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Students. —During this period seven degree students have been taking the course at the school. It is a matter of regret that more students are not coming forward. Two factors contribute to this—firstly, the attraction of the medical course, which (on paper) appears to be not much more difficult than the dental; secondly, the fact that since the school has been established some 250 students have qualified without coming to the school. In my last report I suggested the advisability of a modified course —a diploma, in fact —of lower standard than the degree. I have drawn up details of such a curriculum, and submitted it to the dental faculty, but that body preferred that it should be submitted to the New Zealand Dental Association at a conference. I am taking this proposed course in May next, and if, as I hope, the association agrees with my suggestions I shall submit details to the Board of Studies in November next, so that by March the course for the diploma may be operative. The School of Home Science.—Report of the Dean (Professor Winifred L. Boys-Smith). Considerable progress has been made during the period from March to December, 1915. Studholme House. —Studholme House was opened on the 7th March, 1915, so that it has run for one full session. In spite of the increase of the price of nearly all foods during the year, I have a satisfactory balance to report. We charge the very moderate sum of £1 per week to all students, and we have not increased this charge in spite of the increase in price of all commodities, including coal, cleaning-materials, kitchen utensils, crockery, &o. Another still more satisfactory fact is that there have been no cases of illness at the hostel, with the exception of one case of measles, which was contracted by a student on her journey down to Dunedin at the beginning of the session. Increase in Number of Students. —There is a considerable increase in the number of students this year. The hostel is full to overflowing, and I have had to make arrangements for eleven students to have bedrooms outside, though most of them came to us for meals and share the common room, the library, and all the advantages of the common life at Studholme House. During 1915 twenty-seven students were studying for either the degree or the diploma in home science. This year at least thirty-five will take one of the full courses, and this does not include students wdio take single courses of work. Appointments. —Eight students completed their work last year. Five have qualified for the degree and three for the diploma. All have obtained satisfactory and well-paid work, and, indeed, it would have been possible to put more students into posts had any more been qualified. I am receiving excellent reports of the work being done by the majority of those students who began to teach last year. Balance-sheet of Home-science Department. —The accounts of the home-science department show a very satisfactory credit balance. The estimated balance for the year ending the 31st March amounts to .£1,079. In the New Zealand Gazette on the 7th January, 1915, the information was given that the Education Department had decided to recognize the home-science diploma, as well as the home-science degree, as qualifying for one-year studentships at training colleges, with allowances at the rate of £40 a year, together with the fees of the University college classes attended by the student with the approval of the Principal, with further addition at the rate of £25 a year in the case of any student living away from home. This will enable some of our students to get satisfactory teaching experience and instruction in methods of teaching before seeking posts. School of Mines. —Report of the Dean (Professor James Park). During the winter session of 1915 the School of Mines was attended by fifteen students entered for the full associate course, and one casual student taking field astronomy. Of the fifteen, three completed their four years' course. Of the others, one student in his fourth year went on active service before the end of the session; also one second-year student and three third-year students. At the annual examinations only three failures were recorded —namely, one in mechanics, one in mathematics, and one in senior surveying. It is gratifying to state that our graduates have no difficulty in finding lucrative positions as soon as they leave the University, which is a welcome change from the conditions that existed a few years ago. At one time our graduates were mostly restricted to employment in or about mines and metallurgical works. The positions offering in these departments were not numerous, and this often led to a discouraging waiting for chances to turn up. The satisfactory change that has taken place is mainly duo to the extension of the courses of instruction on the civil engineering and surveying sides, whereby the possible sources of employment of our graduates have been greatly enlarged. Mining engineering has long been recognized as a branch of civil engineering. During the current year, when the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy applied to the Crown for a royal charter of incorporation, its application was opposed by the Institution of Civil Engineers, which pleaded that their articles of association provided for and included mining engineering as a department of civil engineering, in acknowledgment of which many mining engineers had been elected members or associates of the Institution of Civil Engineers. The royal charter was granted, and the pleadings were interesting as showing the intimate relationship of mining and civil engineering. The mining engineer may be called on to erect trestles and bridges, to construct roads, tramways, or railways, to design jetties or piers, orebins, vats, hauling and winding plant, pipe-lines, flumes, and water-races, to survey mines and lands, or devise a scheme of development for a mine. The engineering branch of the School of Mines is well provided with models and testingmachines, while the surveying department possesses the most up-to-date instruments for all mine, land, and engineering surveys. So that, while still specializing in mining, full courses, both

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