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students of groups of cognate .subjects and for the doing; in those subjects of more advanced work than at present required for a pass, although fewer subjects may be chosen, the elementary general information that every graduate should have being vouched for by a modified matriculation examination. —Seconded by Mr. Braik. By leave of the Conference Professor Kirk divided his motion into two parts. The first part —namely, " That this Conference views with approval the raising of the matriculation standard as a step towards preventing the overlapping that at present exists in the work of the University and the secondary schools " —was put to the Conference, and carried on the voices. On the second part the Conference divided. — Ayes, 8 ; noes, 29. —Motion lost. The Chairman announced that the next subject for discussion was " The work of the University and University colleges, and of the training colleges in relation thereto." On the motion of Mr. Hunter, seconded by Mr. Hughes, this question was deferred in order to allow the Conference to consider the question of " The overlapping, in case of commercial work and domestic work, between the technical day schools and the secondary schools." Mr. Howell, Mr. M. Browne, Mr. La Trobe, Mr. Bevan-Brown, Mr. Hill, the Chairman, and Mr. Marshall spoke. No motion was proposed. The question, ''The work of the University and the University colleges, and of the training colleges in relation thereto," was then further considered. Professor Kirk moved, That, in order to prevent overlapping of work and to secure the highest efficiency, it is desirable that in each training college no teaching should be given in subjects in which lectures are given in the University college of the district. —Seconded by Mr. Gray. Mr. Cousins moved as an amendment, That, in order to prevent overlapping in the work and to secure higher efficiency, in each training college no teaching should be given which is covered by the lectures in the University college of the district. —Seconded by Mr. Morton. Mr. Hill moved, That the "questions relating to training colleges be referred to the Training College Conference. —Seconded by Mr. Ballantyne. —Carried. Votes of thanks were passed to the Chairman, the Secretary, and the Press. Mr. Fleming moved, That the Conference conveys its thanks to the Minister of Eduoation, the Hon. G. Fowlds, for calling this Conference together, and requests him to consider the desirability of calling such general conferences periodically. -Seconded by Mr. Watkins, and carried. The Chairman was given power to confirm the minutes. SUMMABY OF DISCUSSIONS. Thuesdat, 10th Febhuaky, 1910. The Hon. G. Fowlds, Minister of Education. —Ladies and gentlemen, 1 desire to extend to you a very hearty welcome to this very important educational Conference, and 1 trust that the result of your deliberations will be to improve materially the conditions of our system of education throughoul the Dominion. 1 am pleased to see such a large attendance. There are forty-nine members of the Conference, made up as follows: Four are representatives of the Professorial Boards of the several University colleges, one is the Director of the Lincoln Agricultural College, four are representatives of the training colleges for teachers, six are representatives of secondary schools, elected by members of the Secondary Schools Conference, eight are representatives of the primary schools eight are representatives of technical schools, thirteen Inspectors of Schools representing the several districts, and five represent the Education Department — including the InspectorGeneral and the Assistant Inspector-General of Schools. This is not by any means the first Conference that has been held on education in this country. We have had for many years the annual meetings of the New Zealand Education Institute, a conference of a valuable kind, whose resolutions, year by year, have received careful attention. We have also had for a considerable time past regular conferences of Inspectors of Schools, the first of which was held m 1594 These conferences were made triennial in consequence of a resolution passed at the Conference in 1901, and are now so definitely recognised. With these have recently been associated also conferences dealing with training-college matters. Conferences of secondary schools have also been held, the last in May, 1908; and during the past year an association with the consequent conference, has been formed of those directly interested in technical schools. In matters of local administration, conferences have also been held of Education Boards, which have contributed materially out of their wisdom and experience to the adoption of a practical working basis on many important points. This, however, is the first occasion on which it has been attempted to hold a conference representing all the forms of educational effort id the public service of the Dominion—primary, secondary, technical, and higher education. Education in the Dominion has now reached a point at which it becomes absolutely necessary to review the work of the various stages in relation to each other, and to the general wants of the community Tfs primary object is the co-ordination of parts in such a way that each will serve its own special purpose, leaving nothing undone that ought to be done for that purpose, and doing nothing superfluous in the overlapping of facilities and the consequent duplication oi cost withou corresponding benefit to the paying public. From time to time criticisms of the efficiency of our