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Annual Examinations. —Twenty students presented themselves for examination in twenty-one subjects, and of these one failed in senior surveying and one in mineralogy. Diplomas and Certificates. —Nine graduates of the Mining School, having presented satisfactory certificates of time spent in practical work, as required by the regulations, were awarded the Diploma of Associate—namely, four in mining, four in metallurgy, and one in geology. The Certificate of Land and Mine Surveyor was granted to two graduates, and the Certificate of Metallurgical Chemist and Assayer to one student. The names of the students to whom diplomas and certificates were issued are as under : Philip Hastings McDouall, 8.E., Certificate of Land and Mine Surveyor; Urquhart B. Inglis, A.0.5.M., Diploma of Associate in Metallurgy and Certificate of Metallurgical Chemist and Assayer; Gowan L. Hercus, Diploma of Associate in Metallurgy ; John F. McPadden, B.Sc, Diploma of Associate in Mining; A. M. Finlayson, M.Sc, Diploma of Associate in Geology; Oluf Moen, A.0.5.M., Diploma of Associate in Metallurgy; Alfred L. Heale, Diploma of Associate in Mining; E. D. Isaacson, Diploma of Associate in Mining; Norman M. Shand, Diploma of Associate in Mining, Diploma of Associate in Metallurgy, Certificate of Land and Mine Surveyor. The diplomas granted in the division of mining, metallurgy, and geology since 1887 are as follows:—Mining: Issued up to end of 1906, 78; issued in 1907, 4: total 82. Metallurgy: To end of 1906, 38 ; 1907, 4: total, 42. Geology: To end of 1906, 13; 1907, 1: total, 14. Grand totals: To end of 1906, 129; 1907, 9; total, 138. Appointments obtained by Old Students. —The number of remunerative appointments obtained by our old students in 1907 is greater than in any other year since the establishment of the school. It is a pleasure to state that men holding our associate diploma are held in good repute in all parts of the globe. A gratifying feature that is becoming more marked with each succeeding year is the tendency to appoint New Zealand mining graduates to places of responsibility within the Dominion. Thus, of seven Inspectors of Mines employed by the New Zealand Mines Department in various parts of the Dominion, no less than four are New Zealand mining graduates, and the number is certain to increase. New ideas permeate in a democratic community slowly and laboriously, but at last we have clear signs of a growing conviction that the men who are competent to hold responsible places abroad must be competent to fill the responsible places at home. We are deeply indebted to the Hon. Mr. McGowan, Minister of Mines, for the part he has played in breaking down the prejudice that so long existed against New-Zealand-trained men. All the graduates of 1907 have been successfully placed, and the director finds an increasing difficulty in supplying men for the appointments that are put under offer through him. The names of the old students placed last year, and the nature of their appointments, is given below : Kenneth Graham, A.0.5.M., topographical surveyor, New Zealand Geological Survey; J. H. Adams, B.Sc, Assistant Geological Surveyor, New Zealand Geological Survey; Kenneth Graham, A.0.5.M., Government Surveyor, Java; T. H. B. Wayne, A.0.5.M., Consulting Engineer, Durban; S. Napier Bell, A.0.5.M., metallurgist, Peak Downs Copper Company, Queensland; D. V. Allen, B.Sc, A.0.5.M., Director, Zeehan School of Mines; J. Allan Thomson, B.Sc, A.0.5.M., Lecturer in Geology, St. John's College, Oxford; H. C. Boydell, B.Sc, A.0.5.M., lecturer, Kalgoorlie School of Mines, West Australia; W. Gibson, 8.E., A.0.5.M., lecturer, Waikino School of Mines; Edward lies, A.0.5.M., acting-lecturer, Thames School of Mines; U. B. Inglis, A.0.5.M., manager, Targinnie Gold-mining Company, Gladstone, Queensland; C. N. Bolt, B.Sc, engineer of harbourworks, Gladstone, Queensland; O. Gore Adams, B.Sc, A.0.5.M., metallurgist, Santa Isobel, United Gold-mining Company, Colombia, South America; W. A. Baker, B.Sc, Director, Thames School of Mines; Herbert Black, A.0.5.M., metallurgist, Cumberland Mine, South Australia. The total number of appointments obtained by our students in the past seven years is as follows: 1901, 8; 1902, 7; 1903, 8; 1904, 11; 1905, 13; 1906, 14; 1907, 16: total, 77. Altogether seventy-seven responsible positions have been secured by sixty-two individual students, at salaries ranging for the most part between £300 and £600 a year. The occupations represented in the above appointments are as under: Consulting engineers, 5 ; mining engineers, 8; assistant mining engineers, 5; general mine-managers, 3; mine-managers, 8; inspectors of mines, 2; geological surveyors, 4; mine-surveyors, 5; land and topographical surveyors, 2; metallurgists, 13; dredge-masters, 2; directors of mining schools, 10; lecturers at mining schools, 10: total, 77. In addition to these posts, thirty of our students occupy in different parts of New Zealand such places as assayers, cyaniders, metallurgical chemists, mine and battery assistants, surveyors, geologists, and engineers' assistants at a remuneration of 9s. or 10s. a day. In these subordinate places our students gain the experience that fits them for more responsible appointments. New Zealand University Examinations. —The results of the November examinations, so far as they concern our milling students, are as follow: Honours in Science: C. A. Cotton, first class in geology; J. A. Bartrum, first class in geology, third class in physics. Final B.E. (Mining): P. Hastings McDouall, W. Gibson. Final B.E. '(Metallurgy): Gerhardt C. Ulrich. The Ulrich Medal for 1907 was won by Edwards F. Roberts. Exhibition Research Scholarship: The 1851 Exhibition Research Scholarship for 1907 was awarded by the New Zealand University Senate to Mr. A. Moncrieff Finlayson, who presented a valuable thesis on " The Gold-bearing Veins of Otago," a subject of great economic importance to the mining industry. Mr. Finlayson has had a brilliant academic career, and the award of this scholarship is a fitting reward for his perseverance. He deserves our most hearty congratulations. This is the fourth Exhibition Scholarship secured by our mining students during the past five years. Academic Honours and. Degrees. —ln the past five years our mining students have secured the following academic distinctions': Two Rhodes Scholarships, four 1851 Exhibition Scholarships, four Senior Scholarships of New Zealand University, seven First-class Honours in Science, five Sir George Grey Scholarships, five the M.Sc. Degree, four the B.Sc. Degree, ten the B.E. Degree in Mining and Metallurgy.