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Among the more important appointments obtained by graduates and old students of the Mining School during the past year are the following: C A. Cotton, lyecturer on Geology at Victoria College, Wellington ; J. A. Thomson, Assistant Consulting Geologist, Kalgoorlie, Western. Australia: J. McPaddeu, Director, Coromandel School of Mines; .Norman Fisher, general manager, the Temiskaming Mining Company (Limited), Cobalt, Ontario; D. M. Tomlinson, general manager, South Kaingiara Mine. New South Wales; P. Fitzgerald, mine-manager, Prestea Block A, Cold Coast Colony, West Africa; G. Thomson, mine-manager, Cobalt, Ontario; G. Ahem, mine-manager. Comet Silver-mine, Dundas, Tasmania: H. E. Allen, chief surveyor, Jumpers Gold-mining Company (Limited), Johannesburg, South Africa; W. E. Barron, chief surveyor, Van Ryn Gold-mining Company, Benoni, Transvaal; G. H. Royse, underground manager, Ferriera Deep Mine, Johannesburg; J. B. Macdonald, mine-manager, Mazoi, Rhodesia: T. H. B. Wayne, consulting engineer, Durban. Official Opening of New Mining School. The new Mining School building was formally opened on the 19th August by the Hon. R. McKenzie, Minister of Mines. The Hon. ,1. A. Millar was also present. The chair, in the absence of Mr. James Allen, .V1..A., M.P., Chancellor of the University of Otago, was occupied by Mr. T. K. Sidey, 8.A., LL.B., M.P., a member of the University Council, who, in his opening address, succinctly related the history of the Mining School from its inception in 1878 up to the year 1009, covering a period of thirty-one years. In tracing the early history of the institution, Mr. Sidey said it was worthy of mention that the establishment of a mining school was contemplated from the founding of the University. At the first meeting of the Council, in 1869, a letter was read from the then Superintendent of the Province of Otago, the late Mi. James Macandrew, in which he expressed the hope that the Council would make provision, mtei aha, for a school of mines, and in furtherance of that object the Provincial Government made a grant of £300 to enable the' University Council to establish a chair, which was called the Chair of Natural Science. That ohair was one of the first four established, and it was filled by the' appointment of Professor Black. It was not until the year 1878 that the establishment of the School of Mines as a separate faculty of the University took place, and it was interesting .to note that, just as it was at the suggestion of the Provincial Council that the Natural Science Chair was established, so it was at the request of the Governmi'iit that the Otago School of Mines was established. In 1877 the Government wrote recommending the establishment of the school, and offering a subsidy of £500, which in later years was increased to £750. The Council readily accepted the terms, and the first Director, the late Professor Ulrich, entered upon his duties in 1878. Had the' Council declined to establish the Mining School the history of the Otago University would have' been much poorer than it was that day. It would have been bereft of many achievements that had brought it honour and distinction. The Otago School of Mines was recognized as the best type' of mining school in the oversea dominions, and its high reputation was acknowledged by the mining profession and by the leading mining journals in England and Australia. The Hon. Roderick McKenzie said it afforded him great pleasure to be present and to have been asked to declare the school open. The Mining School of Otago had been an institution of great benefit to the young people of this country ever since it had first started. Young men who here passed through the examinations and got this Mining School's certificate's had the' insurance that they could be fairly certain of employment in any mining venture in the world. He knew of no higher or more useful certificate than that of the Otago Mining School. The school had been started in New Zealand in 1876 mainly by reason of the efforts of the gentlemen who had represented Otago in Parliament. Ever since that time this school had been steadily forging ahead and improving, till to-day it stood as the best mining school in the Southern Hemisphere. As to this new building, he must say he was pleased with it. He' had been over the old building, and his hearers, on seeing the present school, would have an opportunity of comparing the two, and in doing so would soon realize the great advancement that had been made. Mr. Sidey had spoken of the lack of equipment, and he quite recognized that the present equipment was insufficient. It would be a great mistake for the Government to grant them a sum of £5,000 to put up a building if they had no equipment to fit it up with. He wished it understood that in this matter he was only expressing his own view, but he must say that he certainly considered that the Government should come to their assistance and provide the wherewithal for the purchase of the equipment. It was possible that the Government might be able to give them a special grant. Although realizing the amounts already given towards this Mining School, he knew of smaller schools whose equipment was far ahead of this one. He had always taken the' warmest interest in the mining industry, and therefore it went without saying that he' took a warm interest in this Mining School. Mining was one of the most important industries, and deserved every encouragement. One of the best means and ways of doing this would be to assist the School of Mines, and in so doing to give to the country and to the world a class of men possessing a thorough technical knowledge. He would point out that this School of Mines was one of the best advertisements the mining industry of New Zealand had ever had. In conclusion, Mr. McKenzie again expressed the pleasure he felt at being present, and hoped that in the future the school would continue the successes which had distinguished it in the past. He had great pleasure in now declaring the building open. 'Ihe Hon. Mr. Millar said that, speaking as a representative of the city, and as one who had known Dunedin and its affairs from early boyhood, when he thought of the history of the School of Mines —its annihilation almost at one time through lack of funds, and the attempt that was made later on to take it to the North Island—he was doubly proud of the fact that his colleague had that day opened a building that, as Mr. Sidey had stated, meant the permanent placing of the School of Mines in Otago. The record of the school in the old building showed that some of