THAMES NEWS.

Thames Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 10346, 20 April 1911, Page 4

THAMES NEWS.

SCHOOL OF MINES.

MEETING OF COUNCIL.

The ordinaiy monthly meeiting 1 of the Cduncdl of tlie Thames School of MKnieH was heidl ait the sdiool -yesterdlay alternoion, the Hon. J. MoGowan, M.Li.O. (jpresident) presiding!. The members pre»3n*t were: D'r Lapraik and Messfrs G. Wartie, 0. Williams., A;. MaDiarmidl, B. F. Adams, and W. MicCtairmack. After the minutes and outwards dorresponde>nca had teen disposed of the following; business "vras ti'ansacited.

—Staff Vi?icia.neiesi.—■

Several letters ■vvere received from possible applicants foi( the positions of elecitricial instroicltor and dlrawinglmiatjter aslting] for particulars ro duitieg!, eta The searcitary said that he 1 had already furnished the desired' information.

—Inspection Charges.—•

As instructed the sera'e.tai'y wrote to tiio Insipccition of Mhdnuery Depiartnienvt, ■W'elling'toii, asking 1 tliait nu charge be made for the inspection <>i .the plant aib ilic school iva it is a publia one, not' used for gain or i>rofit, but merely for edudational purposes.

In reply 1 the Minister in Charge (Hon. J. A. Millar 1) wrote slaying; that three inspections are madle; and only one is chiargjed for. BCe was of the opinion thaib the charge isl not an excessive- onei (,17s 6d), and as the swliooil ia principwlfy maintained by the Mines Department the fee should Ibte ptaidl

It w*as delciided tk> pay the inspection fee 1.

-. —Agricultural Classes.—

In reply ito the Council's suggestion that th© Department of Agriculture should utilise the facilities 1 ut the TKamteia Sbhool of Mine® foi- ostalblisihing! classes of instruction in agriclultulre the Hon. T. Mackenzie wroto saying that he w'ais referring the matter to the Education Departmleait ag insltrueltion of the nature proposed! is given undid* the auspices of that Dbpaa-tirfemt. With regard to Jthe 1 analysii&i of soils and the giving of advice to farmer^ as to* the mlanurial treatment of their land the Minister remarked that a 1 somewhat similar proposal has already been made, and is at present receiving the) Consideration of the Department. —Received. —Elfocitricifd Tnsitmotion.—

Tlie officer commanding the Thames Senior Defends Cadets wi'r.te asking* the Council to extend its offer of freo elelatrioal instlrticition to two representatives frtin «\cii of the three local companies (rblunteiors) so a3 to enable six of his company to tafci advantage) of the instruiation as the original offer lias 1 noiti so< fa.riUeen ■taken adviaintage of.

It was decided -to holdl the niaittci" ovei* until an instructor 1 has been appointed.

—Mine Manfi.£ei Js dertiliicia.tesl.—

It be mweiniyored that at the last mfiieiting] of the timncil the special committee! set up to deal with the question of examinations for mine managei'S prc&'emtedi a, ciim-prehensJA-jcl report on the matter, and that! the report was to> bei discussed a!t the next meeting. fMk' jrcCVu'iniactk saidi that he thought, the ivport filled all rdquirenieintw with i-og'ard to> the qualifications of mine managcrib, with the* exI'fepiiun of a knowlcdkjt* of rock drilling', and Tio ilKiaiigiht that such a c'laußu should 'ba insoi'ted, as the civef incitwying uso. ot* i Jock drills makes it imperative that candidates should havb n tilioi-oiigh knowledge of their working.

Thy member were of the same opinion as Mr MlcCbrmadk, and iL vas suggested lha-t a class should bo started, at tlie soliool, at which ctuidates dould bio given instruction in the jnedianism of rodk drills.

Oh the motion of Mr 1 McCoi'mack, yecbnded by Mr Waniei, it was Cs-eddfed-to add a claaiise requiringl o:\n-

idates to acquire a Imowledg'e of the conatrucition and iDiecihanism of at least one type of rock drill. The report, -wiUi the above a<;klition, was adopted on the motion of the CiiaiiTDian, seconded Ibty Mr E. F. AJdtuns.

The secretary of tha Kar'angahake Sthool of Mines wrote asking for a dopy oif any resolution the Council has arrived at with regard to examination papers set for mine manag-ers. Tlie secreitary was insitrHiated to forward! at dopy of the adopted report. Tha secretary of the Waihi School of Mimes wl-ote) niinJlcing a. similar request., and also enclosed a list of vedommendaitions re examinations agreied \ o ]yy j^g Council —tliese lin-ve already appearcdi in: our columns—■ asking* tha cfc>k>piera.tioin of the local Council in seciuiring tlhe proposed alterations). Tlio Hton. J. MclG-oaVan mioived' tliaftthat Waihi. Ooi.-nciil be written to' informing: themi thloit the; Thames Council had dra>wn up certain proposals, and couldi not see their way to adopt a new syllaibiusi as sketched out. Try "Wlaihi; aisa a copy of thei Thiames proposals be fonrtutled to Waihi. This was secondeidl by Dr. Lapraik and ciai'ried. —Scholarship "Riepfulatioms.— The Under-Secreit^iry for Mines wrote forwarding 1 copies of an extract from the New Zealand Gazette containing further amended regulations for .Sbhool of Mines schoilarships —The Director's Report.— The director's report, which stated that the attendance remained prantidally tho same as last mon.th, was received and pdlopted. —Vifitin"' Committee.— Messrs W'arne and Biaker ciompriw tlio vis.it.int2.' committee for the ensuing month.