may be able to devote more time to the work of elementary schools." Carried.

It was agreed that inspectors' bulletins should be laid before the Committee for consideration from time to time.

It was also resolved, "That the inspectors' visits can be made more valuable to the teachers by relieving the inspectors of one ordinary visit, and requiring them at a special visit to devote all their time to the assistance of the teacher or of several teachers met at a convenient centre."

From reports of attendance in the rural municipalities it appears that in many instances the schools are too numerous considering the number of pupils to be accommodated, while if the number of school-houses were less, the distances would be too great for some of the pupils. After discussion it was resolved, on motion of Sir William Dawson, secondled by the Lord Bishop of Quebec, "That the school boards be authorized to unite into one, two or more small or poorly attended schools, provided that, when necessary, means be supplied to convey remote pupils to and from the schools." Carried.

It was agreed that the Protestant share of the prize book appropriation could be more profitably expended in the purchase of school equipment to be distributed amongst deserving schools than in the purchase of prizes for individual pupils. The Secretary was instructed to communicate with the Government on this matter before next session of the Legislature.

Moved by Sir William Dawson, seconded by the Lord Bishop Quebec, "That a sum, not exceeding one hundred dollars per annum, be given to pay expenses and for remuneration of inspectors and others not provided for by regulation 118, who may assist at the Institutes, until provisions may be made by special Government appropriation. The amount of remuneration is to be determined by the directors of the Institutes and reported to this Committee." Carried.

Moved by Professor Kneeland, seconded by Mr. Masten, "That 'a sub-committee be appointed to consider what can be done to provide a greater number of trained teachers for our elementary schools, and that this sub-committee be requested to consult with the Normal School Committee and the Committee of the Provincial Association of Protestant Teachers in relation to the subject, and report at next meeting." Carried.

The following sub-committee was then appointed: the Reverend Mr. Rexford, Convener; the Reverend Mr. Love, the Reverend Dr. Shaw, Mr. N. T. Truell and Professor Kneeland.

The question of means to secure a more regular and uniform method of keeping the accounts of secretary-treasurers, and a more efficient audit of such accounts, was left over till February at the request of the Chairman, who will introduce the matter with definite suggestions.

The Chairman and Dr. Hemming were asked to consider the question of the limits of School municipalities, and to see whether it is advisable or possible to make them coincide with the limits of the rural municipalities.

The question of increasing teachers' salaries and providing for a minimum was referred to the sub-committee on legislation, as well as all matters decided by resolution to-day and requiring legislative action.

The meeting then adjourned until 9.30 Friday morning.

QUEBEC, November 29th, 1895.

The Protestant Committee of the Council of Public Instruction met at 9.30 a.m. Present: R. W. Heneker, Esq., D.C.L., LL. D., in the chair; Sir William Dawson, C.M.G., LL.D.; the Venerable Archdeacon Lindsay, M.A., D.C.L.; G. L. Masten, Esq.; the Reverend Principal Shaw, D.D., LL.D.; Professor Kneeland, M.A.; the Reverend A. T. Love, B.A.; the Right Reverend A. H. Dunn, D.D., Lord Bishop of Quebec; S. Finley, Esq.; H. B. Ames, Esq., B.A.; E. J. Hemming, Esq., D.C.L., Q.C.; the Very Reverend Dean Norman, D.D., D.C.L.; Peter McArthur, Esq.; the Reverend E. I. Rexford, B.A.; and N. T. Truell, Esq.

Proposed by Dr. Hemming. Considering that a large majority of this province are, at the present time, protesting against the school laws of the Province of Manitoba, on the ground that the rights of conscience of the individual rate-payers are not duly respected, inasmuch as the religious minority are thereby compelled to contribute towards the support of the public schools, to the management whereof they are conscientiously opposed;

And whereas the same grievance exists to a certain extent with respect to the system of school laws now in force in this province, and that under certain circumstances individuals of the religious minority are compelled to contribute towards the support of the schools of the religious majority, although conscientiously opposed thereto;

And whereas is desirable, not only on the merits of the case but for the sake of consistency, that said grievance should be removed from the laws of our province, and that no one belonging to the religious minority should be compelled thereby to contribute towards the support of schools of the religious majority in case he should be conscientiously opposed thereto; And whereas this grievance has already to a certain extent been removed, in so far as the cities and some of the towns of this provice are concerned, by the substitution in their special charters of that which is generally known as the "Panel System," in lieu of the ordinary right to dissent, as provided by our school laws, and which latter system is still in force in all the remaing portions of this province;

And whereas the provisions of article 1973, R. S. Q., giving power to the Lieutenant-Governor in Council to change the limits of school municipalities, such changes in certain cases to affect only the religious majority or minority, as the case may be (thereby virtually recognizing the principle of the complete independence of the Roman Catholics and Protestants one from the other), are incompatible with the general laws of this province giving the right to dissent, inasmuch as they practically take away such right from all those who may have acquired property or settled in the territory that was so under two distinct jurisdictions, subsequent to such order in council;

And whereas the uniform adoption of the principle of the Panel System in lieu of the complicated machinery now required in order to dissent would remove all these difficulties, and the friction that is constantly arising in connection therewith, and would afford to each rate-payer full liberty of conscience with respect to his support of the schools of this province;

Be it resolved, that those members of our Committee forming part of the joint sub-committee of the Council of Public Instruction on legislation be instructed to use their best endeavors to obtain the uniform adoption of the principle of the "Panel System" in lieu of the existing system of dissenting schools throughout this province; and in case of the adoption of the principle of the "Panel System," then to obtain such modification of the Neutral Panel" thereof, as ordinarily found in such special charters of said cities and towns, and also of the law as set forth in art. 2143 R. S. Q., so as to permit corporations and other rate-payers not generally included in such Neutral Panel to have the option of appropriating their school taxes to the support of the schools under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic or Protestant Commissioners within the school municipality as they may decide, in harmony with the principle underlying articles 1993 and 2045 R. S. Q., and the suggested amendment to article 2038 as article 2038a; so as to grant the fullest liberty of conscience possible to all who by law are bound to contribute towards the support of public schools.

But if in any school municipality the minority should be present but so weak in numbers as to be unable to elect a board of commissioners to represent them, and consequently the above mentioned option could not be exercised, then the sole remaining board of commissioners shall have the right to assess and collect the taxes due by such minority, including those on the Neutral Panel, but shall pay over to the Superintendent of Education all sums so collected from such minority and such portion of the Neutral Panel as may be appropriated to schools of the faith of such minority to form part of the Poor Municipality Fund, and to be by him distributed among the commissioners of such poor municipalities (within the same county if possible)

representing the same faith as such minority as may be approved of by competent authority.

It is suggested that the provisions of 54 Vic., chap. 85, sec. 50 et seq. (respecting school matters), to be found in the charter of the Town of Waterloo (1890), whereby such change in the two systems is carried out, would (subject to such modifications as to make the same conform to the spirit of the foregoing resolution) be found of material assistance in making the proposed changes in the existing law.

Moved by Sir William Dawson, seconded by the Bishop of Quebec, "That the report and resolutions of Dr. Hemming be referred to the representatives of this Committee on the joint committee, with power to present the matters referred to in such form as they may deem judicious and conducive to the interests of education." Carried.

Moved by the Lord Bishop of Quebec, seconded by the Reverend Dr. Shaw,

"1st. That the EDUCATIONAL RECORD be continued, so far as the Government grant and revenue from other sources may permit.

2nd. That it shall contain official matter emanating from this Committee and under its authority, and that this shall be distinctly stated on the title-page; and also general matter useful either directly or indirectly in the interest of education in this province.

3rd. That the Editorship be placed under the exclusive control of the Secretary of the Committee, with power to associate with himself other leading educationists in the general department, and to invite tenders for the publication and accept one of them, reporting to the Committee." Carried.

Applications for the inspectorship in the counties of Ottawa and Pontiac, rendered vacant by the death of Inspector Bolton Magrath, were read from Messrs. T. A. Howard, W. H. Brown, Ernest Smith, D. M. Gilmour and A. L. Gilman. The last three being reported by the Secretary as legally qualified for the position, it was agreed on motion of Dr. Shaw, seconded by Dean Norman, to vote by ballot, voting to continue till one candidate should receive a majority of votes cast. Mr. Gilman having received the majority of votes, upon resolution, the Secretary was instructed to request from the Government the appointment of Mr. A. L. Gilman, to succeed the late Inspector Magrath as inspector of the Protestant schools in the counties of Ottawa and Pontiac, at a salary of one thousand dollars per annum, from January 1st, 1896.

A petition from J. M. M. Duff, Esq., and others, asking for the appointment of the Reverend Einion Evans, D.D., as associate member to succeed the late Reverend Dr. Cornish, was read. The Committee proceeded to the election of an associate member, following the same method as before. After ballot, Principal S. P. Robins, LL.D., of Montreal, was declared elected.

The resignation of Professor Kneeland as member of the textbook sub-committee was read. It was then moved by the Bishop of Quebec, seconded by Dean Norman, "That those who have tendered their resignations as members of the text-book sub-committee be requested to withdraw them." Carried.

A letter was read from the Educational Book Company asking that a special committee be appointed to carry out pending arrangements for the revision of the Gage Readers.

The Secretary was instructed to acknowledge the receipt of the letter, and to inform the Educational Book Company that the Committee cannot deal with them in regard to the reading books, except through its regular text-book committee.

Moved by Mr. N. T. Truell, seconded by the Dean of Quebec, "That, as the earlier numbers of the Gage's System of Vertical Penmanship are defective in grading, the Secretary is instructed to inform the Educational Book Company, that these earlier numbers must be revised and properly graded; and that the recommendation of the Committee be not submitted for the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, until this revision is provided for." Carried.

Moved by the Dean of Quebec, seconded by Samuel Finley, Esq.,

1st. That the text-book committee be hereby instructed to proceed with all possible despatch to secure the early issue of the Quebec Readers under the offer of the Educational Book Company; and

2nd. That the sub-committee be instructed to see that the spelling of the revised readers shall be made to conform to English usage, and the punctuation to that usage which has received the official sanction of this Committee." Carried.

In view of the foregoing action, Mr. Rexford and Professor Kneeland consented to continue to serve on the text-book committee and withdrew their resignations.

A letter from C. A. Magrath, Esq., asking for provision for the support of the widow of Inspector Magrath, was referred to the Government with a strong recommendation for favorable consideration.

Moved by Mr. N. T. Truell, seconded by the Lord Bishop of Quebec, That the Corporations of McGill and Bishop's Universities be requested to place arithmetic, as required for model school diplomas from the Protestant Central Board of Examiners, on the course of study, as an optional subject for the A.A. examination; and that whereas no limits are assigned to the optional geography in the A.A. examination, and consequently the subject is too broad and indefinite to be successfully taken up in the superior schools of the province; and whereas physical geography itself forms a most important branch of study, the Corporations of McGill and Bishop's Universities be requested to substitute a definite amount of physical geography, with