PROFESSOR BLACK'S MINING LECTURES.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1588, 17 August 1885, Page 2

PROFESSOR BLACK'S MINING LECTURES.

« In liis report to the Minister of Mines Professor Black rankes the same suggestions in regard to imparting instruction in mining centres as he laid before the. University Council Professor Black concludes his report as follows: — Should Government favourably entertain th« three years' scheme detailed above, the duties I would have to perform tinder it would be such as the following : — 1. To exercise, all the year round, through the post, a general supervision of the l<>cal schools of mines, and to aid and advise them in their studies. 2. To select, mako list; of. and order from Londoii th. Ifjok-:, it micalf, and apparatus rajuirtJ ;.»y tii«schools.

8. To analyse minerals sent through the local schools by their secretaries at redaced rates— say, balf the usual charge. 4. To sapply any information within n-.y power to the Department of Mines whe.n railed for. 6. To devote my whole time for cix months in the year— lst November to Ist May— to delivering lectures and conducting testing and assaying classes on the goldfields of Otago and on the West Coast, as detailed hi the scheme. 6. To furnish an annual report to the Minister of Mines on the work doafc in these schools dnring the yew, *ith information of new localities for useful minerals, new discoveries of useful minerals, and any information of new processes or improved processes not generally known by miners ; and anything farther of use or interest to the Mines Department. Mr Montgomery's duties would be of a similar character. It will, I think, be desirable to strictly prohibit everyone engaged under this schera*? from having anything to do with shares in mini*, and with mining property in every form. In conclusion, I wi««h to express my strong impression of the necessity of taking immediate action while the minds of the miners are so fnll of the subject. A Government subsidy of £1 for £1, or even £2 for XI, sn'scribed for the purchase of books, chemicals, and apparatus wonld be a great boon to the local school*. Th<» subsidies might take the form of appliances, imported through me by the. Government and allocated to thn schools in proportion to their subscribed contributions. It would, I think, lie desirable to charge fees for the varions classes, the maximum fee for one student, attending all the lecture? and classes of all the instructors, to be not more than 10b. This wonld cover seven weeks' continuous instruction in all the subjects taught. The fee. ranging down to 2s 6d for students in places where one week's course is carried on. The general public, attending only an occasional ! lecture, to pay Is at the door. These ! fees would defray the cost of alvertUi ing and horse-hire. The local bodies, such as county coum-ils, town councils, elucation | boards, or school committees, should, 1 1 think, provide lecture-room* for the I purposes of the scheme.