Gentlemen,—It is first my pleasing duty to welcome the delegates from the other provincial districts to Christchurch on behalf of the North Canterbury Institute. This is now the third annual meeting held in this city, and although many of you have come from districts which can boast of more natural beauties than Canterbury, I trust that your visit to Christ-church, although intended mainly for business, may not be altogether devoid of pleasure. If we cannot show you the diversity of scenery of Auckland, with its lovely harbour and gardens ornamented with the graceful Norfolk pines; although our city is not situated amidst a wealth of virgin bush, like the great city of the south; and although our nor'-westers and son'-westers may contrast so unfavourably with the charming restfulness which one feels in Nelson, yet we have beauties of our own with which I trust you will be duly impressed. You may have an opportunity of seeing some of our famed wheat land, rivalling in fertility the Taieri Plain, and perhaps carry back with you some of that confidence in the future of New Zealand which is characteristic of Canterbury. This Institute has now been in existence seven years, this being its ninth meeting, and it seems to me a fitting opportunity to take stock, as it were, of our position, and consider what we have done in the past, and what we may do in the future. Of the men who assisted in the formation of this Institute only four are present, to-day; of the rest some are still taking an active interest in the affairs of the District Institutes, and some have passed away. Of the latter, we all remember with regret our late esteemed fellow teacher, Mr J. B. Park, who, although not a delegate during the last few years, has taken a warm interest in the affairs of the Institute. He was an enthusiast in the cause of [unclear: the] fession, and a man whose warm [unclear: friend] and genial hospitality many of us [unclear: because] to remember. On looking [unclear: thra] the resolutions of the Institute which [unclear: has] been passed during these seven [unclear: years], cannot but be pleased to notice that [unclear: ma] of our suggestions have been acted [unclear: a] by the Education Department, [unclear: although] perhaps somewhat tardily, especially [unclear: ft] relating to the syllabus. I know [unclear: this] some dissatisfaction has been [unclear: expr]from time to time with the small [unclear: re] arising from our deliberations, but I [unclear: i] these complaints are made by men [unclear: i] take no part in the affairs of the [unclear: Institut] but expect reformation to be [unclear: immedii] evident without any active [unclear: assistance] their part. In the past we have [unclear: give] great deal of attention to the details [unclear: of] own work; for example, we have [unclear: give] our opinion at various times [unclear: on] maximum amount of arithmetic, [unclear: grams] geography, &c, which can be [unclear: taught] the course of twelve months. The [unclear: ti] may come when we shall be able, [unclear: with] neglecting those necessary details, to [unclear: the]a broader view of educational matters, [unclear: i] attack some of those larger questions [unclear: which] have so great an influence on the [unclear: system]

The question of irregular attendance [unclear: for] a long time, been trifled with; but [unclear: time] must come, if New Zealand [unclear: chilldren] are to hold their own against [unclear: immiruigni] from older countries, when [unclear: irregular] will not be allowed. In order to [unclear: see] disastrous effect of irregularity, [unclear: one] only to pass through the schools in [unclear: the] agricultural districts and see how few [unclear: day] reach the upper standards. This does [unclear: as] appear to be owing to the children [unclear: learn] school at an early age, but because [unclear: the] attendance is so irregular that they do [unclear: get] through the standards [unclear: during] page 5 [unclear: ordinary] period of school life. It is often [unclear: imposed] that in agricultural districts child [unclear: abour] is only required at certain seasons. [unclear: From] what I have gathered I understand [unclear: that] the irregularity extends over the [unclear: whole] year. The schools are closed during [unclear: narvest], but there are many other [unclear: seasons] in the year when boy labour is [unclear: greatly] in requisition; in fact, the children [unclear: of] small farmers appear, in many cases, to [unclear: be] sent to school only when they are in [unclear: the] way at home. Without entering into [unclear: a] consideration of that phase of the [unclear: quesion], which belongs rather to the politician [unclear: and] the political economist than to the [unclear: educationist], the matter seems to resolve [unclear: itself] into the consideration of these two [unclear: questions]. Is it for the good of the [unclear: comunnity] that all children should receive an [unclear: education] up to an agreed-upon standard? [unclear: Is] it possible for small farmers to send their children to school with reasonable [unclear: regularity], and, at the same time, to make [unclear: their] farms pay? If these questions can [unclear: both] be answered in the affirmative, then it [unclear: evidently] is the duty of the State to [unclear: enforce] attendance at school, even against [unclear: the] wishes of those parents whose selfish [unclear: attention] to their own interests makes [unclear: them] blind to their children's welfare. I [unclear: have] spoken mainly of country schools, [unclear: where] irregular attendance is most severely [unclear: felt] by the teachers, but the necessity for State interference is greater in the towns, where the absentees are not even profitably Occupied, but are rapidly acquiring in the streets an education which will fit them [unclear: hereafter] for the reformatory and the prison. It is well known that, although there is a "compulsory clause" in the Education Act, it is seldom put into force; but who will wonder when they consider the machinery employed? In the towns there may be, and probably are, thousands of children who are not attending any school, and whose names are not known to any School Committee. In the country, toe members of the local Committee cannot be expected to risk the odium which would inevitably result from a prosecution in which they would appear as complainents, and their neighbours, and probably fellow Committeemen as defendants.

The subject of technical education is also one which promises to require our most careful consideration. Of late years there has arisen in England a great cry for technical education, and there is no doubt that the manufacturing supremacy of England was in some danger from the want of such education. This cry has extended to New Zealand, and in deference to it our syllabus of instruction has been considerably increased within recent years. We now find that, in order to educate the artistic capacities of the few, drawing is enforced upon all children, both in town and country, while, even amongst ourselves, we have advocates for the teaching of fruit culture, carpentry, lathe-work, and so on. Agriculture and agricultural chemistry are now taught in many of our country schools, while there are specialist in those sciences who agitate for the teaching of these subjects in one form or another in our towns also, so as to give the children a liking for country life. The professor of science would insist upon physics and chemistry being taught in all schools, while airithmetic, which is getting such an old-fashioned subject, you know, might be taught in a few months of school life. Then there are others who, fearful lest our girls should be neglected in the general rush for more technical education, would add cooking to the number of subjects to be acquired, not forgetting that they must also become accomplished needlewomen by the age of fourteen. Whilst so many specialists are clamouring for a share of the school time for their favourite subjects, this Institute, as representing the teachers, who have been to a great extent ignored in the discussions, should meet the difficulty boldly, and point out that these constant additions to a syllabus must necessitate reduction either in the quantity or quality of the other work.

There is yet another matter to which the Institute may, in the near future, direct its attention without encroaching upon the functions of the statesman. I refer to the mode of electing Boards and Committees. No one who has taken any interest in the elections in the past, whether as candidates or as voters, can admit that the method adopted is a satisfactory one. Considering the vast importance of the interests administered by our Education Boards, it is only right that those bodies should consist of capable as well as representative men. I notice that the opinion is gaining ground page 6 in some parts of the Colony that the present method of electing members of Boards on the basis of one vote for every School Committee, whether the Committee controls twenty or two thousand children.. should be altered. Since, however, the Boards, under present conditions, must be elected by Committees, how important it is that the latter should consist of men having at heart the good of the education system. When we consider the vast issue at stake, viz., the successful training of the minds of 120,000 children, indeed the intellectual welfare of the bulk of the coming generation of New Zealand's men and women, how important it seems that there should be no room for those personal animosities, trade jealousies and other petty feelings which so often militate against the usefulness of School Committees. The qualifications of teachers have so often been publicly discussed that we shall hardly be thought impertinent if at this annual opportunity for the discussion of our grievances we draw attention to the fact that sometimes among our Committees are to be found men whose main object in seeking election seems to have been to annoy some other member of Committee, or to induce the teacher to migrate to some other sphere. I have sufficient faith in the principle of election by householders to believe that the right men will be found patriotic enough to offer their time and services for the good of their districts, and that these men will be elected, if only sufficient opportunity be afforded for the accurate expression of the opinions of the voters. We teachers have had many opportunities of judging of the mode of elections in the past, and are pretty well agreed that neither of the two methods yet devised has been satisfactory. It is utterly impossible, for example, that the voice of the householders can be fairly expressed when all the electors of a town district are asked to vote personally on one evening in one room in the district. It is also impossible for a Chairman of an election meeting to say which candidates have the confidence of the voters when there is no electoral roll, no check on a man voting three or more times, or in two or three districts; and when the nominations may be made in the room at the time of the election. I admit that the [unclear: alteration] this condition of things is a matter [unclear: rtf] for the Parliament than for this [unclear: Iustitt] but teachers as a body feel the [unclear: necesary] in the inferests of education, for [unclear: it] change, and this is our [unclear: opportunity] pointing out where changes are [unclear: require]

I have alluded in my short [unclear: address] few only of the subjects which the [unclear: Institute] may do well to take into [unclear: consideration] in the near future, because [unclear: I] that the concentration of our [unclear: effect] upon a few points at a time is [unclear: a] likely to be effective than the [unclear: distrib] of our energies over a large [unclear: number] have one word to say with regard [unclear: to] Institute and its objects. I have [unclear: met] persona, and amongst them some [unclear: teach] who ask what good our Institute has [unclear: in] the past, and what it will do for [unclear: teas] in the future. I am afraid it would [unclear: be] no use to specifically name the [unclear: suggest] made by this Institute, which have [unclear: be] adopted by the Government, as [unclear: evidence] of our success in the past, because [unclear: I] afraid our interrogators are under [unclear: the] pression that all our efforts are or [unclear: oug'c] be in the direction of [unclear: reducing] teachers' work. Those who think so [unclear: his] a total misconception of what this [unclear: Insti] was framed to do. Our intentions [unclear: are] I hope, as were the intentions of its [unclear: the] ders, to endeavour to make the work [unclear: of] teacher of the greatest value to the [unclear: commumunity]; to improve the [unclear: surrounding] the teacher in his relations with his [unclear: committee] and the authorities [unclear: generally]; to induce the Government to [unclear: modify] regulations from time to time, so [unclear: that] capacity for usefulness may be [unclear: enhase] If the Institute is successful in [unclear: the] objects, the work of the teacher will [unclear: in] case be less in quantity, but will [unclear: be] far more pleasurable character, the [unclear: reach] of his efforts will be more [unclear: succes] and the country as a whole will [unclear: be] gainer. In conclusion, let me hope [unclear: the] present session will be marked [unclear: by] much unanimity as is compatible [unclear: with] free discussion of the subjects [unclear: on] order paper, and that when [unclear: unanimity] impossible the minority will [unclear: graceh] accept the views of the majority.

Mr D. White, M.A., asked the [unclear: meai] of the Council to accord Mr Scott [unclear: an] hearty vote of thanks for the [unclear: sensible] page 7 [unclear: practical] address they had just listened, It was not necessary to criticise the address, as the points on which the President had touched were such as they were in thorough accord with him upon. He regretted that Mr Scott had been compelled to say that the Institute had not done in the past what it might have done, but such was the fact. There were some who gave no support to the meetings of the Institute, but stood apart and offered impediments to their movements.

Mr R. D. Stewart seconded the motion, which was carried with acclamation and acknowledged by Mr Scott.

Sessional Committees.

The President said that the next business was to draw up a scheme of the work for the Committees to transact during the Conference. Such a scheme had been drafted at the last Conference, but had not been approved, and therefore none had been drafted this year.

The following Sessional Committees were thereupon elected:—Standards of Education—Messrs R. D. Stewait (convener), W, T. Grundy, J. T. Campbell, J. W. Joynt, G. Wilmot, T. S. Foster, D. White, W. H. Clarke and G. W. Murray. Interpretation of Acts—Messrs J. M. Murray (convener), W. S. Fitzgerald, G. Stevens, G. Wilmot, G. Flux and R. D. Stewart. Amendments to the Constitution—Messrs W. S. Fitzgerald (convener), R. D. Stewart, W. F. Ford, H. Kitchingman, J. W. Joynt, J. Speight, G. Stevens, J. Bennie, C. A. Strack, J. M. Murray and G. Lippiatt, with power to add. Training College—Messrs J. Rennie (convener), G. Lippiatt, G. Flux, J. D. Campbell, J. W. Joynt, G. Wilmot, E. U. Just and D. White. Reforms and Improvements—Messrs D. White (convener), T. S. Foster, J. Rennie, W. H. Clarke and C. S Howard. Teachers' Pensions—Messrs W. H. Clarke (convener) G. W. Murray, W. F. Ford, J. W. Joynt, D. White, J. Rennie, C. A. Strack and G. Wilmot. Uniformity of Books—Messrs D. White (convener), D. Ferguson, E. U. Just, R. D. Stewart, G. W. Murray and W. T. Grundy. Uniformity of Salaries—Messrs C. A. Strack (convener), G. Lippiatt, J. T. Campbell, G. Stevens, J. M. Murray and E. U. Just.

Change of Delegate.

The President announced that in consequence of the unavoidable absence of Mr R. J. Alexander, delegate from North Canterbury, that branch had elected Mr J. Speight to represent them.

Miscellaneous.

Mr G. Lippiatt, M.A., was appointed Assistant Secretary to the Conference.

Mr Stewart brought up the report of the Auckland branch of the Institute, which was adopted.

The Council then adjourned till 10 a.m. the next day.

Wednesday, Jan. 6.

Morning Sitting.

The Council of the New Zealand Educational Institute resumed its sessions at 10 a.m. In addition to those delegates present on Tuesday, Mr D. Ferguson, M.A., of Otago, attended.

The President. Mr Scott, said that the Directors of the Kaiapoi Woollen Factory had extended a cordial invitation to the delegates to visit the Kaiapoi Factory and the works in Christchurch, and that Mr F. Waymouth, Secretary to the Belfast Freezing Works, had invited them to visit the freezing works.

The invitations were received with applause.

Standards of Education.

Mr R. D. Stewart moved the adoption of the report on standards of education.

The Committee reported:—That the reading books in use in the schools inculcate true moral teaching, and that the teachers are in complete sympathy with such teaching. The Committee reaffirms the urgent necessity for freedom of classification, and urges that great harm to education has resulted from the individual pass system of examination. In reference to a remit from Taranaki, asking the Institute to express its opinion that the spelling for Standard I. should not go beyond easy words of two syllables, the Committee has no recommendation to make. The Committee desires to place on record page 8 its appreciation of the efforts of the Minister for Education and the Education Department to give effect to the recommendations of the Council re the syllabus; it believes that the new syllabus is a great improvement on the old, and would urge that a year's trial should be given to the new before making any recommendations with regard to it, although, in the opinion of the Committee, the requirements in drawing are beyond what can be reasonably expected to be done in one year of school work. The Committee recommends that the syllabus be referred to the District Institutes, with the request that the Institutes will report on the working of the syllabus to next year's meeting of the Council; the reports to reach the Secretary to the Institute not later than Dec. 1, 1892.

Mr Pilkington seconded the motion for the adoption of the report.

The report as a whole was then adopted.

Deputation to the Minister.

Mr D. White, M.A., a member of the Executive Committee, submitted the following report:—The Executive has to report that Messrs C. Watson, G. Macmorran, T. W. Grundy, and D. White met the Hon the Minister for Education at Wellington, in April last, and discussed with him the various resolutions at the last session of the Council. The interview lasted for over three hours, and the Minister evinced the greatest interest in the various questions submitted to his consideration. The Executive is pleased to be able to report that many of the proposals and suggestions brought under the notice of the Minister have been given effect to in the syllabus of instruction recently issued by the Education Department. The executive refer with particular satisfaction to the following changes that have been made in the standards of education :—(a) That grammar has been made a class subject in all the standards except Standard IV. (b) That the geography of Standards III. and V. has been considerably reduced, and (c) that in the matter of history, permission has been given to teachers to make a selection of events from each period upon which the examination will be based. The executive also brought under the notice of the Minister for Education that the [unclear: stattion] fund was being appropriated [unclear: the] building purposes. The Minister [unclear: na] specific reference to the subject [unclear: in] last education report, and [unclear: condemns] precedent as contrary to the spirit [unclear: a] intention of the Education Act. [unclear: A] executive recommends that the [unclear: thanfa] this Council be conveyed to [unclear: the] W. P. Reeves for his courteous [unclear: recep] of members of the executive and [unclear: for] recent beneficial amendments [unclear: to] standards of education.

Mr Grundy seconded the motion [unclear: for] adoption of the report.

The report was then [unclear: unanimw] adopted.

Teachers' Pensions.

Mr G. Stevens brought up the [unclear: repot] the Committee on teachers' pensions, [unclear: when] was to the effect that the Committee [unclear: be] no recommendation to make. [unclear: Seven] speakers advocated some move being [unclear: may] in the direction proposed, but it [unclear: seemed] be the general opinion that nothing [unclear: co] be done during the present session.

Training Colleges.

Mr J. Rennie, B.A., reported for [unclear: a] Committee on this question :—1. That [unclear: is] of the greatest importance to the [unclear: welh] of education that efficient training [unclear: collft] in the chief centres of population be [unclear: vided]. 2. That it is to be regretled [unclear: this] many educational districts are left [unclear: entifi] without any provision for the [unclear: training] teachers. 3. That Otago and [unclear: Canterbi] recognising the vital importance of [unclear: training] colleges, have maintained them [unclear: v] the greatest difficulty out of the [unclear: maintance] ance fund. 4. That, therefore, the [unclear: Minis] for Education be urged to reinstate [unclear: se] vote for training colleges, and [unclear: that] vote be allocat d in such a way that [unclear: even] Education District may participate in [unclear: the] benefits thereof.

At 12.40 the Council adjourned [unclear: this] 2.30 p.m.

Afternoon Sitting.

The Conference resumed at 2.30 p.m.

The debate on the report of the [unclear: Training] College Committee was continued.

Teachers' Certificates.

The Committee on this subject reported—1. That it is desirable to revive the obsolete regulation under which teachers of a certain standing were allowed to graduate. 2. That the Rev W. J. Habens be requested to bring this resolution before the Senate.

The report was adopted.

Salaries.

The Committee on this subject reported—1. That it is desirable that the appointment, removal and payment of Inspectors should be placed under the Central Department. 2. That a Court of Appeal for teachers is urgently needed; that this Court should consist of the Resident Magistrate of the district, the Inspector-General, and a member of the teaching profession, to be chosen by the Executive Council on the application of the District Institute in whose jurisdiction the matter has arisen. 3 That it is desirable that teachers be Civil Servants. The Committee has no recommendation to make. 4. That as an Executive already exists in each District Institute it is unnecessary to establish any other. 5. That it is desirable that a more uniform scale of salaries throughout the Colony should be adopted.

Attendance at Schools.

The Committee reported as follows :—(1) That in order to make education really compulsory, it be recommended to the Minister for Education that it should be part of the routine duty of the police to visit schools at stated intervals to obtain lists of habitual absentees, in order to prosecute the parents. (2) That the employment of any child under the age of thirteen years who has not passed the fourth standard should be made illegal, and that it should be the duty of the police to prosecute parents and employers. (3) That the attention of the Minister for Education be called to the fact that the calculation of the educational grant on the strict instead of the working average causes country schools great disadvantage, and that in justice to these schools a return should be made to the working average."

The Report was adopted.

Auditors.

Messrs Baldwin and Chapman were appointed Auditors.

The Conference at five o'clock adjourned till ten o'clock the following morning.

Thursday, Jan. 7.

Morning Sitting.

The Council of the N.Z. Educational Institute resumed at 10 a.m.

School Books.

Mr D. Ferguson, M.A., brought up the Committee's report on the question of school books. The Committee unanimously considered that it was not necessary for the New Zealand Government to compile a set of books for use in the schools in this Colony, as private enterprise in New Zealand and England provided cheap, varied and excellent books of the kind required. He moved the adoption of the report.

Mr D. White (Otago) seconded the motion, saying that it would not have been necessary for the Council to express an opinion on the subject, had not the Hon the Minister for Education said in the House that he was in favour of introducing a uniform set of books for use in the Colony. Such an important statement rendered it necessary for the Institute to give a very decided expression of opinion. The expense to families through the change of residence was, in his opinion, overstated; or at any rate he had not heard much of it. He thought the Government would not be warranted in taking the matter in hand, as it was not called upon to do so, and especially as the English educational authorities had such facilities for providing what was needed.

Reforms and Improvements.

Mr D. White, M.A. (Otago), reported on behalf of the Committee, on the question submitted by the Wellington branch, viz :—" That the Council should lay before New Zealand teachers, in printed form, the reforms and improvements that have been carried out by the Government at its suggestion." He moved the adoption of the report, which read as follows :—

"The Committee reports on the practical results of the deliberation of" the Council since its formation in 1885. The Committee regrets that the terms of the motion on the order paper restrict the inquiry to the reforms and improvements effected by the Council, inasmuch as some of the most page 10 important results in educational work have been brought about through the agency of the various district Institutes. The Committee calls attention to this fact in order to prevent any misconception that may arise from supposing that the facts presented in the report give any adequate idea of the practical outcome of the reports and discussions of the New Zealand Educational Institute on education and educational affairs. In order properly to estimate the work of the Council, your Committee wishes to emphasize the fact that the Council has not been in existence for more than seven or eight years, and further that during the first few years whilst it was struggling to secure recognition it could not be expected that its proposals would receive that consideration which is now readily accorded to suggestions and resolutions passed by the Council. Briefly put, the 'remit' entrusted to your Committee seeks to set forth what the Council has done for the teachers of the Colony. Teachers and the University.—Owing to the representations of the Council the special privileges conferred on teachers, permitting them to proceed to the M.A. degree, were extended for several years, when a considerable number of teachers proceeded to graduation, who would not otherwise have been enabled to do so had it not been for the intervention and influence of the Council of the Institute. It is true that the privilege was withdrawn a year or two, but not without protest by the Council. The Council has asked so frequently that it almost appeared hopeless to further seek to induce the Senate to reintroduce the teacher's statute, but owing to the persistence of the Council in making representation on the subject the Senate was last year almost on the point of yielding to the request. On a motion to reinstate the clause in the statute of the University there voted for the motion eight, and against it nine. Your Committee submits that a view of the facts shows that the Council has done something for many teachers in enabling them to improve their professional status, and that it may be able to do still more if it values the encouragement and support of the teachers of the Colony. Teachers and the Standards of Education.—The Council of the Institute has given most of its time and directed most of its energy to this work. When the Council was first formed, nearly [unclear: the] whole of the subjects of instruction [unclear: were] treated as individual or pass [unclear: subjects]. 1885, at the suggestion of the Council, [unclear: this] principle of class examination was [unclear: fin] introduced into the syllabus. The [unclear: Seen] tary of the Institute drew up a full [unclear: statement] of all the reasons that could [unclear: be] advanced in favour of class [unclear: examination] and sent it to the Minister for [unclear: Education] Sir R. Stout. In the first place, the [unclear: important] principle was extended to [unclear: history] only, and in part to geography. [unclear: Subquent] representations to the [unclear: Education] Department had the effect of securing [unclear: some] securing advantages for the smaller schools of [unclear: the] Colony, notably the liberty to groups [unclear: ferent] standards in certain [unclear: subjects] instruction. Still more recently [unclear: liberi] provision was made for the better [unclear: teachings] of science in schools, by allowing [unclear: the] teachers themselves to prepare a [unclear: three] years' course of lessons. It is [unclear: scarcety] necessary to say that the recent [unclear: interview] with the Minister for Education was [unclear: the] means of securing beneficial [unclear: modification] in the standards of education. It may [unclear: be] advisable to re-state these in succinct [unclear: form]—(a) That grammar has been made a [unclear: class] subject in all the standards except [unclear: the] fourth; (b) that the geography of [unclear: Standards] III. and V. has been very [unclear: considerably] reduced in amount; (c) that the principle of stricter definition takes [unclear: the] place of vague enumeration; (d) that in the matter of history a period of a [unclear: hundred] years has been excised from Standard [unclear: VI,] and permission given to teachers to [unclear: make] a selection of events in each period [unclear: upon] which the examination may be based. [unclear: In] connection with this branch of the [unclear: Council's] work, your Committee would call [unclear: to] mind that it has been the consistent [unclear: aim] of the Institute from first to last to [unclear: try] and educate the public to the pernicious effects of 'passes' and [unclear: 'percentages.'] When individual passes and percentage were most in favour with the public and the inspectorate, the Council was offering strenuous opposition to the whole system. Teachers and Inspectors.—A member of the Institute represented that the Inspectors of his district had set examination paper which, in his opinion, were wholly beyond the requirements of the syllabus. The Council of the Institute appealed to the Minister for Education, when a memorandum was sent by the Minister to the page 11 Inspector informing the latter that he had exceeded the limits of his authority in setting questions of the kind indicated in the copies of the examination papers forwarded to the Minister for Education. The Council of the Institute has never refused to consider any representation referred to in the above - mentioned. Teachers and Teachers' Salaries.—On any occasion when any retrenchment has been imminent, when such retrenchment would have proved injurious to the cause of education the Council has made strenuous efforts to prevent its being carried out. Your Committee does not intend to present in detail all the statements that have been from time to time submitted to both Houses of Parliament. It will be necessary to instance the action taken by the Council when it was proposed by some to raise the school age to six, and by others to seven. The Council, in tabulated form, showed the result of any such action on the smaller schools of the Colony owing to the reduction of the capitation allowance, and made a comparative statement showing the school age in other countries and the Colonies. A printed copy, giving additional reasons against the proposal, was sent to every member of both Houses of Parliament. The statement was read in the House and the fact and reasons appear in the pages of Hansard. It reached members at an opportune moment and, ac-cording to the testimony of members of the House, was largely the means of preventing the school age being raised. Tour Committee wishes to call attention to the financial results of this action of the Council. Had the age been raised, teachers' salaries would have been reduced by a sum of, £10,000 had the age been raised to six, and by £20,000 if it had been raised to seven. It is scarcely necessary to say that the Council deserves credit for the prompt and effective action taken on this occasion. Teachers and the Education Department.—The Council, by frequent interviews with successive Ministers for Education and with the Inspector-General, has been enabled to create and maintain very friendly relations between the Education Department and teachers—relatione that cannot fail to be productive of good to the cause of education and to the teaching pro-fession. To such an extent has the work of the Council been recognised as useful and important work that the Government-has been pleased to show its appreciation thereof by an annual grant towards the expenses of the annual meeting of the Council. Your Committee is not quite sure how far it is fair to the Council to attempt to judge of the success of its work by parading on paper a number of specific reforms or modifications of the education system. In the opinion of your Committee much good and useful work done by such a body as the Council of the Institute must necessarily be of a somewhat intangible and indirect kind—of a kind, that is to say, that will not easily lend itself to precise and formal statement or definition. The influence and work of the Institute must not be judged of solely by the number of instances which the Institute may definitely point to as the result of its work and discussions, though even looked at from this point of view, the résumé which your Committee has presented shows some by no means insignificant results. The statement gives a very incomplete notion of the work done by the whole Institute, inasmuch as your Committee has confined its attention to giving information about the transactions of the Council, omitting altogether the large amount of useful work done by the various district Institutes. Your Committee recommends that the district Institutes be requested to per-pare a statement of the results of their labours, and forward the same to the Secretary of the Institute before the next annual meeting. The Council will then be in a position to put the information in handy form, when your Committee recommends that the whole statement be printed for the use of members, and that copies of it will be sent to every teacher in the Colony. Your Committee is of opinion that such a step will have the effect of enlisting the sympathy and support of a large number of teachers who take at present little or no interest in the proceedings of the Institute.

Mr Worthington seconded the adoption of the report, suggesting the addition of a very hearty vote of thanks to the Committee for its labour.

Messrs T. S. Foster and J. Rennie having spoken on the subject, the report was adopted, and a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the Committee.

Afternoon Session.

The Council resumed at half-past two.

The Constitution.

Mr W. S. Fitzgerald (Otago), brought up the report of the Committee on the Constitution, and after considerable discussion, the Constitution was adopted as follows :—(See page 13).

Ministerial Message.

The President said that he had received the following telegram from the Hon the Minister for Education:—"To-day's Gazette will contain Order-in-Council providing that Inspectors shall so conduct their examination during the first six months of this year as to afford pupils opportunity of passing standards, as those standards previously defined; and with respect to drawing, Inspectors shall not exact full compliance during this year.

—W. P. Reeves." (Applause).

Travelling Expenses.

On the motion of Mr Grundy, it was resolved to pay travelling expenses to the annual meeting as follows :—The Secretary and Treasurer in full, and the delegates at the rate of 15s 9d in the £.

Secondary Schools.

Mr Joynt (Otago) moved, pursuant to notice:—"That this Council endorses the following resolution, passed at the Secondary Schools Conference, 'That the recent privilege already granted to those who have served as pupil teachers and to those who have attended a training college for a prescribed time of counting a pass in the Junior Scholarship examination towards the obtaining of a Class D teacher's certificate, even though they had not attained the age of nineteen years at the time of passing the examination, should be extended to pupils of secondary schools."'

Mr Kitchingman (Taranaki) seconded the motion.

Mr D. White (Otago) moved an amend-ment—" That the proposal be submitted to the District Institutes for their consideration."

Mr Just seconded the amendment, which was carried.

Inspector's Conference.

Mr Pilkington (Wellington), in pursuance of notice, moved—"That the Inspector-General be requested to consider the good that would result from the local Inspectors meeting together once even year."

Mr D. White (Otago) seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.

Financial.

The Treasurer, Mr Grundy, submitted the annual balance-sheet, which showed receipts £64,13a 8 J, expenditure Ml 17s M. There were arrears of subscriptions amounting to £24.

The statement was adopted.

Next Meeting.

It was resolved that the next meeting of: the Council should be held at Wellington on Jan. 10, 1893.

Election of Officers.

Mr Clement Watson, B.A. (Wellington), was unanimously elected President of the Institute for the ensuing year.

A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Worthington for his past services as Secretary to the Institute.

Mr W. T. Grundy (Wellington) was elected Secretary for the ensuing year, and Mr H. Worthington (Auckland) was elected Treasurer.

Messrs D. White (Otago), M'Morran (Wellington), T. S. Foster (Christchurch) were elected an executive for the year.

Votes of Thanks.

Votes of thanks were given to the Minister for Education and the Secretary of the Department for their careful reception and courteous consideration of the recommendations of the Institute, and also for the grant to the Council for the travelling expenses of members; to the Chair-man and Board of Governors of the Canter-bury College for the use of the hall; to the Kalapoi Woollen Manufacturing Company, the Belfast Freezing Company and persons who had placed their industries open to the in pection of the delegates, and to the newspapers for the manner in which the proceedings had been reported.

Picnic.

The President then invited all the delegates to the Council to a picnic to be held on Friday, on the other side of Lyttelton Harbour.

The President then declared the session closed.