PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. Ixxxiii 



The Province, for the purpose of the Board, has been divided into 

 three districts Cumberland, Pictou, and Cape Breton. From each of 

 these districts are appointed two men representing respectively the 

 companies and the workmen, and a third, as far as possible, a mining 

 engineer not interested in the operations of any company. The Inspector 

 of Mines acts as Secretary and the representative of the Government on 

 the Board. The questions are prepared by the Board at a full meeting ; 

 the examinations held simultaneously by the local divisions of the Board ; 

 and the answers considered at a full meeting of the Board. 



It was soon found that many candidates were deficient in surveying 

 arid the knowledge of arithmetic, logarithms, geometry, etc., necessary 

 for the solution of the problems of ventilation, etc. The most intelli- 

 gent of the successful candidates, in many cases men who had unaided 

 made themselves masters of these subjects, were appointed instructors 

 for the candidates. In this way an annual course, some months in 

 length, has been established at the principal collieries, about ten instruc 

 tors being employed. The expenses of these schools are met by the 

 Mines Department, and each teacher receives a fixed fee, contingent 

 upon his presenting at least two candidates, in addition to a fee for each 

 candidate that passes a successful examination. 



The first certificate of competency was issued March 15th, 1883, and 

 since that date 121 certificates have been issued to underground 

 managers, 146 certificates to overmen, in addition to 32 certificates of 

 service to those holding these positions at the time the law came into 

 force. This system has established an ample supply of men for our 

 own collieries, and those leaving our shores find their certificates a good 

 passport to respectable positions abroad. The conditions of admission 

 for a candidate are that he be at least twenty-one years of age, of good 

 reputation, and have been employed at least five years underground. 

 The readiness and precision of the answers of many of the candidates 

 vrouid do credit to examinations of a much more pretentious character. 



It was finally decided that the provisions of the act should be 

 extended to mine managers, and the powers of the Board were amplified. 

 In all 41 certificates have been issued to managers. Quite a number of 

 those holding manager's certificates are working miners who have 

 successively passed the different examinations, one after the other, with 

 intervals required to attain the additional knowledge. In one instance 

 a foreigner, unable to speak or write in the English language when he 



