TEACHERS' CONGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 710, 8 January 1910, Page 6

TEACHERS' CONGRESS.

QUESTIONS OF SUPERANNUATION. '; .-...; ...WOMEN'S.EIGHTS.' ~' ; THE CONFEEENCE CONCLUDED;' ; The annual; conference.'. of', delegates from i the; district branches- of' the liew Zealand ' Educational '.: 'Institute was brought, to a successful cenelusipn'. yester-. day. -The session , was' principally-.'deyeted to .".the consideration i of , certain' remits 1 relating to -superannuation, anda''lbn'g:'dis'cussion'.bn the:rights,of : wpmen' teachers in: connection, with' the staffing of,schools. It, was'.decided that-the next qonferenco.bo ■■held,at:Hokitika, and tho proceedings then terminated with' felicita-' tions : ;to '.the .chairman, the. .'executive officers, the.Wellington:District'institute, 1 the; Pioneer, Club,'and,the press.■■''■..' •.■■■'- SUPERANNUATION.;! StJGGESTED AMENDMENTS TO THE ;;■:■.;-.::;..,;:,;. /.act.. , ;'v/-!vv- r :,•;.,; ■■. Further amendments: - to;,' the . Publio Service Classification and Superannuation Act .were irecpmmended by. the conference, when it. was'.'moved:: by Mr; Davidspii fDunedin), ■' and seconded ■' by ■ Mr. Hughea (Christchurch):, .■: •■?;■: v/'.. ,' ':.: ..■ ,i■:;,■ ,' :'■'"-.: That,' , as : 'an: act : of ''justice.'the'fol-'" ■■■lowing ;ainondments;".to.::the .Public".! •;'. Service .Classification; and; Superannuay,'• .; tioh. Act 'should ; : be', made : with'.thii'.'. least possible'delay; ''•' t^?,-..':';i' ! '.;■; (1)•-,; That" contributors ; :to'>>tb.b ; : \ Teaohera' 'Superannuation :Etind'.who- .' retired ■ between .January 1, - 1906; -and' ;• /0ct0ber , ,.10,.: 1908, and'.-whose retiring'''- ; allqwances' are 'smaller "than ;:.they :' • would have, been under the Amending' : ;Act of 1908, ; should/.'from;-the: first"; "• 'month , / fpllpwing'the. pass-"■':' ;ing ; of' .this" amendment;'nave" their" '■' aUewances ' calculated 'according f tp'' i> the .provisions :of •■ the Act -of '1908. '. .' ~

\ ;(2) -That teachera';.whp-vfailedvto i», : ; give,noti<» : of.•.their.desire i'toi-remainS 1 ., .;.. under'the ;Act;.of ylM6;i,orsgaye;.such j-.. : notice' and. , ,', are.' : thbr,obyij penalised; J;-, •ji should ,'Jbe',,aUpwed : oto ! ' f.v ■P°ptien, / ., i aa(L r :sh ] ottld^they i »epiide3ire l iV <■ alter,'their;.decision. rv ;, -:■ ; :,- ( '.;. K ', .?, ~;. ; ;Speakins"'to ,, 'Clause'-; 1-bif-the'■ motion; , '{Mr.- Davidson 1 ; said'.'.that the •; position ; was that .teachers ;who retired!on tion prior to:the::cbming' : into' : bperatioii pf the. amending: Aqt?of-1908'were, financially, in-a worse position than those,who' .retired under the ■•(provisions- of--the i new.' Act.-.He , knew-'df'one'.;case 'where' a'school ,, li^spector;,retiring'-under .the. old'' ! Act,ii Tβ-' .ceived an'oUowariceiiofiiElOl/lJwhile'Van-''' .'other,.;retiring-."uiider ttho"-./new.'Act, 'reT^ived'fifilM. , .:: It;-was' only:light' that"all.should; bri'iplacedi upori:an'i equal.'-fboting,': )ahd'.he;feH\Bure that the extra ces.t'would .tootjesceed £2(100.,. There.svere;,only.:a few,; ;'oases|;';o£ '.'.'hlvrjisniji iiivclvod. |jand:i itheir.duty. to'advocate'for; the':bettprment' 'of .thes'e; : -.'i',v '■-■"' ,'.:''"--:' ; '.''-"'!.-' I 'H'.'-'■■■' ■■■'■'■:- : --\r--. ): 'Mr.;pughes-(Chri?tchuroii) Becbnded'the' 'motion.varid ::said' .that':the : :number,'V:of iteachers''-.whose, nllbwances. were' dosery-. ling'.'of .revision ,'was 'decreasing' rapidly 'each'yoar. ■''".'.'...-:. .•■ '^-'■''.'. -v'--■-■-'■•■-'i "*.. VyVmi•',Foster-.;' tWellington), , -referring, to' the^questionvof'giving, teachers' an ■opportunity,, of :recpnsiaering;'.;their.vp6sij.tion'.with regard;' to .superannuation,' said: ; that '.when' the ..amending legislation ; ;was: 'befpre..the'Hpuse]ast'Bessipn ; it woa'hbued: ;that ■certain 1 BugEestipns , in ; ; this; direction','' put forward -by; the.Supefannuatibn'Boafdj'' ;a'nd,rendorse ! d.-'by.. the ■■Minister,'for- Edu-i; 'cation,' wcnld'ihsve .beeii''enibpdiediin-.' the; |Bill.;;Bufc,_the;ineasure. submitted ..'byl.'th'e.' Prime Minister'eontainedfno'iTeferevice i»; ■these."; Sir 'Joseph'- Ward,-it' was ■ believed; , . , .did not "desire any clauses:,bf.a/contenti-. pus;.nature,:tb .cpme• before'.'the Hpuse ; .at that'tjme'. .-..■.".;'. v ':', ; ! i; : ." :! .. : .'..-',;--'.'.'■'■;'■■'■ -';.'. .i.-- •■•' The i suggesHens werb'.adepted.. ''unani- '■■ jmohsly. , ■ /■ i?'! , ".; ';i; : .:: ;: -.' : ; c ;;:;: , :,^V J "?-'! i'l ■.' : V: \[_ ■'■ CLAni-,E(3UAIi 'EIGHTS.;;; J ;in" a foobMte >; to , .the. , 6oheduie ;oi.', staffs >ndj' salaries,'.which": is"'incbrpbrafced : . : in: ithe;Education'':.Act. 'Aniondnient Act , of. ;1908| it .is 'laid ,, down ! '';that jef.the'i first' •'thi : ee.\:assistanißhip9''.'bnv;the etaff:-iofva,. 'school, one -must be';given -to'a , woman; teacher," ; which' 'means 'that.:,it:','may-,,be possible.'for a : wbinah-:tb. rise;:to:the;pJ!)si-. •tioh; of .'generally,' speakingi works outi ,in actual'' ■practice-to the result" that few ever -rise 'higher-.'tiLan. > -''ihe'-position'ofrthird' assist; ant';;■',:,.There.' r "is;' a ■; sfrohe^feMliJ'.'fimpngi ithe.'women teachers':thac : ; the'-jgosiMohi'tn.. second' assistot sbe.-niore'Vassured' Ito '.'dese'rving;■:-applicants", : from-'-,':the'; 'fair' sex,:-:and 'thiS-iVfeeling-' found'v.'exprJßSSiqn"' ;in -. a, Ibng.jalid: interesting debate ;on the,' [following remit; ■,moved.,by. Miss /tPßirss* (Southland),: ' eecbndbd - by.' Miss New'niaii (Auokiand).:--.'• f;,■./;'''.;' :[■:'-■■■'• y>■■■■• .}; ."■.':" That'this institute'.urges , that 4n the,' .'■ Education Act- Amendment. Act, '.1908,'".'- ; Clause- Cγof;Schedule-.2,'Part i.vbe.; , - ; .'amended; by.;thedeletipiiiof 'the Avord.-' i .:■. "three,".'and :.the l substitution.' of" the.v [ "-; -._ ',".;j-j. ' ; ::.:, ; '.:': '<■: *Sp.eaking ';tp'...the;.: motion, Miss',-Birss : argued.that, women'.were, to 'be. found/who''wre qmte:capable.;of doing the;work iof -.the senipr ;assistants,';«nd eyenl'ef- • taking, charge^-of an'.^^im'pprtant;6chopl.'-:,.A : 'school pf SOOvin attondance, in the Tarainaki district bad .been.: OTOcessfully.'ceh-. ducted: by a 'woman, ■ while ..in'- a; school ,pf | ■ 180, '.in, the .Southland'.district, -the. head :teaoher,.a .woman, had .earned'-the.special commendatibn of the . Education: Board for •the texcellent. an.d.;sustained-:efficiehcy; of, her; work..-'There'..teas--no -.'reason.; why J women;'should not be placed on an equality :withl-.men : ..in.;;this'respect.-' set', up -as .'an: argument -in.: favojir ■ oj-the ''men.' thai women , had less /severe"vcaUs upon , ',-their,salaries;;,b.ut;,.she : .' had investigated '.ithe :.'ciTcurostances>'-'of./ja 'number. ; 'of';.wbmen;..teachers; ;'and' 1 .discoveredi'vvery, .muoh'ito her surprise, that inimany. cases 'the woman; teacher' had'•■ tp 'euppbrt pthers.-. One had. a'.lazy.-good-for'-nothing.; band;lanother,'a widow,'had'aifaiflily.to keep; '- 1 -. a'■'. ■?had.>.' aged ■':■ .parents to v , .' support. •;■ -'And'.: so:- .on., - It--.' waa .a ■'■'.-;■ Avrong ■:) thing.'.to: .differentiate; ; be- • tween men and.'women,: when; «abh:were 'capable..-:pf. the same :• work:'-!'.Sh'ei.'ufgbd' that';the . institute:recpmmelid the altera'tibn; of, the-' stitnte:: as 'proposed : in; the ■remit.'' It '.wnidd'-then'/bo-'-possible ' for women- to-aspifo to higheri:positions..and salaries. .The institute , Bhould;'db';justico to its- wbmen*memberi 'If 'it-did'not; then - they. would'have: to tappeal: to v the outside , world.''(Apprause.) ,■:.:;; ,'?,... " Miss ; Newman' (Aucldarid), the:"-■' proposal;- . delicately • • hinted. that -"justice was - the" finor.sense of-honour," ■and 'the '.women; teachers-expected'justice; from: the' instituta. .'Upon the : salaries women-wero ,ablo 'to; eajn depended the amount- upon' wliich: they"could retire when superannuated: According to; the Act, qualified women : were oligiblo for first and .second .assistantships, :bnt- they know truite : well' that they ■ were seldom considered' when 6uch'.. .positions. 1 werb being ' filled. : !■'.'' '■ ■■'■-. - 1 . .-'"-..-: : -Miss Chaplin (North' Canterbury) Bpoke in; support ef the'motion. ;_ . . ;-.'■■-.■ 'Miss:- .Craig (Wellington) -said ,-that women with.frbin twenty, to thirty.years' esperifiice had- a.'right-to eipeot 1 at , least

•the second assistantship. in: a. large ..city, school. 'Why should not women be suitably, rewarded .. for : years ■ of: .efficient service?- (Applause.) ': ' '■ ; V Jg , - GnjS (Southland) .-opposed the, motion.., Women hfid greater privileges than men, and , -were more frequently absent from dnty.;.'.,... .. , . Mr. :M'lCenzie (Auckland) said that he had' previously;been• against/the : idea, but latterly; bad changed-, his ■views. The best teacher,;* a! fifth;:standard.class in the .•Auckland-.'district was a-i woman. (Applause.) :]:•-''■{ -.■„,. ■;.--. ~ . . , . •,. llr...Warren;.(Auckland) ".was not \in favour, of : . the: motion. ■ Whatever. redress was open. to : ;the ."wpmen .'in connection witlr-this : matter, could be.:granted by the.Vboards;.. It: was '"not a matter, /'requiring an. amendment* of. the .Act. : ': ■■•'.-. ■■; Mr.: Caughley (Wellington) did not' see a. 1 particular' position."-Should 'be specially,. earnjar.ked . for ' any .sei.' '• .' ■i-Miss 'Shrewsbury .(Auckland)," in" l the course of- a; strong .'speech,, said that there wa?. a , .feeling: ia'mong .parents:.:that;..the older girls in ,, schools should be in'charge of ; women-.teachers. , ': She'■-had .heard -it. saidthat : in'somo ".schools: the: women: did the. work,: : and".'theA-men .drew, .the- pny; (Applause.) , , ",'■..■ .-■-,: v :■ :,-.■■>': .-■■'•l-,;- -.-:' ■■■■. At this stage, an.amendment waa moved by.-Mr. Phillips (Otago) to the.effect that : the ..-footnote referred-, to in' the schedule of ..the Act 'should .be,deleted- altogether, thus placing both .6exes on- : a- footing of ahsolnte -equality., J .';;-.-» <■ ;.'■ ~i-,- ' ~-> I'iThe" amendment..: iwaa.-^lost,'.; , and . 'the motion;-after some-further discussion,, 'carried.:: '■::'■ ?:■/.:;"" :':.V; : -:r: .---.-.•■ ■ ',