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Special Classes are held for the instruction of candidates for the Government mine-managers', battery superintendents', and engine-drivers' certificates. First term, first Monday in February to 30th April; second term, 9th May to 20th August; third term, 9th September to 20th December. Registration of membership, 10s. per annum; class-fees, ss. per term for each subject taken up. Scale of Charges for Public Assays and Analyses. s s. a. Bullion assays ... ... ... ... ... ...050 Assays of quartz, tailings, or concentrates ... ... ... 050 Examination and determination of rocks and minerals ... ... 0 5 0 Assay of lead-and tin-ores, each ... ... ... ...050 „ iron- and manganese-ores ... ... ... ... 010 0 „ copper- and antimony-ores ... ... ... ... 010 0 „ zinc-, mercury-, and bismuth-ores ... ... ... 010 0 „ gold- and silver-ores, with parting assay ... ... ... 050 Analysis of limestone and calcareous freestone j con JP c c 010 0 „ coals and fuels, each ... ... ... ... 0 10 0 rnrks and «nik (complete ... ... ... ... 2 0 0 rocks and soils | partial 10 0 „ fireclays and slags ... ... ... ... ... 100 „ manures ... ... ... ... ... ...200 wntpvs (complete ... ... ... ... ... 3 0 0 waters J partial 2 0 0 „ nickel-, cobalt-, and chrome-ores ... ... .., 0 10 0 „ concentrates ... ... ... ... ... 1 10 0 „ complex sulphide ores, &c. ... ... ... ... 110 0 Experimental Plant. Report of working-tests of parcels of gold- and silver-ores, concentrates, and tailings, from 1 to 3 tons:— (1.) By Cassel cyanide process: Wet or dry crushing — a, by percolation; b, by agitation. (2.) By amalgamated copper plates. (3.) By amalgamation in pans : Wet or dry crushing — a, by raw amalgamation in charges ; b, by Washoe process with chemicals (1, hot pan-amalgamation ; 2, after chloridizing roasting). (4.) Ohlorination : Small barrel tests. Cost of treatment (minimum charge): £5 per parcel not exceeding 1 ton. Students are permitted to work in the experimental plant under special conditions. Distribution op Prizes and Certificates. The annual distribution of prizes and certificates gained as a result of the Government examinations in December was conducted by Mr. James McGowan, M.H.R., President of the school, in the school-building, and was attended by the students and their friends. Governing Body. At the annual general meeting held on the 22nd February, 1899, the following officers and members of the Council were elected for the ensuing year: President, Mr. James McGowan, M.H.R.; Vice-President, Mr. T. A. Dunlop; Treasurer, Mr. J. Hague-Smith; Council, Messrs. W. Baker, B. F. Adams, W. H. Paltridge, R. James, L. Melhose, G. Denby, M. Paul (the latter two being nominated by the students) ; Hon. Secretary, Mr. Albert Bruce. COEOMANDBL SCHOOL. Mr. J. M. McLaren, M.A., Director of the Coromandel School of Mines, reports as follows: — I have the honour »to report as follows on the work and progress of the school for the past year:— Lectures were commenced on the 22nd February, and were well attended throughout. Sixtythree students were enrolled during the first term, the largest classes being mining and surveying, with a membership of thirty-two. The roll-number of the second term showed a slight diminution to fifty-six, and this was reduced in the third term to forty-six. This diminution was due entirely to students leaving the district in search of work. Our losses in this respect have been very heavy during the Christmas vacation, but this, I think, will be compensated for by new students, ten of whom have already enrolled. The mining and surveying classes are arranged to suit candidates for mine-managers' examinations, and were attended by students who intend to sit at the end of this year. The mathematics class, under the able supervision of Mr. A. J. Litten, has been of inestimable service to students. Your Committee, recognising the prime importance of mathematics in a school-of-mines course, has decided to make this subject compulsory for students taking mining or surveying lectures, granting at the same time Mr. Litten and myself the power of giving exemption to sufficiently advanced students. Metallurgical lectures, covering the questions asked in the battery superintendents' examinations, were held during the second and third terms, and were the most popular and best attended of any in our course. I trust that before very long, students taking this course will have an opportunity for practical experience in the battery that we hope shortly to have attached to the school. The geology and mineralogy lectures did not meet with the support the importance of the subjects warranted. I trust, however, to see an improvement in this respect this year. We have,