THE TEACHER'S LOT.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14982, 1 June 1914, Page 4

THE TEACHER'S LOT.

AGITATION FOP,' HIGHER SALARIES.

SOME COMPARISONS

A conference of school teachers and members of Parliament was held in the Normal School on Saturday morning, in view of an Education Bill being presented to Parliament in the coming session. Tho object of the meeting was to place before tb<j Canterbury Members- of Parliament the claims of the teachers. There was. a very large gathering of teachers of both sexes and the members present were Messrs G W. Russell, H. G. i-U, G. Witty, J." McCombs, and T. H. Davey. Apologies were received from the Hon. R. IT. Rhodes, Mr W. Nosworthy, _nd Mr L. M. Isitt.

Mr D. Waller, president of tho Institute, presided, and said that they were all aware a new Education Bill would be introduced into Parliament this coming session. Teachers were looking forward to it with great keenness and much pleasurable expectation. Mr F. T. Evans said he would.speak upon several matters in which improvement was desired. About ten years tgo tho profession was one of the worst paid in the Dominion, but through agitation considerable improvements had been effected. But the cost of living had risen, and further improvements were necessary. To enter their profession a hi.-h.er degree of ability was required than to enter any other branch of the public service. It was more profitable to enter other services than the teaching profession. A lad entering the railway received £50 a year at the start ami £15 increments. To enter the teachers* profusion a hid had to start and pass his matriculation examination, and then at about seventeen he became a pupil teacher at £45 a year, and at .?igliteen he received £55. But then he would have to go to tho Normal School and his salary dropped to £30 a year. "If we were to have the best '"en in the teaching service," said Mr Evans, "we must place teachers on the same basis as tho men entprin_ other branches of the service. If a boy -.n i he railway can rise from £50 to £140, then our "p~°P' e should do the same, and there should be no drop down to C 3" 1 at about twenty years of "There is a further point upon which wo will not accept defeat." declared Mr Evans, "and that is tho basis of payment. We claim . that wo should ho* no longer paid on the basis of the average attendance of pupils at our schools. Wo should be put on, the same footing as tho other branches of the Public Service, and efficiency and length of service should be the main factors in determining our salaries right throughout the Dominion. There has been nothing in our system which has had a more blighting effect upon our profession than this pernicious system of averages." Another point of complaint was that there was no grading scheme and no promotion scheme. A further point needing remedy, ho said, was the position of sick pay. The transfer system also needed attention. Mr E. I". Just said that tho railway first division contained. 187-1 men, ami of these, 781, or 41 per cent, of the total, received £200, or over, 107 men £300, 30 received £-100, 13 receive 1 £500, and two received £600. In tho Post Office Clerical Department there were 380-i r_en 3 of wfiom 922, or _4 per cent., received £200, 108 received £-00," 40 received £400, and 24 received £500. In the Public Works clerical staff thoro were -23 mnn, of whom 105. or -13 per cent., received £200, 45 received £300, and 10 got £400. In tho case of teacher. ' there were 4403 employed, and, of-these, 6T7, or Id per cent,, received only £200, as compared with 43, 21, and -11 per cent, in other branches. Only 110_ received £_._>". Tne minimum rates of pay for teachers—£9o a year—also compared most unfavourably with the minimum rates for other branches.

Another sorious disability was that when a teacher had finished his training, ho was not in employment, but had to wait till he got a .position. Touching upon suporannuat.on, tho speakor ; - said that hero again tho teachers were at a disadvantage. In the other branches of the service, the ninn recoiyed credit for'tho throe last years, which, in his case, were always tho best. But in the teachers' case, his three last yoars were not always his best, because his salary was roducihle. And this was done, notwithstanding the fact that the teacher had actually paid into the fund a proportion -of his ssalary upon the highest scale. Again, some of th© people in the Public Service .were allowed to include house allowance for the purposes of supermini! ntion. This gave ihcreasod benefits, and if it were done for that branch then it should be done- for the teachers. Only one teacher in seven- could hope to reach £200 a year, only one in twenty-eight could hope to reach £300. and one in one nundre.l and forty-seven £4COi Even if the claims were granted, the teacher's profession would still bo tho worst paid branch of the Public Service. He opposed the statement that tho Education Department was not revenuo producing, and claimed that it was. Mr J. Caugbley, M.A., emphasised somo of the improvements they wished to h_Ve introduced in and some of the results which he thought would accrue to education as the result thereof.

MEMEERS IN REPLY. Mr G. W. Russell expressed his pleasuro at meeting the teachers face to f_co and learning their views on tho matter. It had been impossible, ho said, for tho members, to follow .the mass of figures presented that morning:, and he suggested that a precis of the facts and figures should be prepared and printed, and forwarded to every Member of Parliament. "The mere statement of your case will carry its proof," said. Mr Russell. He further suggested that the Institute should present a petition to the Houm; which would bo forwarded to the Education Committee. This committea would then be able to bear evidence from expert- teachers all over tho country, and the Institute wliuld be able to reach tho Parliamentary machine at first hand. Referring to the operations of tho Public Service Commission. Mr Russell said that the other day he had tabulated ten Department of the Publi<- Service in which tho salaries" amounted to £111 .OUO. and he found that thore was an increase in these Departments of some £13,_0D above that of last year, and this worked out at an average of 12 por cent, for every person employed. "If the Commission is granting 'such -übstantial increases,' said Mr Russell. "7011 have a sound argument for asking that thp tamo treatment should bo accorded you." (Applause.) -. Alt T. H. Davey said that, narrowed down, the plea of t_o teachers was that they should be placed on tho same footing as the rest of the Civil Service. On the whole, ho thought their demands were just, and he would do all in his power to help tnem realise them. Mr G. Witty promised that the.Canterbury members would do their utmost to put teachers on a fair and honest footing. Mr J. McCombs said the opinions expressed had his entire sympathy, and would have his hearty support inside and outside the House,