7

E.—lc

Mr. Petrie moved, and Mr. Goyen seconded, That, in the opinion of this Conference, it is highly desirable that a new " Flora of New Zealand " should be prepared and published under the auspices of the Government, and that a deputation be appointed to wait upon the Premier to urge upon him the need of taking action in this direction. The deputation to consist of Messrs. Wood, Hill, Hendry, Goodwin, and the mover. Carried. Mr. Petrie moved, and Mr. Goyen seconded, that the Conference adjourn till 8 p.m. Mr. Crowe moved, and Mr. Bitchie seconded, the following amendment, which was carried: That the Conference adjourn till 9.30 to-morrow morning.

Notices of Motion. Mr. Petrie to move, That there should be included in the Education Act a provision forbidding Boards of Education to establish new schools within four miles of existing schools, elsewhere than in municipalities, without the express sanction of the Minister of Education. Mr. Smith to move, That, in order to encourage regularity of attendance in the public schools of the colony, the Minister of Education be requested to make annual provision for the awarding of prizes in each education district to all children who are not absent more than times during the school year. Dr. Anderson to move, That in schools where only one adult or certificated teacher is employed history should be treated as a part of the reading without being examined from memory; and, further, that in ascertaining the average value of the remaining class-subjects, the total marks be divided by two instead of three, provided only that the resulting marks shall not exceed one hundred. Mr. Lee to move, That the following schemes of science * and kindergarten be adopted.

Tuesday, 6th February, 1894. The Conference met at 9.30 a.m. -The same members were present as at yesterday's sitting, with the exception of Mr. Hodgson. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Mr. Petrie moved, and Mr. Hill seconded, That examination in history as a class-subject be discontinued, the history-books to be used only as supplementary reading-books, the language of which, however, will have to be explained. Dr. Anderson moved, and Mr. Fleming seconded, as an amendment, That in schools where only one adult or certificated teacher is employed history should be treated as a part of the reading without being examined from memory. Amendment not carried. Mr. Lee moved, and Mr. Fleming seconded, as an amendment, That an approved historical reading-book be used in Standards 111. to VI., and that the Inspector report upon intelligent comprehension of the subject-matter. Amendment not carried. Mr. Petrie's motion was then put and carried. Mr. Dickinson moved, and Mr. Hill seconded, That in schools where only one certificated teacher is employed lessons in elementary science may be omitted. Not carried. Mr. Petrie moved, and Mr. Fleming seconded, the adoption of the following scheme for instruction in grammar:— Standard 111. To point out the parts of speech in a simple sentence— i.e., a sentence containing a single statement—and know the function of each word; also to know the subject and predicate of the sentence. [This will include a knowledge of nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns (except relatives), and prepositions. If thought desirable, the adverb may also be included.] Standard IV. To point out all the parts of speech and the adjective and adverb phrases in an easy sentence, to know the functions of the words, and to point out the clauses in the sentence and the joining words. (An easy sentence containing three statements would answer the purpose in view.) Standard V. Parsing of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives, and of the tense, number, and person of verbs; also to know the connection and function of the clauses and their usual positions in a sentence, as well as the position of the phrases. (Sentences, of moderate difficulty only to be used.) Standard VI. Complete parsing and analysis of sentences of ordinary difficulty, and knowledge of the order of words, clauses, and phrases. Dr. Anderson moved, as an amendment, and Mr. Bitchie seconded, That, while some such system as is proposed by Mr. Betrie is generally approved, the teachers be permitted, with the approval of the Inspector previously obtained, to follow any other scheme of development of the subject, with the recommendation, however, that any scheme adopted shall bear as much as possible on the features of composition. Not carried. Mr. Bindon moved, as an amendment, That a committee, consisting of Messrs. Petrie, Goyen, Hill, Anderson, Lee, and the mover, be appointed to consider the matter and report. Motion, not being seconded, lapsed. Mr. Petrie's resolution was then carried. Mr. Morton moved, and Mr. Hill seconded, That the course of geometrical drawing for Standard IV. be reduced. Carried. Mr. Morton moved, and Mr. Hill seconded, That for Standard V., geometrical drawing, as in. the present course for Standard IV., be required, and scale-drawing be omitted. Not carried. Mr. Morton moved, and Mr. Hill seconded, That in Standard VI. solid geometry be omitted. Carried.

* For science scheme see Appendix B. This motion was withdrawn, and the motion on p. 10 was substituted: " That, with the view of more accurately," &c.