ABSOLUTELY INADEQUATE

Chronicle (Levin), 16 March 1946, Page 6

ABSOLUTELY INADEQUATE

-Press Association

TEACHERS' REMUNERATION READJUSTMENT OF VALUES

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, March 15. "Iu my opinion the remuneration of teachers in this country is absolutely inadequate, ' ' said the Mayor (Mr. W. Appleton) amid loud applause when speaking at the annual conferenee of the Wellington brauch of the New Zealand Edueational Institute today. Mr. Appleton 's remafks, were a eue for subsequent speakers to develop the theme and they were not slow to point out the benefits which would be derived by 'teachers and pupils alike from an increased grant for education. Particular stress was laid on the deSirability of smaller classes uecessitating more teachers and a larger building programme. At the present time, said Mr. Appleton, the Wellington Techuieal Coilege needed a head for the engineering section and the man for the position needed to be a highly qualified speeiaiist. They were, however,. prohibited from oifering an adequate salary for such a post under the present conditions and the matter had been taken up with the Minister. iu Mr. Appleton 's opinion the hands of a number of sixnilar insti tutions were similarly underpaid. ' ' These people, ' ' he said, ' ' are not going to stop in New Zealand at £600 or £700 if they can get £1500 or £2000 elsewhere. If you are going to get good people you have got to pay them ade--quateiy. It industry has got to pay it the Governmeut service has got to face up to it also. " The question of salaries, said Mr. Seddon, ch.airman of the Wellington Education Board, was something beyond the control of the Board. The question, however, did not apply just to teachers. He believed the whole coneeption of the value of services in the commuiiity and the remuneration accorded them was very wr&ng. "1 believe that in future the community will have to give eonsideration to proper balance and developmeuts in the vvorth of services that are rendered to the community, ' ' he said. "When 1 say that 1 agree that the remuneration by way of saiary of teachers is entirely inadequate because they are dealing with human relationships and with children, and tlieir work should be more vvidely reeognised. " ■ The real problem of education at'the moment, he continued, was being dei'eated and frustrated because intimate contact between teachers and pupils was practically impossible because of the large classes. The objective was to have classes of such a size that the teacher could achieve an intimate knowledge and understanding of individual pupils. The time had long passed when education was looked 011 as haranguing the masses. "The fundamental welfare and postwar developinent of education were vvrapped up in an immediate and more generous education vote. " Mr. Seddon added: "I ain not interested in anybody who tells me that it means more taxation when "we 'C'air'spend £10,000,000 through tlie totalisator and £15,000,000 in liquor this year. While Ave can alford to spend that on things which make ho economic, no moral and no real social contribution to the community, I am not interested in talk of taxation. While this is being done we can alford to spend more money from taxation and it is a very first essential that the vote could be constautly increased. ' ' Mr. Seddon acknowledged that the Government had extended more generous treatment to education over y^ears, butthat generosity had been offset by rapidly increasing costs and the position was getting back to where it had been.