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68. Could not Professor Ulrich's services be utilized? Has he not such knowledge on these subjects as would make the information he possesses capable of benefiting the colony? What I want to know is whether you have any idea if we could get a little more profit from the money we are paying, or do you think that the colony has got all the advantage it could get from Professor Ulrich's appointment ? —I cannot say. Mr. Larnach: The colony, I believe, is entitled to the services of Professor Ulrich from his position at the University. But he is unable to travel in parts of the colony where the ground is rough. Whether it is from being unable to travel through illness in his family on some occasions, or from other causes, that the colony has not been able to get the use of Professor Ulrich's services, I cannot tell. But I believe these are the reasons that he cannot, or does not, travel far from the University. 69. Mr. Gadman.] Has he been on the Northern Goldfields ?—I cannot tell. 70. The Chairman.] Do you think that, from the means of inter-communication which exists in Otago by roads and railways, there would be any difficulty in attending to a mining community within Otago so as to give a course of instruction ? —No, I should think not. 71. Mr. o'Conor.] Or put it the other way : if Mahomet does not go to the mountain suppose the mountain goes to Mahomet. Could not he be utilized by sending him ores for analysis, or otherwise might not greater facilities be made for consulting him ?—That could be done, but I am not aware that Professor Ulrich makes analyses of ores to tell the exact percentage of metals they contain. 72. The Chairman.] What suggestion would you make as to whether the colony could get other service from Professor Ulrich at the present time ?—That is a policy question ; it is not a question for me to answer; the only thing I can say is, that Professor Ulrich could give a lot of information if he went round the different localities. I have no doubt about that. 73. Do you think he is capable of going to Eeefton? Are you aware of the nature of the treatment of quartz at Eeefton for the extraction of gold ?—There would be a difficulty in Professor Ulrich travelling about Eeefton. 74. Mr. Allen.] Do you think if Dr. Black were on the spot it would be a benefit ?—Yes. 75. Do you not think it would be better for them to train a good man, and send him through? —They have a man. 76. But has that man had a metallurgical training ? 77. Mr. Guinness.] Who is there ? —Mr. Fenton. 78. Has he been working there long?—I think he was assaying at first, and has been a long time taken in hand by Dr. Black. Mr. Allen : Assaying is not sufficient by itself. 79. Mr. Cadman.] How many years has Professor Ulrich been in the employment of the Government ?—I cannot tell exactly. The Chairman: The Victorian Press is always complaining of our taking away their best men. Here we have him. 80. Mr. Allen.] Do you think that the colony has derived benefit from the knowledge obtained from Mr. Fenton and Mr. Montgomery ? —Yes ; I think Mr. Montgomery is a very capable man. 81. Mr. Larnach.] He is a pupil of Dr. Black ?—I think that he was a pupil both of Dr. Black and Professor Ulrich, but he might have been longer with Dr. Black. 82. Mr. Allen.] What was he learning from Dr. Black?— Chemistry and metallurgy from Dr. Black, and mineralogy and mining from Professor Ulrich. 83. Mr. Cadman.] Is it true that Professor Ulrich has been in the employment of the colony for the last fifteen or twenty years ? Mr. Larnach : No ; twelve years. 84. Mr. Valentine.] In answer to a question put by Mr. Allen you made me understand that the reason for having so many schools was in consequence of the miners getting away into the country; you said in the same answer, as I understood, that later on, in your opinion, fewer schools would work to greater advantage ? —The reason for that is that, in starting the thing at first, I think it was better to have the lecturers spread over the colony, so as to draw the attention of the whole mining population to the subject, and to the necessity of knowing the material which the various ores contained. After their attention in this way had been properly drawn to the subject so as to show the miners the necessity of having more knowledge concerning the ores that they meet with, you might get them to go a greater distance to attend the school, when they came to know the importance of the knowledge they would obtain by so attending. 85. Mr. Allen.] Do you think it would be advisable for the Government to aid miners to get the instruction they require by granting scholarships to enable them to go to a central school where they could be thoroughly taught ? —I understand that scholarships are granted now : I think the principle of scholarships is a good one. 86. The Chairman.] Now, as to the question of policy ; coming back to that, do you think that an advantage might be gained where there are persons to be found fully capable of giving instruction to miners ; do you think it would be impolitic, or otherwise, to enable miners to take advantage of such instruction; and that, in the case of such teaching being found, it would be a good policy that the colony should assist the miners with that view in such places as Eeefton and Kumara ? You can tell us, at the same time, whether or not you think it would be good policy to close those schools ? —Where there are competent and capable instructors it would be an advantage to keep them open. 87. Mr. Larnach.] Where there has been an amount of money given by the Government there has been an equal amount given by the public ? —Yes. 88. Would there be anything like a commensurate benefit to the public for the money subcribed and the plant supplied by subscription if you were to close these schools ?—I think not. S