The General Committee of Management have much pleasure in laying before members of the Institute a brief account of the proceedings of the year 1879-80.

The meetings of your Committee have been well attended—several members residing at a great distance from Dunedin having seldom been absent, either from special or regular meetings. It is gratifying to find members so attentive to the work of the Institute.

Your Committee have had under consideration the whole of the remits from the annual meeting. The Committee, under the impression that the deliberations of the Annual Conference should not exist merely on paper, have sought to give practical effect to your resolutions. Your Committee are of opinion that the proceedings of the past session have been the means of advancing the cause of education, and continuing the special work of the Institute.

Recommendations of the Annual Meeting. Science Lectures.

It will be in the recollection of members, that the Education Department required a large number of our teachers to pass an examination in Elementary Science. In order to prepare for this, Professor Black, at the annual meeting, promised to institute a course of lectures on the prescribed subjects. Your Committee issued circulars setting forth the advantages to be derived from attendance on the lectures.

Professor Black took up Chemistry and Physics, and was followed by Professor Hutton, on Zoology; Professor Scott, on Physiology; and G. M. Thomson, Esq., on Botany. At the suggestion of the Inspector-General, an examination was held at the end of the course—a pass in which entitled the teacher to a permanent certificate. Your Committee feel gratified that the Institute has been instrumental in conferring this advantage upon a large number of teachers. It may be mentioned, that a similar course was given in Southland, a full account of which appears in the report of that branch. There has been a very widely expressed opinion, that the thanks of the Institute are due to Professor Black, and those associated with him, for this very important work.

Industrial and Educational Exhibition.

It was considered inadvisable to ask publishers for exhibits for an exhibition this year. Your Committee consider that an exhibition every two or three years would sufficiently meet our requirements. There will be no Industrial Exhibition this year: there seemed to be an unwillingness to act, on the part of those most interested.

Chair of English Language and Literature, Political Economy, and Constitutional History.

Members will be pleased to observe that a Chair for these subjects has been endowed, in the Otago University, by the Presbyterian Synod of Otago and Southland.^* The course of English Language will no doubt be popular with teachers.

The Transactions of 1878-9

Copies of the Transactions were sent to the publishers who contributed to the exhibition, and to the various Teachers' Associations in New Zealand and elsewhere. Copies were also forwarded to the members of the Education Department, with a view of bringing under their notice your reports of last year on 'Registers,' 'Standards of Education &c. The Inspector-General, in reply to a special page 5 communication on the subject, thus refers to your suggestions on the standards:—"It has been deemed advisable to leave "the standards as they are, until experience can serve as a "guide to improvements." The correspondence on this matter will be laid before you.

The Time of the Annul Meeting.

As you are aware, this matter was left in the hands of the Committee of Management. Your Committee, fearing that they did not represent the views of the majority of the teachers in the Province, remitted the matter to the Branch Associations. The most of these voted for Easter in preference to midwinter. It therefore seemed to your Committee that the most judicious course was to meet this year at the usual time. Your Committee are aware that the matter is surrounded with some difficulty, and intend taking an explicit vote of the Institute on the question at the ensuing meeting.

Library.

Your Committee have again had under consideration the subject of reconstructing the library, so as to make it as far as possible a technical library for schoolmasters, but have been prevented by lack of funds from making much progress. Our library is not acknowledged by the Government as a public library, and therefore does not receive any share of the government grant as formerly. The library question demands the serious consideration of the Institute.

Finance.

According to the resolution of last annual meeting, one third of the income should have been devoted to library purposes; but the expenses of printing had to be met, and, as will be seen from the balance sheet, little or nothing was left for the library. Your Committee are of opinion that printing expenses must, if possible, be curtailed this year.

Branch Reports.

The ordinary work of the Branches has to a large extent been interrupted by the attendance of members at the Saturday Science Classes in the University.

Your Committee have had under discussion several important resolutions from the Branches. These will be placed before you. One, that of an Annuity Fund Scheme, deserves your special consideration.

The Conference, 1880.

Mr. Pryde, Secretary to the Education Board, kindly assisted your Committee in the matter of railway passes, communicating with the Hon. the Minister of Railways and securing without delay railway passes on terms similar to those of last year. Your Committee have to thank Mr. Pryde for the assistance he has rendered in matters connected with the Annual Meeting.

Return tickets at single fares, available from March 25th to April 5th, will be granted to teachers or members in Otago and Southland desirous of attending the Conference.

D. White, Hon. Sec.

Resolutions for the Consideration of the Conference.

Invercargill.

"That the compulsory clause in the Act of 1877 be put in force by the direct agency of the Government, instead of being left to the option of School Committees."

"That the system of examination carried out in the Public Schools should be uniform, both for pupils and pupil-teachers."

"That, in the opinion of this Branch of the Educational Institute of Otago, it is desirable that the inspectors be under the immediate control of the Minister of Education; and that the Inspectors take the different Educational Districts in rotation."

Dunedin.

"That during the Conference, a Committee he appointed consisting of the presidents and secretaries of local associations, to report on the more efficient working of the Branch Associations."

Oamaru.

"That the Conference take into consideration the propriety of trying to secure for the University and for the Educational Institute, representatives in Parliament, in the event of a new electoral Bill being brought before the House of Representatives."

Railway Passes and Tickets of Membership.

The Railway Department is desirous of imposing a more effective check than that of last year; it has therefore been deemed necessary to get membership tickets printed. These will show the name and address of the teacher and member. None will be entitled to a railway pass unless they present this ticket to the station-masters, who, it has been arranged, will retain it as a check against the number of railway tickets issued. Tickets may be obtained from the Secretary to the Institute on his being assured that the applicants are teachers or members of the institute. Teachers are requested to make early application. A copy of the programme of business accompanies the annual Report. The Conference will sit on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, March 30, 31, and April 1, 1880, in the Oddfellows' Hall, Rattray-street.