WORK AHEAD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1192, 29 July 1911, Page 11

WORK AHEAD.

FOR THE TEACHERS' INSTITUTE. SOME DIFFICULT PROBLEMS. During tho course of an interesting address to' the members of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute, at its annual meeting last evening, Mr. G. Flux, tho retiring president, said that much had been done, by the institute in tho past to make tho lot of tho. teacher more bearable, and to render his work more productive of good to tho community, but incessant walchfulneas was necessary. "So long as thero is a teaching, profession," be said, "so long will there be work for the institute to do." Among tho works before tho institute at the present time are the following items:— "(1) In the calculation of the superannuation allowance, the Act provides that the average for tho last three- years of sorvice is taken. Now, in the majority of cases, this is a quite fair method, but in a considerable number it is not so. In tho case of a teacher whoso time for retiring is approaching, but whose school attendance, through no fault of his own, is rapidly declining, this method of cal-culation-is grossly unfair. The. alternatives are to take either the average of tho best three years of service, _as is the case in the Civil Service, or the average of the whole of the years, of service. .Personally, I incline to the average of the best three years.

Security of Tenure. "(2) Bringing of the question of 'transfer' under the Teachers' Appeal Court,— Luless this is done, our boasted 'security of tenure,' for which the institute so strenuously fought in the past, goes by the board. At the present time there is nothing to prevent a : board transferring a teacher, without that teacher's consent, to an equal position, or even to a lower position. None of us can reasonably object to a. transfer in cases of misconduct. The Act provides for such transfers. The institute fought for the principlo of transfer in cases where a teacher was suffering, or likely to suffer, on account of a decline in the average attendance, but-it feels that there is a real danger ahead unless the proviso mentioned ■ is added to tho Act. It is true that tho majority of the board have so far acled wisely and generously in this matter of transfer, but there is the danger, and it were better that it should be attended to beforo it becomes many-headed.

Wipe Out "Wire-Pulling." "(3) Promotion scheme, applicable to the whole of the Dominion.—There is. a. great diversity of opinion, even among teachers, as to the desirability of such a scheme. So long as teachers are- divided in opinion, so long, wo may be sure, will tho public be. But without going into the pros and cons, I should like to say that all would gladly welcome any system which would wipe out, onco for all, the degrading system of wire-pulling which is now found among teachers. Even when teachers themselves have decided in favour of a Dominion scheme, the position will be by no means won. Education boards and school committees will fancy it is an attack on their privileges, and will, probably, put obstacles in the way. Superannuation. "(i) There are in the Dominion a number of teachers who, for financial reasons, were unable to avail themselves of the provisions of the Superannuation Act when it came into forco in 190 G. A petition is; being forwarded to both Houses of Parliament, signed by such teachers, praying that they bo allowed to como under the' Act, provided they pay all back subscriptions, with i per cent. interest. 1 adilpcL .W"o all hope .'tho prayer may bo successful. •. "These are," concluded the president, "a feiv of tho larger questions which will engago tho institute in the iioar future, and our branch must take its sharo in the work of decision." Teaching "Mobs of 70." : -The-incoming president of tho branch, Mr". C. Watson, in returning thanks for his "■election;</ endorsee! : the sentiments

expressed by Mr. Flux. "I would add another point. I think the time has long gono past when teachers should have to struggle along with mobs of 70 or 80 children. There is already provision in tho Act for relief from this burden, and it only wants the necessary amount of pressure being brought upon the Minister. Provision is made in an additional scale of staffing for the replacement of pupil teachers by assistants. This is a very important matter, and should receive tho earnest attention of tho inslitnto during tho year."