HEADS OF THE SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1813, 28 July 1913, Page 8

HEADS OF THE SCHOOLS

THEIR CONFERENCE. UNDERSTAFFING &• SMALL PAY. The annual meeting of the Wellington Headmasters' Association was held on Saturday morning. Mr. D. M. Yeates .presided, and there was an attendance of about 20 members. The annual report of the president (Mr. Flux) dealt with matters of interest to the profession, and stated that the association bad justified its existence. The Dunedin and Suburban Hoad Teachers' Association wrote forwarding a copy of a resolution passed at a meeting held on July 7, to tho effect that tho association had learnt with great disappointment the statement of the Minister for Education that it was not his intention to introduce any legislation this session with rpjard to education, and that it was with the greatest surprise that the association had learnt of the statement of the Minister-, that matters were. going satisfactorily in liis Department. The association pointed to the urgent need for increased salaries, and to the understafiing of schools, and gave it as their opinion that these and other matters in connection with the education system'demanded tlra immediate and serious attention of Parliament. •

Mr. W. T. Grujidy said lie thought the Dunedin Headmasters' Association were to be congratulated on taking up the matter. ' Speaking in regard to understaffing of schools, it seemed that the Government could spend .£II,OOO on physical instructors, but' could not afford to spend any money in increasing the facilities in large schools for teaching tho children. He moved a resolution sent in by Mr. Flux 011 the matter as follows:— "That the' Wellington Headmasters' Association joins with tho Dunedin and Suburban Headmasters' Association and other sinnilar licdiea in tho Dominion in protesting against any further delay in initiating legislation affecting education, especially in TegaTd to the urgent need for an increase in salaries, which is long overdue; and further this association agroo3 ■with the Dunedin Headmasters' Association, that understating in larger schools demands tho immediate and serious attention of Parliament, and respectfully calls upon the Legislature to fully carry into effect the substitution of assistants for pupil teachers, a. measure for which the Department already has legislative sanction." The resolution was earned, and it was decided to forward a copy to the executive of the New Zealand Institute. ' Mr. W. T. Grundy was elected president for the ensuing year, and Mr. C. Bary reelected secretary.