£.—le

4

The Conference resumed at 2.30 p.m. Consideration of schedules to amending Bill was deferred. Mr. Grimmond moved, That the cost of the election under this Act shall be provided specially by the Education Department or by the Government. The motion was lost. The amending Bill was recommitted to amend clause 18, which was struck out, and the following inserted in lieu thereof : " Section seventy-four of the principal Act is hereby amended by inserting the word ' sixth ' in lieu of ' fifth ' in paragraph (b), and by adding the words ' on the first day of the month in which the examination is held,' after the words ' fourteen years of age.' ' The report presented by the special committee in regard to the motion by Mr. Gray, and to teachers' salaries, was then considered. The following recommendations were adopted: (a.) " That the salary attached to the hardest schools to teach-—grade 4, average attendance thirty-three to forty—is too low." (&.) " That the 10-per-cent. reduction referred to in clause Hof the schedule should not apply so as to reduce sole teachers' salaries below £100 per annum." (c.) "While recognising the many merits of the proposed schedule, the Committee is of opinion that it is desirable special provision should be made for the recognition of efficiency and length of service, apart from promotion from school to school, although it is believed this could be done without increasing the cost to the State, by discriminating between salaries paid in the same position to teachers of different attainments and abilities." The schedules of the Bill were further considered. On the motion of Mr. Borrie, it was resolved, That the payment of £6 per head for an average of ten to fifteen is inadequate, and should not be less than £100, household schools not included. On the motion of Mr. Petrie, it was resolved, That the salaries of head and sole teachers in grades 4, 5, and 6 be equalised. Part VI. —Secondary Departments of District High Schools. —On the motion of Mr. Petrie, it was agreed, That for schools with an average of 51-70 a more liberal provision is desirable. It was also resolved, That the payments on account of salaries for the secondary departments of district high schools should be made to the Board, on condition that the Board, with the consent of the Minister, may make such an allocation of salaries to different members of the staff as shall best suit the circumstances of each district high school. The amending Bill as altered was then agreed to. The Chairman announced that Mr. Pirani's absence was owing to illness. It was resolved to forward a letter expressing the delegates' regret on account of his illness. The following motion, moved by Mr. George George, was agreed to: " That the Department be asked to abolish—(l) The regulations under the Manual and Technical Instruction Act relating to recognition of and capitation payment for the school classes named in paragraphs 19 to 21, inclusive, and to increase the capitation payable to Boards from Us. 3d. to 12s. 6d., the increase to be devoted to carrying on classes in the primary schools in the subjects of handwork mentioned in the above paragraphs; (2) the limit of £7 10s. as set forth in paragraph 27, (&)." The following motion, moved by Mr. George George, was lost: "That the Government be urged to revise the scale of capitation payable for technical and continuation classes in the following direction: (1) The capitation payment for continuation classes to be increased from ljd. to 2d. per hour ; (2) the capitation payment for technical classes to be for first-year students in any subject 3d., for second-year students 6d., for third-year students 9d., and for fourth and each succeeding year students Is. per hour." The Conference then adjourned till 8 p.m. The Conference resumed at 8 p.m. The minutes of the day's proceedings were read and confirmed. The Inspectors' recommendations were further considered, and the following adopted: " That, as some of the Boards have already drawn up their scholarship and pupil-teacher regulations, it is inexpedient that any change should be made in them at present," " That it is inexpedient that any considerable portion of the tuition of training-college students should be given by members of the normal-school teaching staff." "That pupil-teachers who have passed the 'second examination,' whether by taking the Matriculation Examination or the examination for a teacher's certificate of Class D, should be reckoned qualified for admission to a training college." Recommendations, "That it is desirable that the instruction in school method at training colleges should be given by the principal," and " That the syllabus of work at district high schools will need to be adapted to the needs and circumstances of the localities in which the schools are situated," were lost. No recommendations were made in regard to 13, 14, and 17 of the Interim Order Paper. Mr. Westall moved, That it is desirable that the age limit for admission to free places at high schools and district high schools should be made the same, and that " secondary " education should have a uniform meaning in all educational enactments. Mr. Hill seconded the motion, which was lost. On the motion of Mr. Borrie, it was resolved, That all pupils who during a particular year gain certificates of proficiency while still under fourteen years of age, or such lower age as may be determined on, should be eligible for free places in secondary schools at the beginning of the following 3'ear. Mr. Neill moved, That it be a recommendation to the Department that the increase of 9d. per unit of average attendance made in allowances to School Committees, if continued by the Government, be allocated on a more equitable basis than has hitherto prevailed, or, as an alternative, that the total sum available be distributed pro rata on the average attendance to Education Boards, with perfect freedom in the matter of its allocation. The motion was lost. Mr. Buddo moved, That this Conference recommends that the grants for new schools in newly settled districts be made to Education Boards on the basis of the increase in school attendance in