5

E.—lc

Mr. Eiley moved, " That the present syllabus be modified to such an extent as to permit of the introduction of varied occupations, manual and domestic instruction." Dr. Anderson seconded the motion. The Conference adjourned for ten minutes to examine specimens of work brought from England by Mr. Eiley, the specimens illustrating his speech. Motion was carried. On the motion of Mr. Weston, the Conference adjourned till 10 a.m. on Thursday morning.

Fifth Session. —Thuusday, 20th July, 1899. The Conference resumed at 10 a.m. The minutes of the previous session were read and confirmed. Classification of Pupils. —Mr. Grundy moved, and Mr. Scott seconded, " That the principal teacher of a school shall have full discretion to arrange his pupils in different classes for different subjects according to their ability and proficiency with respect to these subjects." After some discussion in regard to the relation of Mr. Grundy's motion to Mr. Lee's, postponed from the previous session, it was decided that Mr. Lee's motion be taken first, and that Mr. Grundy's motion be taken as an amendment. Mr. Goyen continued the debate on Mr. Lee's motion. The amendment was carried by 20 to 1. Amendment: Mr. T. S. Weston moved, and Mr. Gill seconded, the following addition to Mr. Grundy's motion: " That, notwithstanding anything contained in this resolution, the pupils of a school shall still be regarded as belonging to some standard class, on the basis of the average attainments in essential subjects." A division was called for on the amendment. Ayes, 17 : Messrs. Aitken, Anderson, Barclay, Bindon, Bridge, Fetch, Gill, Gow, Hendry, Ladley, Lee, McWhirter, Morton, Petrie, Scott, Smith, Talbot. Noes, 8: Messrs. Dempsey, Garrow, Goyen, Grundy, Johnson, McAlister, MacGregor, Weston, Mr. Grundy's motion as amended was carried unanimously. Grant for Manual and Technical Instruction. —Mr. Weston moved, and Mr. Eiley seconded, " That Government be respectfully moved to increase the grant for manual and technical instruction by a sum of not less than £10,000." The Chairman proposed, and Dr. Anderson seconded, the following amendment: "That the words after ' by ' be struck out, and the following words substituted, ' materially increasing the capitation allowance under the Manual and Technical Elementary Instruction Act, and by providing funds for the erection and furnishing of the necessary class-rooms.' " Amendment carried by 19 to 1. Mr. McWhirter proposed, and Mr. McAlister seconded, the following addition to the Chairman's motion : " That, in the distribution of money devoted to the purposes of manual and technical instruction, country districts should receive special consideration by the extension of the present gradation in the captitation." The motion, as amended, was carried. Correspondence. —(1.) From Sir E~. O. Gibbes, asking for opportunity to place before the Conference the claims of the Habens Scholarship. Resolved, That an opportunity be given at the commencement of the afternoon session. (2.) From the Yerex and Jones Company, inviting the Conference to inspect their samples of school furniture, &c, and enclosing a catalogue. (3.) From the Honorary Secretary of the National Council of the Women of New Zealand, bringing before the notice of the Conference certain resolutions passed unanimously by that body. On the motion of Mr. Aitken, the letter was received. The Conference adjourned till 2.30 p.m.

Sixth Session. The Conference resumed at 2.30 p.m. The minutes of the previous session were read and confirmed. New Zealand Alliance.— -Mr. Aitken asked that his motion re New Zealand Alliance be taken earlier than it appeared on the Order Paper. The Conference did not grant permission. Dr. Anderson's Proposals. —With the permission of the Conference, proposals i, 5, 6 and 13 were withdrawn, and 7, 8 and 9 were altered to read as follows : — " (7.) That in determining the promotions of the pupils from standard to standard the following be the subjects which the teacher shall regard as forming the essential basis of promotion ; (a) reading, (b) spelling and dictation, (c) writing, (d) arithmetic, (c) composition and the grammatical basis of composition. " (8.) That in estimating the pupils' claims to promotion reading receive two marks—one mark for fluent reading in the ordinary class-book and one mark for unseen reading—or, in case of the lower classes, for merit in reading a second-reading book ; spelling and writing, each one mark; arithmetic, one mark for simple mechanical exercises, and one mark for merit as shown by the ability to do ' mental' exercises, or sums requiring some process of thinking; composition (theme), one mark, and the grammatical basis of composition one mark—eight marks in all, six to justify issue of standard certificates. " (9.) That the above be regarded as the standard subjects in the school, and be obligatory in every school." («.) Dr. Anderson moved clause 7. Mr. Goyon seconded. Carried. Ayes, 12: Messrs. Anderson, Barclay Bindon, Bridge, Fetch, Gow, Hendry, McWhirter, Morton, Petrie, Smith,