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1901. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: CONFERENCE OF INSPECTORS OF SCHOOLS, 1901.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

MINUTES OF PBOCEEDINGS.

Monday, 28th Januaky, 1901. The Conference met at the Education Board's Office, in Wellington at 2.10 p.m. Present: Messrs. G. Hogben (Inspector-General and Chairman), Petrie, Mulgan, Goodwin, Grierson, Crowe, Purdie, Spencer, Smyth, Milne, Lee, Fleming, Bakewell, Hill, Smith, Harkness, Fetch, Morton, Wood, Anderson, Eitchie, Gow, Bell, Goyen, Fitzgerald, Bichardson, Bossence, Hendry, Braik, Pope, Browne, Isaac. The Chairman briefly addressed the Conference, extending a hearty welcome, on behalf of the Minister of Education, to all the Inspectors, and suggesting that the Conference, after deciding certain preliminaries, should, on the occasion of the death of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, immediately adjourn till the following day. Mr. Petrie moved, and Mr. Goyen seconded, " That the Conference meet daily at 9.30 a.m. and at 2.30 p.m., the time of adjournment to be settled at each meeting." Mr. Hill moved, as an amendment, " That the Conference sit from 9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m.. and from 2.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily." —The amendment was carried on the voices. Mr. Goyen moved, and Mr. Fitzgerald seconded, " That ordinary speeches be limited to ten minutes, except that of the proposer, who should be allowed twenty minutes." Mr. Petrie moved, as an amendment, " That the proposer should be allowed fifteen minutes, instead of twenty minutes." This was agreed to, and the motion, as amended, was carried. Mr. Goyen moved, " That the meetings of the Conference be not open to the Press, but that the resolutions of the Conference be communicated to the Press." The Conference divided on the question, and the motion was carried by 15 votes to 14. On the motion of Mr. Petrie, it was agreed that Messrs. Anderson, Goyen, Hill, Lee, and the mover be a Standing Orders Committee. Mr. Fleming was appointed secretary to the Conference, and Mr. F. D. Thomson, of the Education Department, shorthand-writer and assistant secretary. The Chairman intimated his intention of addressing the Conference on the following day on certain subjects set down for discussion. Mr. Fitzgerald moved, and Mr. Hill seconded, " That after the Chairman's address the first order of the day be the discussion of matters dealing with the standard regulations."—-Carried. Mr. Lee then moved, and Mr. Hill seconded, " That the Conference, out of respect to the memory of Her late Majesty the Queen, do now adjourn till 9.30 a.m. on Tuesday, the 29th instant." The motion was agreed to in silence, all members standing.

Tuesday, 29th January, 1901. The Conference resumed at 9.35 a.m., the same members being present as on the preceding day. On the motion of Mr. Lee, seconded by Mr. Wood, it was unanimously resolved, "That the Conference hopes to have the honour of the Minister's attendance during its sittings." On the motion of Mr. Hill, seconded by Mr. Lee, it was resolved, " That an invitation be given to representatives of the New Zealand Educational Institute to be present during the discussion on the syllabus."

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