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finished until next; season. The survey of the Kaitangata district was extended westward to include most of the northern part of Clutha County, and north-east-ward toward the Green Island coalfield. This survey also at the end of the field season was unfinished. The old fossil collections of the geological survey and those made during later years are being examined as rapidly as circumstances permit. In addition to the work done by the Palaeontologist, help is being given by outside scientists, both in New Zealand and abroad. During the year a detailed geological report (Bulletin No. 27) on the Whangarei - Bay of Islands Subdivision and palseontological reports on Cretaceous and Tertiary foraminifera and on Triassic fossils were sent to the printer. Detailed reports (with map) on the Egmont Subdivision, the Tongaporutu-Ohura Subdivision, and the Waiapu Subdivision are nearly ready for publication. Since each of these reports deals with possible petroliferous areas it is hoped that the important information contained in them will soon be available to the public, and more especially to those who are now endeavouring to develop the petroleum resources of this country. The only official publication of the Geological Survey issued during the year was its annual report, but several papers by officers of the survey have been published in the " Transactions of the New Zealand Institute " and elsewhere. STATE All) TO MINING. As in previous years, considerable use was made of the Government prospectingdrills. They were hired by nine parties, and a total of 5,948 ft. was drilled. For the year a total of £15,411 lis. lid. was expended in subsidies for prospecting, and 105 persons were employed in connection therewith. £4,126 was expended by way of direct grants and subsidies for roads and tracks. The expenditure on schools of mines amounted to £3,501 lis. 3d., against £3,172 10s. 4d. during the previous year. The cash received for water sold from the Waimea-Ivumara and Mount Ida Government water-races, constructed to assist alluvial gold-mining in the Kumara and Naseby districts, amounted to £1,434 19s. 9d. (including royalty on timber), and the expenditure to £1,635 14s. Id. Gold to the approximate value of £3,544 was obtained. The control of the Mount Ida water-races was transferred to the Public Works Department on the Ist September. MINEE'S PHTHISIS ACT, 1915. The benefits under this Act are administered by the Pensions Department, and the following is a statement supplied by the Commissioner of Pensions showing the amount payable and the number of pensions in force and granted to the 31st March, 1925 Amounts paid since inception until 31st March, 1925- — £ From Ist November, 1915, to 31st March, 1924 . . 180,493 For year ended 31st March, 1925 . . . , 38,506 £218,999 Number of new grants for year 1924-25 . . . . 11l Annual value of new grants . . . . . . £7,800 Number of pensions in force at 31st March, 1925 . . 607 Annual value of pensions in force at 31st March, 1925 . . £37,934 Average pension payable per annum .. .. £62| Total number of pensions granted to 31st March, 1925.. 1,163 Total number of pensions granted to 31st March, 1925, includes the following :— To unmarried miners . , . . . . 219 To married miners . . . . . , 441 To widows of miners .. .. . . 503 1,163