THE Mount Ida Chronicle THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1877.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 441, 27 September 1877, Page 2

THE Mount Ida Chronicle THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1877.

Two sums appear tins year on the Estimates charged against the Land Fund—" Canterbury: School of Mines, yearly subsidy and models, £450." " Otago : School of Mines, director, £500." An explanation is found for these two votes in some correspondence between the Government and the Board of Canterbury College and the Council of the University of Otago. Last year a resolution was carried through the Lower House (moved by Mr. Barff, one' of the Members for Hokitika) affirming that it was advisable to establish a School of Mines. Early in 1877 the Government communicated with the College and the University, and ascertained that the teaching staffs of both institutions might easily be adapted for the purpose of a practical school, and that the Board and University Council were as willing as could be hoped for. Mr. Montgomery, the Chairman of the College Board, writes to the Secretary of Crown Lands, stating that his College already possessed very sufficient appliances for giving instruction in almost all the departments of study included in the curriculum of a School of Mines, and that the additional expenditure required to maintain the present staff would bo inconsiderable. More practically, Mr. Montgomery adds that the Beard will be prepared to establish the School if a grant of £l5O for maintenance be given annually by the Colonial Government, and the sum of £3OO be provided to defray the first cost of a set of models and a metallurgical collection. In the middle of May further information was afforded to the Government: that with the addition of a teacher of practical mining, land surveying, engineerings and mechanical drawing (whose services would be partly utilised for the purpose of the School of Agriculture then being established) the College would have such a teaching staff that the students of the School of Mines would find suitable classes sufficient in number to occupy all their time and afford them a complete curriculum. After enumerating' the classes superintended by Professors Bickerton and. Cook, Dr. Julius von Haast, and Dr. Dowell, this May letter winds up by stating that in consequence of having already nearly sufficient means for affording instruction such as is required by students in a School of Mines, this College, can undertake to establish the School for the small amount already stated. The Rev. D. M. Stuart speaks for the Otago University, and also in May approaches the question in a practical manner. He sums up his report and asks for £SOO a year, and is directed to add that on receiving a favorable answer the Council will immediately appoint a Director of Mines with the status and salary of a Professor ot the University, as well as the lecturers necessary for the completion, of the Mining School. The Committee of the Professorial Board were not content to leave the Vice-Chancellor with a mere statement of assent, but dr§w up_ a most practical syllabus pf technical ways and means, —first-

sotting out that classes, including roodom hvnguii'Toa, had been carefully prepared with a view to tho future ustablishroent of nuch a School unltr ?pifeasors Slim,, Black, Ifuth'n, Sc. They also state tu complete the curriculum of n really efficient School of Miuea, the following elnaaes should be immediately instituted, although tho expphso to tho University may he. considerable : 1. Principles anil practise of ruin::?;*. 2. Mining engineering (inoluiliag plan draw ing and specifications, the use of mining machinery, anil gold-saving appliances). 3. Mineralogy (tho physical characters, classification and mode of occurrence of ores and minerals) with the aid of the Museum collection. Theso classes tho Committee rpeommend should bo under tho Professor of Mining, to be appointed. 4. Surveying, levelling, plotting, and underground surveying, with the description and una of instruments—(By a lecturer on surveying, to be appointed). 8. The principles, construction, and use of the steam engine—(By a lecturer on mechanical engineering, to he appointed). 6, Free-hand and mechanical drawing—(By the Master of the School of Arts). 7. Lectures on metallurgy and assaying, •8 Practise on metallurgy and assaying—(By Professor Black), f. Geology : an extended course, having special refcrcnco to mining—(By Professor Hutton). It if) then rocomtnendtfd that a Director of the School of Minon, who would also be a Professor of Mining, be ap- _ poiuted at a snlary of .6000, care being B taken to pelect a man of first-elasa attainments and with practical experience ; that ho should not be permitted to receive fees for private consultations, and his services should be placed gratuitously at tho disposal of the Government for threo mouths yearly for the p'urpoae of viaiting mines throughout the Colony, and offering suggestions on tho mode of working them. It is {tlso recommended that competent lecturers upon surveying and mechanical engineering bo appointed. TLo Colonial Government is al?o gently reminded that tho Provincial Council of Otago bad voted £SOO, and asked to carry out tho deliberate intention of the Province. It may not have escaped our readers that Mr. Justice Chapman was authorised to interview Professor TJlrich on a late occasion in fylelbourno with a view of securing his services for Otago. The result of this attempt is not positively known. So the matter stands now. Tho Government have placed ou the Estimates all Jtho money tho Canterbury College and the Otago University aak. Each of theso two institutions are pledged to establish a complete School of Mines. The only alteration in the scheme worth noticing at present is that the Government liavo suggested that the Professor of Mining should be allowed sis mouthy a year in visiting mines.