—

Upon comparison with the results obtained at the examination for the previous year, it will be seen that the quality of the work has been improved, but there has been a small decline in the number of students examined, owing, no doubt, to the recent labour troubles at Waihi and Reefton. The regulations regarding the conditions of the six Government scholarships offered annually to students of these schools have been amended by reducing the number of subjects in which a candidate must pass, from nine subjects to six, and the percentage of marks necessary in each subject from 75 to 60 ; also by making it compulsory that winners of such scholarships shall attend the University of Otago School of Mines. At the 1912 School of Mines Examinations Government scholarships were obtained by Messrs. W. H. J. Cropp, Thames ;A. H. McClean, Waihi; and G. E. Hyde, Karangahake. At no previous examination have so many scholarships been won.

The following table shows the expenditure by the Government on schools of mines mice their inception, exclusive of subsidies paid to the University of Otago towards the School of Mines in connection with that institution :—

I have, &c, Frank Reed, M.1.M.M., L.S., 3 Q 2. Inspecting Engineer of Mines.

d o O Or Locality of School of Mines. Average Number of Marks awarded per Paper submitted. Number of Students examined. Number of Papers Total Marks submitted. awarded. 1 ■i 3 4 5 6 Coromandel .. Waihi Karangahake Westport Thames Reefton Per Cent. 66-4 65-5 63-2 62-2 56-4 50-0 7 17 13 5 19 5 18 1,196 36 2,358 28 1,770 5 311 30 1,693 6. 301 18 36 28 5 30 6. Totals, 1912 „ 1911 62-0 53-9 66 7<i 123 148 7.629 7,982

Financial Years. Chemicals Subsidies towards and Apparatus, the Erection of also Mineralogical ScholarSchools of Mines, 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. '"■ I £ s. d. £ s. d. 36 19 9 409 1 4 253 14 1 6 12 9 181 14 10 54 8 0 £ £ 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 5 345 15 11 642 9 4 587 3 2 1,130 7 3 1,138 6 7 1,227 2 2 — £ s. ii. 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 2,000 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 2,38a 10 10 2,337 0 7 3,019 1 4 3,809 9 8 3.261 8 4 4,095 13 9 3,121 16 3 3,279 7 4 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 1907-1908 1908-1909 1909-1910 1910-1911 1911-1912 1912-1913 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 2,428 19 3 2,738 11 1 1,882 2 6 2,813 0 10 1,852 19 11 1,769 6 10 .- 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 94 6 2 328 9 3 692 2 8 44 5 8 38 9 9 182 18 4 50 100 100 50 50 98 49 158 92 100 49 100 150 100 100 108 92 100 Totals... | 29,495 3 7 2,974 1 5 1,646 21,001 3 6 ■'— 55,116 8 6