CONFERENCE OF SCHOOL INSPECTORS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 32, 7 February 1907, Page 6

CONFERENCE OF SCHOOL INSPECTORS.

TO-DAY'S SITTING. The conference of school inspectors and training college principals resumed at 10 o'clock this morning in the Parliamentary Buildings, the Inspector-General of Schools (Mr. G. Hogben) presiding. Mr. G. D. Braik moved— (l.) "That requirements (3) and* (4), geography, Standard VI., be withdrawn; (2) that in the qualifications for certificates, of competency and proficiency, handwork, carrying a due proportion of works, should be included." Both theso motions were referred to the Syllabus Committee.MORAL TRAINING. During a discussion on the regulations for inspection and examination of schools, Mr. Braik also moved, " That the section on moral training be transferred to the section on civics, and that a committee be ,set up to consider the most .appropriate 'headings under which such instruction should appear." Mr, Braik outlined tho difficulties teachers had to contend with under the present cqndition-of things, and said there was urgent need for revision. The matter was referred to the Syllabus Committee. ." PROFICIENCY " VERSUS COMPETENCY." . Inspector Bakewel! (Wellington) moved 1 that in the regulations for the examination and inspection of schools, the word "proficiency" should bo substituted for " competency " — in other words, that there should be one examination with one certificate. This was duly seconded. Inspector Goyen (Otago) opposed the motion, and urged that there should be a clear distinction between certificates of ' competency " and " proficiency." To his mind, that distinction was very clear ut present, and it was highly desirable that it should be maintained. * The same \ lino of argument was adopted by Mr. | Goyen's co-inspector from Otago (Mr. Fitzgerald). He had personal experience of scholars who strove diligently to get the higher certificate.^ At tho same time he thought the certificate of "competency " should be defined. Other speakers endorsed these obI scrvations. ■ ~ Mr. Tennant supported Mr. Bakfi-. well's motion.. ~ The tendency ,in later ye3rs had been to reduce examinations.In replying to the various arguments brought againat his proposal, Mr. Bakewell said his wholo desire was to simplify matters. For a higher corti.ficate he would like to see a general rxamination by the department, 60 that the "proficiency" examination would become a departmental examination. It. seemed extremely . incongrous that the • department should be examining scholars for free places, and. that the inspectors should be doing the same thing. His idea also was that the standard YH. examination should be done away with. The motion was lost by 29 votes to 8. SCHOLARSHIPS. Mr. E. K. Mulgan (North Canter-, bury) moved : — That the Senior National scholarships be awarded to pcisons of either sex who, being under nineteen years of age, have resided in the colony for six months and obtained credit at tbo Junior Scholarship Examination of the University of New Zealand. He said that to win a Senior National scholarship at present a candidate was required to be the holder of a board's scholarship or at Junior National scholarship. In granting scholarships tho aim was to get the best brains in the community, and train, them for tho- benefit of tho State. He felt that the conditions of admission should be made as wide as possible. Mr. Fleming (Wellington) strongly supported Mr. Mulgan's remarks. After some further discussion, during which the chairman explained in dotail the present system of guarding scholarships, the motion was carried by -20. votes to 17. At this stage an adjournment was made to listen to an address by Mr. D. J. Cooper, M.A., Sonior Inspector of New South Wales. The address is reported elsewhere. At 12.45 p.m. the luncheon adjournment was taken.

The Wellington Navals have so far been fortunate in having fine weather fo* their annual camp at Mahanga Bay, and aro putting in steady and useful work. The man are attending well, the average attendance being 107 per day of all ranks. Lieut. -Colonel Campbell and Major Hume went- iuto camp ou Monday, and> are daily inspecting the various detachments. Master Gunner Richardson, R.A., arrived from Bunedin on Tuesday, and is now in charge of tho instruction staff. On Sunday afternoon the usual "At Home" will be held at the bay. Next week all detachments will fire their annual "service practice." "Service practice" is preceded by "instructional practice," which differs from the former in that the detachments are not firing against time as is the case >n Eervicr?. Each * detachment fires two rounds "instructional," and from the observations and experience gained the officer or non-commissioned officer in charge is able to deduce certain data, which is of use to him wlkii firing '"service." The detachments also got a better idea of what is expected of them when they come to the real series. Theso rounds are practically what the infantryman gets at target practice, and might be designated as ''siptbters." This morning the two 12-pounder detachments, under P.O. Ross and P.O. Steele, fired their "instructional," and the Nordenfeldta, under P.O. Johnson and P.O. Gott, made excellent shooting on the 6-pounders. A sum of money which Frederick V. Bolland, for some tune secretary to the Wellington Letterpress Printers' Union, had failed to account for to the union, was the subject of a judgment summons case between the union and Bolland, called at the Magistrate's Court to-day. Mr. Hindmarsh, on behalf of the union, said this case came before his Worship somo time before Christmas. Counsel had applied for an order under a penal clause with regard to fraud, but his Worship adjourned the proceedings in order to give debtor an opportunity of making some offer in regard to refunding the money. Debtor, however, had made no offer at all. He had not eyen writteD to counsel about the matter. 'There wta no appearance of debtor, but the clerk of the court said Bolland had admitted the debt when he was summoned in court before Christmas. Dr. A. M'Arthur, S.M., ordered him to pay the amount — £28 13»— before 19jth February, in default one month's imprisonment.' Two well-known teachers of bookkeeping and Khorthand, Mr. G. P. Hill and Mr. P. F. Hill, from Stott and Hoare's Business College, Melbourne, arrived by tbe Maheno to take up positions jn the firm's college at Wellington. Premises have been taken at Colonial Mutual Chambers, and Us* college will open on Monday next. To-morrow at noon, in V Shed, T&ra-naki-stroct Wharf, Messrs. J. H. Bethune and Co. will sell, on account of whom it may concern, 400 bundles galvanised fencing wire, all more or less damaged by water. W. F. Shortt, Ltd., will sell at their rooms to-morrow, at ' 2 o'clock, tho contents of a seven-roomed house.' Full particulars appear in this issue. To-morrow, at 2 o'clock, Menirs. W. H. Morrah and Co. will tell in their room*, Willis-street, piano, household furniture, jLTuJ^ninHiutn.