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APPENDIX C. REPORT OF BOARDS OF EXAMINERS. Sir, — Mines Department, Wellington, 31st July, 1929. On behalf of the Boards of Examiners under the Mining and Coal-mines Acts, I have the honour to submit the following brief report on the work of the Boards during 1928. The annual written examinations of candidates for mine-managers' certificates under the Coal-mines Act, 1925, were held at Dunedin, Beefton, and Huntly in October last. Eleven candidates sat for first-class certificates and eleven for second-class certificates, as compared with seven for first-class certificates and six for second-class certificates in 1927. This is a marked improvement. The work of the candidates for second-class certificates was, on the whole, better than that of those for first-class certificates, nine out of the eleven candidates for second-class certificates being called up for oral examination as against four out of the eleven candidates for first-class certificates. In addition, examinations were also held at Huntly and Beefton for candidates for mine-surveyors' certificates under the Coal-mines Act, one candidate sitting in each centre. Two candidates also sat at Waihi for battery superintendents' certificates under the Mining Act, 1926. Those candidates for certificates under the Coal-mines Act who were successful in obtaining the necessary marks in their written examination came before the Board for oral examination at its annual meeting in December last, as a result of which the following were granted certificates : Second-class mine-managers' certificates —Joseph William Smith, Buponga ; David Bryson Thomson, Huntly ; Bobert Blair, Glen Massey ; Edward Johnson, Pukemiro ; Harry Jones, Huntly ; Bobert Crump, Huntly. Mine-surveyors' certificates —John B. Watson, Huntly ; John Bennie, Millerton. John Thomas Samuel of Dunedin, who had the necessary qualifications was, after oral and practical examination, also granted a mine-surveyor's certificate. In addition to the above, partial passes for certificates were also granted as follows : First-class mine-managers' certificates —J. W. Glendenning, Dobson ; B. T. H. Dale, Bunanga ; A. Colligan, Nightcaps ; J. E. Pfefler, Millerton. Second-class mine-managers' certificates —Bobert Wilson, Pukemiro ; G. Williamson, Glen Massey. The Board of Examiners under the Mining Act, 1926, also granted a battery superintendent's certificate to J. G. Banks, of Waihi, he having been successful in both his written and oral examination. During the year six examinations for candidates for certificates as underviewers and firemendeputies were held —one at Auckland, on the 14th August; one at Dunedin, on the 4th September ; one at Greymouth, on the 22nd November ; one at Westport, on the 24th November ; and two at Huntly, on the 17th and 18th January, and the 4th and sth December respectively. Ninety-three candidates presented themselves for examination, thirty-seven for underviewers' certificates, and fifty-six for firemen-deputies' certificates. The number was thirty in excess of last year's total. The examination held at Auckland on the 14th August last was somewhat of an innovation, and was done to meet the urgent representations of candidates in the North Auckland District and to save them both time and money in not having to proceed to Huntly. Only candidates for firemendeputies' certificates were examined, there being no suitable room at the Inspector of Quarries' office, where the examination was held, to hold the written part of the examination for candidates for underviewers' certificates. Twelve candidates were successful in gaining underviewers' certificates and thirty-eight were successful in gaining firemen-deputies' certificates. The certificates issued will in a number of cases come up for confirmation at the next annual meeting of the Board of Examiners under the Coal-mines Act. The number of candidates offering themselves for examination under the Coal-mines Act again showed an increase over that of the previous year, but the number of candidates for examination under the Mining Act was again negligible. The following holders of British certificates of competency as coal-mine managers were granted equivalent New Zealand certificates under the Coal-mines Act: First class —Hugh Brady, Dunedin ; second class —James William Glendenning, Dobson, and William Paterson, Christchurch. Mine-surveyors' certificates without examination were, in accordance with the regulations under the Coal-mines Act, granted to C. S. Beilby, Denniston, and James Alan Gibson, Botowaro, the necessary qualifications being possessed by them. A number of additional applications from holders of first-class colliery-managers' certificates for endorsement of their certificates as mine-surveyors in accordance with the regulations under the Coal-mines Act, 1925, were finally dealt with at the last annual meeting of the Board in December last, and the endorsement of their certificates was confirmed. . The names of the applicants whose certificates were endorsed are given in the list appended. No further applications in this regard can be considered, as under the regulations applications were required to be made before the Ist January, 1928, and certificates had to be endorsed before the 30th June following. A number of duplicate certificates to replace originals lost or accidentally destroyed were issued during the year. In addition, sixty-six gas-testing certificates were issued.