E.—ld.

7

stating that the following motion had been passed by them : " That, in the opinion of this society, it is highly desirable that the standard and age at which a child may leave school should be raised, so as to be in conformity with the Factory Acts." (3.) Telegram from Alexander Grant re secondary schools being free for Standard VI. pupils. Letters were received. Board's Delegate. —The Hon. Captain Baillie, member of Board for Marlborough, took his place at the Council table. Standard of Exemption. —Moved by Mr. Weston, and seconded by Mr. McAlister, " That the standard of exemption should be Standard V. instead of Standard IV., and that the school age be extended to fourteen years." Carried. Examination of Pupil-teachers. —Mr. Smith moved, " That the examination and classification of pupil-teachers throughout the colony be undertaken by the department." Seconded by Mr. Aitken. Lost. Ayes, 6 : Messrs. Aitken, Baillie, Fetch, Morton, Petrie, Smith; Noes, 13: Messrs. Anderson, Barclay, Garrow, Gow, Goyen, Hendry, Johnson, Ladley, Lee, McAlister, MacGregor, Talbot, Weston. Staffing Schools. —Proposed by Mr. McAlister, and seconded by Mr. Petrie, " That, in the opinion of this Conference, it is desirable to have throughout the colony a uniform system of staffing schools on the basis of the average attendance at each school, and a uniform scale of salaries payable to teachers on the same basis." Amendment: Mr. Barclay moved, and Mr. Talbot seconded, " That this question of colonializing both staff and salaries be remitted to the various Boards for consideration, to report their views to the department, within, say, three months, on the memorandum of late Wm. J. Habens, dated July, 1895,* and Mr. McAlister's notice of motion to accompany the remit; also that the various teachers' institutes be consulted, and their conclusions to be transmitted through the respective Boards." Lost. Eesolution passed. Central Schools. —Hon. J. MacGregor proposed, " That this Conference is of opinion that provision should be made for an advanced department corresponding to that provided for in the new Scotch code, and also such provision as would enable Education Boards to establish one or more central higher-grade schools in the larger towns." Seconded by Mr. Goyen. Carried unanimously.' Continuation Classes. —The Hon. J. MacGregor proposed, seconded by Mr. Eiley, "That, in the opinion of this Conference, provision should be made for the establishment of continuation classes." Carried. Adjourned till 2 o'clock.

Conference resumed at 2 o'clock. Cookery in Schools. —Mr. Weston proposed, seconded by Dr. Anderson, " That practical cookery be included in the syllabus as a branch of domestic economy, and as a counterpart of science." Carried. Mr. Weston moved, and Mr. Grundy seconded, "That the penalties received on the prosecucution of the Truant Officer employed by an Education Board shall be paid to such Board as a setoff against the expenditure incurred in such officer's salary, &c." Withdrawn. Amendment Act. —Mr. Weston moved, and Mr. Petrie seconded, "That the Education Act, or ' The Manual and Technical Elementary Instruction Act, 1895,' be amended to enable Boards of Education to make payments to independent bodies for manual and technical instruction to the pupils in the Board schools." Carried. D Certificate. —Dr. Anderson moved, and Mr. Goyen seconded, " That the attention of the Hon. the Minister of Education be called to the inequality at present existing between the two different modes by which teachers obtain a D certificate, and that he be recommended either to establish a uniform system of examination or to co-ordinate more closely the present methods of obtaining the certificate." Carried. Motion passed re drill was altered, on motion of Dr. Anderson, " That, as the Conference understands that drill has not received adequate attention in some districts, the subject should be regarded as obligatory in all schools with two or more teachers, one being a male." Carried. Entrance Examination for Pupil-teachers. —Mr. Lee moved, and Mr. McAlister seconded, " That this Conference is of opinion that an entrance examination (or its equivalent) be necessary in selecting pupil-teachers, such examination to be higher than Standard VI. pass." Carried. Ayes, 12 : "Fetch, Garrow, Goyen, Grundy, Johnson, Ladley, Lee, McAlister, Petrie, Smith, Talbot, Weston. Noes, 3 : Barclay, McWhirter, Morton. Home Lessons. —Moved by Mr. Petrie, and seconded by Mr. McAlister, "That, in the opinion of this Conference, home lessons be reduced to the lowest minimum consistent with efficiency." Carried. Fines for Truancy. —Moved by Mr. McAlister, and seconded by the Eev. George Barclay, "That, in order to secure the more effective operation of the' School Attendance Act, the fines thereunder be substantially increased, and that repeated convictions be more severely dealt with." Carried. Votes of thanks were passed with acclamation to Wanganui Board (on motion of Mr. Fetch), Minister of Education and Inspector-General (on motion of Mr. McAlister), Wellington Board (on motion of Mr. Garrow), Secretary (on motion of Mr. Grundy), The Press (on motion of the Chairman), and Mr. Eiley (on motion of Mr. Ladley).

* See Appendix,