DIRECTOR OF GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1104, 18 April 1911, Page 2

DIRECTOR OF GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

Sir,—l notice that since the reccnt appointment of Mr, I'. G. Morgan as Director of the Geological Survey of MewZealand, a' statement has been 'circulated rcuml the newspapers of New Zealand purporting to give nis academic and educational (lualilicatibus. As this statement is misleading it may be as well to date definitely what they actually aro. 'iho B.A. and M.A. degree results are ,not in point, for geology was not taken as a: subject. The Diploma of Associate of the School ot Mines involved only ono geology class of two hours per week without practical work though, of course the allied subjects of mincsralogy, noliV graphv, ami mining geology had to be studied. Iho first class in geology given as an additional qualification refers lo the class mentioned above, and is as much less than first-class honours of the New Zealand University as 100 yards is less than 10 miles. The other qualification mentioned—Corlifieato of Land and Mine Snrveying-is granted for (he same classes as the Associateship of .the School of Mines, but is awarded for a. smaller number of passes and .is therefore in. eluded iii it. Thus, when these qualifications aro examined they amount to an

Associateship of (lie Otago School of Mines during tlie course for which a class in geology was attended lor 0110 year for tivo hours per wok.

The cprlificales of battery superintendent and assayer of gold have nothing to do with geology. The Now Zealand Institute of Mining Engineers died of inanition ninny yours ago. Membership of the Australasian Association for tho advancement of science costs ..CI, and membership of the Wellington Philosophical Institute XI Is. There is no other qualificntion for these memberships. Jn tho Wailii School of Mines the geology that is taught is to a standard of a technical school only. The Australian Institute of Mining Engineers is a technicnl mining institute. This letter is not written with the object of depreciating Mr. Morgan; probably no 0110 is more annoyed than himself at the unwarrantable etretching of lii'i qualifications by the Department. Why aro they not satisfied with simply appointing him? At least four men with first-class honours in geology applied. So it is clear that nil applicant with'high fiualificntions was not required, and them is no harm in stating the fact instead of magnifying tho qualifications of a man academically less qualified.—l .mi, etc., GRADUATE.