LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1491, 13 July 1912, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

PUBLIC CONVENIENCES. Sir,—lt is satisfactory to learn, from your columns that slot telephone- cabinets are to be available in the city throughout the year. It the authorities could add tho latest soienti&o conveniences, . tihe telehourono, it would be found advantageous in this singularly controlled and'organised city,.where it is difficult to transact pressing business after 10.30 p.m.—l am, etc., •■'-.' ' . •■ r . ■ ■ . . VIATOR, "CHURCH AND BTATE." ; ■ Sir,—Your ■ articlo on above subject in Tuesday's • issue is., of great interest to New.. Zealandors. at the present moment, in view of. the attempt now being made by' Sir William' Steward to still further widen, the breach between .Church and State '. by the introduction of hie • Marriage Law Amendment Act. This-, Act airns'at ■ legalising a marriage regarded by the Church, as incestuous! and by, malw such'a marriage would be looked upon as living fin legalised adultery, namely, the joining in holy matrimony of uncle and niece (deceased wife's sisters daughter). Surely the country at this.critical timo in its political history l\as no time to waste ovior' a Bill so revolting to the minds of all good churchmen. Even should at any time the Table' of Affinity need revising, it would not bo a matter for any one colony, but of the whole Empire, both clerical and political, as it would be manifestly absurd ' for ■ the various colonies to have different marriago laws. Let- us hope, therefore, that Mr. Mnssey will' not bo any more behindhand than were Sir Joseph Ward and Ms party/in tih.row.ins; out this objectionable measure.—l' am, et -',,-; ~.- ■ CHUECHMAN.

•■•■; A MILITARY MATTER. 7 ' Sir,—When the late administrator of Coqk Wands 'was dispatched from New Zealand some four ago he was appointed a captain in the New Zealand forces; i At the time of the appointment. the granting of this military commission was criticised adversely, and the authorities'replied that , if Mr. Smith had military rant (however empty) it would give him-a sort of status in the eyes of the Natives. . As that gentleman is not now doing duty at the Islands, and his resignation does not to. have been gazetted, would it not be as well for the Minister-to. review tho ques* tion, if only out of respect for other gentlemen that graco.tho list,- as the result of meritorious service, even to the extent of privations and dangers in defence of •their country-I am, etc.^-^^^ J Wellington, 'July 10, 1012.

THE EDUCATION COMMISSION. Sir,—l have been following with, very great interest the accounts given in the papers of the evidence before the abovenamed Commission, and have been surprised that no one has pointed out ono of the greatest disabilities under which, the public gchool teachers .of .the, Dominion are working. I refer to the present unfair mothod of paying and staffing on tUe average attendance. • Where a school is in a rising distriot—such are found in many paxts of New Zealand—the disadvantage is felt the most. To ehow how this is so, I will quote my own eohool. Last year for tttreQ quarters, we averaged practically 301, end for the first two -weeta of the fourth quarter,, our average was 307; when, lo! an epidemic of measles came upoii the district, and-our average went dowi/down, down, though the roll number vwas'bigger than any . previoue qußrtei , ," aind the quarter finished with an average of 285, and-tho year's-average was only 1297. The epidemic—something entirely beyond out control—prevented cui school from going into a higher grade. Is this common fairness to penaliseaschool in this way? The salaries of the tefichors in. the school should have beem benefited to the of at least £60, -whereas the total increase this year, duoi- to the arennal £o increments, .was only- .£lB. Doubtless there are many other cases of a similar nature to. bo foun<l ; all over New Zealand, and it surprises me that some,of those giving:evidencejbefore the commission :have. not .condemned'the present system of basing iill payments on the average attendance. Do'the authorities hold teachers responsible'only for the average number in attendance? Of course i not. We are expected and rightly, to seo that all the children who are in our charge are efficiently trained. Why, then, not make the roll number ; t» e basis of payment? At the last meeting of the Auckland Inetitute, held, recently, it was decided that • the. roll .number is the fairest basis on which to make all payments to boards, cemmitteee, 'and .1 _ sincerely trust, that, before .the commission olosee in your , town someone' will take up this matter of doing.away with, the average as the basis an which to etaff schools and 'pay salaries.—l am, etc., AUCKLAND TEACHER.