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men in the colony fairly qualified —namely, Professor Brown (of Auckland College), myself, and Messrs. Montgomery and Fenton (directors of the Thames and Eeefton Schools of Mines respectively). It seems to me that you cannot get the necessary information and also get the greatest good out of it by sending outsiders. Mr. Gordon would have special charge of the mechanical details of all mining-plant, crushing-plant, tailings-plant, hoisting-plant, batteries, hydraulic-plant, pumping and ventilating appliances, and, indeed, of all gold- and silver-saving processes generally. The chemical expert (that name will do for want of a better) would make it his business to ascertain the character and composition of the different ores worked, the general processes in use for their treatment, the chemistry and action of the different agents used, the relation of the ores treated to those we have in New Zealand, and the special modes of treatment of every different kind of ore. It would also be his duty to give reliable information as to which of the chemical agents used in large quantities can be produced here from our own resources. They should also be in a position to give to mining men in America authoritative information as to our own mineral wealth in all particulars. They should be able to give information on such subjects as the extent and richness of the known gold- and silver-bearing stone in the colony, our copper, iron, antimony, and lead-ores, our scheelite, our iron-ores, and our coal. I have, &c, University Laboratory, 24th November, 1887. James G. Black.

Bepoet by Pbofessoe Uleich. Sib, — University, Dunedin, Ist December, 1887. In answer to the several questions contained in your telegram, I have the honour to report as follows : —■ 1. Number of students attending lectures in mining and mineralogy during the last five years : 1883, five; 1884, two ; 1885, three ; 1886, six ; 1887, three. 2. Number of students who hold diplomas and certificates : Four. 3. Number of students who are now engaged as mining-managers and mineralogists: Two (Mr. Montgomery at the Thames, and Mr. Fenton at Eeefton, in teaching). 4. Number of students now attending lectures : This year's session is over, but for that of next year there are, as far as I know, four students certain, and some new ones may enter. With regard to the small number of students who have, so far, gained diplomas and certificates, and the poor attendance hitherto of the school in general, I beg to mention that this has been mainly due, no doubt, to the incompleteness of the school according to the curriculum prescribed. This defect has only been rectified during the last two years—namely, by the appointment in 1886 of a lecturer on practical mechanics, and by that of two lecturers in 1887 —namely, one for general geology and the other for mine- and land-surveying. Two of the students thus obtained their diplomas and certificates only recently at the end of the session, and, in order to be capable of acting as mining-managers, will have first to pass through a practical course in mines. They are qualified, however, to teach the subjects they have passed in, and have, in fact, already acted as assistants toProfessor Black during his goldfields lectures. One student, who gained last year the diploma for the mining and metallurgical divisions and certificates for assayer and surveyor, has, I was informed, gone to Victoria and there found employment, but I do not know in what capacity. I have, &c, E. J. Seddon, Esq., Chairman, Goldfields Committee. Geoege H. F. Ulbioh.

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