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■Mr. J. E. Don: Four specimens of spherulitic felsite-porphyry from the West Coast, South Island; also a fine sample of asbestos, with specimens of the wall-rock, from a vein on the Gentle Annie Eange, Arrow district. Professor Shand : Four specimens of obsidian from Mayor Island ; two of native sulphur from White Island ; one of silicious sinter from Lake Botomahana terraces ; and two of copper-ore from the Island of Kawau. Professor Black : One specimen of serpentine, one of magnetite, one of infusorial earth, and one of felspathic breccia from Mount Zeehan, Tasmania ; one of rhactizite and one of mica from Stewart's Island; one specimen of rhodonite from Ophir, Otago ; two specimens of pitchstonebreccia, two of lithographic limestone, and one of chalcedony, from Oamaru. Mr. P. Fitzgerald : A fine specimen of auriferous quartz, showing, besides gold specks, a coating of gold on galena, from the Phoenix Mine, Skipper's Creek, Shotover district. Mr. Murray Eussell: A fine specimen of crystallized native copper from the Burra Burra Mine, South Australia; and one of granite, from the neighbourhood of Westport, New Zealand. Mr. G. V. Allen : Three specimens of andesite—one a rare glassy variety—from the neighbourhood of Port Chalmers. Mr. Sogers : Several specimens of rhodonite and of mixed oxides of manganese from the Dome Mountain and Waimea Plains. Mr. E. IT. Walcott: A specimen of crystallized rhodonite associated with galena from the Broken Hill Mine, New South Wales. Most of the specimens enumerated have, after identification, been labelled and placed into the large glass cases. These cases have now, however, become so overcrowded that it is really necessary to make some provision for new accessions of specimens and a better display of the old ones. The mineral collection especially requires more space, as it is very frequently inspected by the students because of its containing many species more characteristic than those of the teaching collection, and the overcrowding of the specimens leads to harmful intermixing of the labels. In my last year's report I recommended the provision of a new glass table-case for the purpose, but, on consultation .with the Eegistrar, I think his recommendation of a number of glass-covered shelves along one of the best-lighted walls of the room would be not only more convenient for inspection of specimens but also less expensive. In conclusion, I have to mention that since the previous session a number of the large stratigraphical and palseontological diagrams and pictures brought out by Mr. Wilkinson from England last year have been hung on the walls of the museum and lecturerooms, and, whilst being ornamental, form an excellent means of easy instruction to the students. The attendance at this school seems to be steadily improving. During last year twenty-one students attended the classes, and out of those there were only four failures in the examinations —two in mathematics, one in theoretical mechanics, and one in mineralogy. The quantity of assaywork done for the public is, however, very trifling in comparison to that done at the Thames and Eeefton Schools, but this is owing to the latter schools being situate in mining centres. MINOR SCHOOLS. The only report that reached the department from the minor schools is from Mr. Worley, of Nelson. With the exception of lectures given by Mr. F. B. Allen, M.A., during about three months on the West Coast last year, there has been no practical teaching. A few of those who take an interest in the work use the appliances at the schools for the testing of ores that they meet with in their daily avocations. The following is Mr. Worley's report on the Nelson School of Mines for last year : — I have the honour to submit the following report of work done in connection with the Nelson School of Mines during the year 1894. As no report of work done in 1893 was sent in, a brief explanation is necessary. My usual class for the study of mineralogy and blowpipe analysis was formed in the early part of that year, but the burning-down of several of the town schools, and an outbreak of measles, so thoroughly disorganized the schools that the mineralogy class had to be given up for some time. A fresh start was made, however, in the early part of 1894. Fourteen names w r ere enrolled ; but, with the exception of my two sons, all were quite fresh to the work, hence during the year the class was rather weak. Experience has shown that with only one lesson a week a boy does not appear to learn much during the first year. He undoubtedly gathers a lot of new ideas about metallic ores, and the tests by which they are distinguished, but he does not learn to generalise, and, therefore, cannot make much use of his knowledge. The class met thirty-two times during the year, the average attendance being about twelve. The principal ores of iron, lead, copper, manganese, chrome, zinc, antimony, silver, and gold were studied, and several blowpipe tests of all these ores (gold excepted) were made. The boys, though young, kept steadily to the work, and will probably do well after another year or two of study. An examination in blowpipe analysis was held at the close of the year. Six minerals, finely powdered, and in some cases disguised by false colouring matter, were given to the boys to test. They were not allowed to refer to any books or notes, and one hour was the time given for the testing. Fritz Worley identified them all, well within the prescribed time ; Arthur Scott mastered four of them, and Edward Kidson two ; the remainder of the boys getting only one, or none at all. Two prizes, of the value of 7s. and 3s. 6d. respectively, were given by Dr. Hudson to the boys who did best. Not caring to award a prize to my own son, the first went to Arthur Scott, and the second to Edward Kidson. After the closing of the schools for the summer vacation, the boys belonging to the mineralogy class were taken to the copper-mines district for a week. We camped in one of the disused cottages, and spent the time in exploring a part of the mineral belt. The boys were shown the outcrop of some copper-lodes, were taken into the drives, an explanation of the method of working a copper-lode being given. Special attention was directed to the altered appearance of the ore at the outcrop, so that they might know what to look for when prospecting. The mining machinery was