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1907. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: CONFERENCE OF INSPECTORS OF SCHOOLS AND PRINCIPALS OF TRAINING COLLEGES.

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

LETTER OF INVITATION.

Sir, — Education Department, Wellington, 7th January, 1907. I have the "honour, by direction of the Minister of Education, to invite you to attend a Conference of Inspectors of Schools and Principals of Training Colleges, meeting at Wellington, on Tuesday, the sth February proximo, at 11 a.m.-, in the Parliament Buildings. The following, inter alia, are subjects on which* it is considered that an interchange of opinion would in the present circumstances prove specially valuable, and these are accordingly set down as subjects to which the consideration of the Conference is primarily invited: — (1.) Amendment and rearrangement of matters contained in the Regulations for the Inspection and Examination of Schools. (2.) Conditions of admission to free places in secondary schools and district high schools. (3.) District high schools generally. (4.) The expediency of continuing the present issue of departmental tests in English and arithmetic for examination purposes. (5.) The question of school-concentration and conveyance of children. (6.) The pupil-teacher system. Any suggestions you have to make for additional subjects of discussion, and any proposals for amendment in the matters noted above, I shall be glad to receive at your earliest convenience. Under heading (I) certain proposals will be submitted to the Conference at the instance of the Department. I have, &c, G. Hogbbn, Inspector-General of Schools.

MINUTES OP PROCEEDINGS.

TUESDAY, sth FEBRUARY, 1907. The Conference met at the Parliament Buildings at 11 a.m. Present: Mr. G. Hogben, M.A., Inspector-General of Schools (Chairman); Dr. W. J. Anderson, M.A., Assistant Inspector-General of Schools; Mr. J. Porteous, M.A., Assistant Inspector of Native Schools; Mr. M. H. Browne, Inspector of Technical Instruction; Mr. E. C. Isaac, Inspector of Technical Instruction; Mr. T. H. Gill, M.A., LL.B., Assistant Inspector, Education Department; Mr. D. J. Cooper, M.A., Principal Senior Inspector of Schools, New South Wales (introduced and by unanimous resolution associated with the Conference); Mr. D. Petrie, M.A., Chief Inspector of Schools, Auckland ; Mr. R. Crowe, Inspector of Schools, Auckland ; Mr. James Grierson, Inspector of Schools, Auckland; Mr. R. D, Stewart, Inspector of Schools, Auckland; Mr. C. W. Garrard, 8.A., Inspector of Schools, Auckland; Mr. E. C. Purdie, M.A., Inspector of Schools, Auckland; Mr. W. A. Burnside, M.A., Inspector of Schools, Auckland; Mr. W. E. Spencer,

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