E.—lc.

Eegulation 48 (moral instruction) agreed to. Regulation 49 (nature-study).—Mr. Bossence moved, and Mr. Goyen seconded, "That nature-study appear in the time-table of all classes in which science is not taught," Agreed to, and regulation as amended agreed to. The report of the committee was adopted. The Conference adjourned at 10.45 p.m.

Tuesday, 9th February, 1904. The Conference resumed at 9.30 a.m. Teachers (General). Mr. Goyen moved, " That teachers of country schools, the S7 pupils of which cannot attend either a high school or a district high school, should receive extra payment for the teaching of the S7 subjects." Mr. Fitzgerald seconded. The Conference divided. Ayes, 12 ; Noes, 17 : majority against, 5. Motion negatived. Mr. Goyen moved, " That male assistants below the first are inadequately paid." Mr. Wood seconded. Agreed to. Mr. Gray moved, " That the words ' but no appointment, suspension, or dismissal shall take place until the Committee have first been consulted ' be deleted from clause 45 of the Education Act." Mr. Purdie seconded. The Conference divided. Ayes, 26—Anderson, Bakewell, Ballantyne, Bird, Bossence, Braik, Browne, Crowe, Fitzgerald, Gow, Goyen, Gray, Grierson, Harkness, Hendry, Isaac, Milne, Mulgan, Petrie, Purdie, Eichardson, Bitchie, H. Smith, Spencer, Strachan, Wood ; Noes— Mr. Hill: majoiity for, 25. Motion agreed to. Mr. Petrie moved, " That the Conference affirm the principle that in each education district all appointments of teachers be made by an Appointments Board or Committee consisting of a representative of the Education Board, a representative Inspector, and a representative of the teachers of the education district." Mr. Wood seconded. The Conference divided. Ayes, 11—Anderson, Bakewell, Braik, Fitzgerald, Gray, Harkness, Petrie, Eichardson, Ritchie, Strachan, Wood; Noes, 18—Ballantyne, Bird, Bossence, Browne, Crowe, Fitzgerald, Gow, Goyen, Grierson, Hendry, Hill, Isaac, Milne, Morton, Mulgan, Purdie, H. Smith, Spencer: majority against, 7. Motion negatived. ■ Mr. Gray moved, " That teachers in applying for schools in other districts be placed on an equal footing with teachers in the district to which they are applying." Mr. Morton seconded. The Conference divided. Ayes, 21; Noes, 6 : majority for, 15. Motion agreed to. On the motion of Mr. Purdie, the standing orders were suspended in order to take motion No. 11. Mr. Purdie moved, and Mr. Ballantyne seconded, " That for purposes of promotion the positions in the schools in each district should be classified, and that there should be placed in order of merit the names of all teachers eligible for the several classes of positions, and that, as a rule, the position of teachers within a class should be determined by the Inspector or Inspectors." Motion negatived. Mr. Hill moved, " That the system of classification and certification of teachers calls for amendment, as follows : That there should be only one teacher's certificate issued by the Education Department; that such certificate should indicate one of three grades of efficiency in teaching; and that upon it should be indorsed any extra academic qualification." Mr. Purdie seconded. The Conference divided. Ayes, 12—Bakewell, Bossence, Braik, Fitzgerald, Goyen, Hendry. Hill, Isaac, Morton, Petrie, Purdie, Eichardson ; Noes, 10—Ballantyne, Browne, Gow, Gray, Harkness, Milne, Eitchie, H. Smith, Spencer, Strachan : majority for, 2. Motion agreed to. On the motion of Mr. Purdie, it was agreed, " That in the First Schedule of the Act providing a scale of staff and salaries the word ' mistress ' should be defined." Mr. Hill moved, " That the Conference considers that the establishment of a superannuation scheme for teachers and other officers in the education service would greatly help in promoting the efficiency of schools." Mr. Goyen seconded. Agreed to. Mr. Gray moved, " That the matters referred to in the order paper under the heading ' Pupilteachers and Training Colleges' be remitted to the following committee : Messrs., Wood, Hendry, Purdie, Eichardson, Bossence, Crowe, Ritchie, and Fitzgerald (convener), with power to add to their number. Agreed to. Mr. Gray moved, " That the matters referred to under ' Scholarships' be remitted to the following committee: Messrs. Bakewell, Milne, Strachan (convener), Ballantyne, Grierson, and. Mulgan, with power to add to their number." The Conference adjourned at 12.30 p.m.

3—E lc.

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