75

E.—s

has resulted in partial compensation. The preponderance of youths has been destroyed, and the bulk of our evening students are now grown men, many of whom are in responsible positions, who fully realize the advantages to be obtained and the necessity for steady work. From applications already made it is evident that there will be a large increase in the number of University students in 1914. During the year 136 individual students attended lectures, and the hourattendances per week were 913 (three less than the previous year). Twenty-three matriculated students were studying for University degree or for the associateship of the School of Engineering, and in addition six students were taking their preliminary year in the College. Thirty lectures per week were delivered, and instruction was given for 105 hours per week in drawing, experimental and field work. At the University examinations of 1912 one student sat for and obtained the degree of B.E. (Civil). Four students sat for and passed the first portion of the second Professional Examination. Six students sat for and passed the first Professional Examination. At the Associateship Examinations of 1913 one student passed' the final examination in electrical engineering, and two students passed the final examination in civil engineering, whilst the passes in the other subjects of the associateship course taken at the School of Engineering were—in mechanical drawing, 3 ; mechanical drawing and designing (fourteen days), final, 1; steamengine (elementary), 4; steam-engine (intermediate), 3; applied mechanics, 2; mechanics of machinery, 2; hydraulics and pneumatics, 3; strength of materials (elementary), 6; strength of materials (intermediate), 4; strength of materials (advanced), 4; steam-engine (advanced), 2; surveying (elementary), 3; surveying (advanced), 1; theory of workshop practice, 1; buildingconstruction, 3; principles of civil engineering, 1; electrical engineering (intermediate), 4; electrical engineering (advanced), 1. The Second-} r ear Exhibition was awarded to Mr. I. R. Robinson. The University Engineering Travelling Scholarship was obtained by Mr. W. L. Parker, B.E. (Electrical). Ninety-three certificates were awarded to students who attended lectures and passed examinations in the following subjects: Freehand mechanical drawing; descriptive geometry and settingout work; mechanical drawing, Section I, Section II (mechanical), Section 111 (electrical); steam-engine (elementary); applied mechanics; strength of materials; electrical engineering. During the year the following appointments were obtained by past students : Engineer and Manager, Invercargill Tramway's; Engineer, Public Works Department; Assistant Engineer, Lyttelton Harbour Board; Draughtsman, Lyttelton Harbour Board; Assistant Engineer, Public Works Department; Government Harbour Engineer (Queensland); Assistant Engineer (Government), Nigeria; Assistant Engineer, Public Works Department; Chief Power-house Engineer, Lake Coleridge; Instructor in Engineering, Technical College, Christchurch; Draughtsman, Lyttelton Harbour Board (second appointment); Assistant, Engineer, Public Works Department (Electrical); Assistant Surveyor, Public Works Department; Foreman of Tunnel-works, Lake Coleridge: Instructor in Engineering, Technical College, New Plymouth. It is gratifying to notice that this list shows additions to the large number of old students who are holding important public appointments in the Dominion. During the year tests were made in the engineering laboratories on dumping-bands for the Wellington Harbour Board; cast steel bars and aluminium ttansmission-cable for the Public Works Department; and on bronze, ventilators, stone, bricks, aluminium cable, and pressuregauges for various private individuals and firms. It having become evident that increased accommodation and plant would be required to successfully carry, on the shortened University course, the Board of Governors, on the recommendation of the Professor in Charge, in February, 1912, sanctioned the expenditure of £5,550 on buildings and apparatus. Sketch-plans were prepared, a subsidy was obtained from the Government, and work on the buildings commenced during the past year. Application for recognition of Auckland University College as a College at which the first two years of the University engineering course could be taken was made by the Auckland authorities to the University Senate. Consideration of the matter was postponed to the 1914 meeting of the Senate. It need hardly be pointed out that the population of the Dominion is not sufficient to justify the existence of two Engineering Schools. At Canterbury College some £20,000 have been expended on buildings and plant, whilst the current expenditure is about £5,000 per annum. Up to the present the average total cost to the country of each graduate has been about £800, an amount which decreases with each man turned out. The capacity of the School of Engineering is only very partially utilized; it is capable of dealing with many times the present number of students; and whilst this is the case the establishment of a second school at Auckland would appear to be a pointless waste of public funds. It would be far more economical for the Dominion to provide every Auckland student desirous of taking up engineering with a bursary to cover the cost of transport, living, and education at Canterbury College. The Professor in Charge was granted leave of absence for the session, and whilst in England and on the Continent visited the principal engineering colleges and many large engineering and industrial undertakings. The necessity of such periodical visits was on this occasion, after an absence of ten years, strongly emphasized by the great progress made in engineering during that period. Changes have been so rapid that the technical journals and Press have given little indication of the great alterations in practice, especially in steam-turbine and internal-combustion-engine work, and in the whole routine of workshop practice. What was standard ten years ago is obsolete to-day. For the term of absence of the Professor, Mr. P. H. Powell, Lecturer in Electricity, was appointed Acting Professor in Charge, to whom the writer is much indebted for the efficient and tactful way in which the school was carried on; his thanks are also due to the other members of the staff, all of whom successfully used their best endeavours to secure good results. ■Robt. J. Soott, M.lnst.C.E., M.lnst.Mech.E.. Fellow Am.lnst.E.E,, Professor in Charge.