e obtains his certificate, must have served at least two years
underground, and has to pass through a severe examination, lasting for
days, in all subjects relating to mining and machinery connected with
mining. In addition, he must prove his capacity by making an underground
survey, and then plotting his work. The examination is a stiff one,
as may be judged from the fact that between 1886 and 1891, only 27
candidates passed. Then the conditions were made easier, and from that
date to 1895, 19 passed. Of the 46 students who gained first-class
honours, 30 have left for South Africa or Australia, in both of which
countries New Zealand certificated men are held in high estimation.

But returning to the formation of the Company, care should be taken in
appointing Directors that at least one member of the Board is selected
on account of his special technical knowledge of mining, and others for
their special business capacity. The ornamental men with high sounding
names should not be required in legitimate ventures. Also, it is most
important that the business Manager or Secretary should be a specially
qualified man, who by experience has learned what are the requirements
of a mine doing a certain amount of work, so that a proper check may
be kept on the expenses. The more Companies such a Secretary has the
better, as one qualified man can supervise a large staff of clerks, who
would themselves be qualifying for similar work, and gaining a useful
and varied experience of mining business. An office of this description
having charge of a large number of mines is, in its way, a technical
school, and lads trained therein would be in demand as mine pursers, a
very responsible and necessary officer in a big mine.

With respect to the men to whom the actual mining and treatment of ores
and machinery is committed the greatest mistakes of the past have been
that too much has been required from one man, a combination not to be
found probably in one man in a thousand. Such Admirable Crichtons are
rare in any profession or business, and that of mining is no exception.
Men who profess too much are to be distrusted. Your best men are they
who concentrate their energies and intellects in special directions.
The Mining Manager should, if possible, be chosen from men holding
certificates of competency from some technical mining school and,
of course, should, in addition, have some practical experience, not
necessarily as Head Manager. He sho