SECONDARY SCHOOLS CONFERENCE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13740, 23 May 1910, Page 5

SECONDARY SCHOOLS CONFERENCE.

|. . * ! (press association telegram.) WELLINGTON, May 20. The secondary Oihools conference closed this evening. A committee, consisting of the president and Messrs, Bcvan-Brown, Moreland, Doye, -Morrell, and Tibbs was appointed to conisidor the present method of selecting I Rhodes scholars, obtain information ot ! the methods adopted elsewhere and report to the nest conference. A resolution was carried affirming the desirability of domestic science toraing part of'every girl's education. Resolutions were adopted requesting the Superannuation Board to give a definite ruling whether past and present teachers at such schools as Christ s College (Christchurch) and Wanganm Collegiate School arc entitled to participate; that the Minister of tduoa- j tion should lx> requested to amend the , Act by embodying tho principle- that pension should bo computed on the highest salary received during any three consecutive years instead of the last three years of service; that tho Ministers attention should bo drawn to tho anomaly which prevents a teacher in tho service before the passing of tho Act from coming under its provisions unless appointed to a new position; that secondary school teachers should bo allowed to retire at an earlier age than after forty years service; that the amount per head available for secondary education in New Zealand is insufficient to pay adequate salaries for the work done or to encourage the best teachers to take up secondary education as ' a career in life; that this conference should have a representative member on tiie Lniversity Senate and that tho Minister of Education be approached on the matUr; that there is urgent need, for an increase in the proportion of teachers to pupils in secondary schools, and that the number of assistants should not be fewer than one for every twentyfive' pupil*. It was decided to.hold the next conference in .Christchurch. the etanding committee to determine whether it should be held in 1912 or tho following year. = The Standing Committee of tho Secondary Schools' Association waited on the Minister of Education to-day to bring under his notice the question of representation of secondary schools 011 tne University Senate, with a view to securing co-operation between the-par-ties in the matter of examinations. It was pointed out by the deputation that the University scheme, especially rc£3rdin|c the science and chemistry examinations, was mxich behind the times. They desired to make