TEACHERS' SALARIES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1831, 18 August 1913, Page 5

TEACHERS' SALARIES.

URGENT NEEDS,

SOME WAIRARAPA DEMANDS . (By Telegraph.-Special Correspondent.) Mastorton, August 17. Over eighty teachers in tho Wairarapa gathered at tho Masterton Technical School on Saturday to represent to Sir Walter Buchanan, M.P., a'nd Mr. G. It. Sykes, M.l'., tho institute's opinions on tho following matters educational:—(l) That teachers' salaries aro quito inadequate; that all should receive a professional wage, and that' payment should not bo made on attendance. (2) That a Dominion promotion soliemo for teachers iis desirable. (3) That superannuation should bo granted on oio best threo years, and not on tho last threo years. Mr. ■!?. L. Combs, president, occupied tho chair, and extended a hearty welcome to Mr. Sykes. .Ho < regretted exceedingly to learn that Sir Walter Buchanan was too ill'to attend. A motion of sympathy was passed to Sir Walter. Spirited speeches wero made by Messrs.' W. 11. Jackson, V. L. Combs, A. M. Burns, G. Jones, R. J. Foss, and others, emphasising tho urgent necessity for tho improvement of teachers' conditions. .

In reply, Mr. Sykes expressed the sympathy of Sir Walter "Buchanan and him-' self with the teachers' reasonable'-'de-mauds,. and assured tlio meeting that tlio Government recognised its responsibilities in tho matter, and that amending legislation would bo brought down next session. "Only last night," said Mr. Sykes, "Sir Walter and myself approached tlio Minister on tho teachers' behalf, but wero assured that nothing further than tlio concessions already granted could bo oouccdcd this session. 'I'cachcrs must bo patient,"

The above reply met with a storih of disapproval from the teachers. Speakers Teminded tlio member that Mr. Hcrdmnn had increased the salaries of magistrates, Mr. Ucrries was satisfying tlio demands of No. 1 Division of tho Railways, Hi© general public lmd been granted concessions with regard to incomo tax and old ngo pensions, Mr. Allen, as .Minister for Defence, liad lately granted fair increases of salary to non-commissioned officers of Defence, and yet teachers, whoso profession was lauded as a noblo profession, whoso salaries wero admitted by legislators to bo shamefully inadequate, wero told that they must wait till Jauuaiy, 1915, for increases of salaries, to which they were now so justly entitled. Was it fair, was it reasonable? Teacher;) recognised that Mr. Alien was an able authority on education, and they cxpectod moro than lip sympathy from him. Surely, Mr. Allen could eparo timo from his Defence duties to consider a scheme of salaries drafted by the excoutivo of tho Teachers' Institute, and submitted to him in June last. There-was no big problem hero to occasion delay. Tho matter of salaries could bo solved by his Department with, a few weeks' study; Tlio institute's moderate proposals simplified matters. Such educational prol> lems as a Dominion scjieme of promotion, consolidation of schools, and a council of education might reasonably bo left till next session. Tho sum of ,£12,000 (among 4500 teaohors) met with no approval. Teachers who in any caso would fcttvo received a £H increase in January next were now to receive .£lO, wliilo 2100 teachers who liad already reached tlioir poor maximum wero to receive nothing. '

Eventually, Mr. Sykcs undertook to impress upon tho Minister tho necessity for meeting tlio following minimum demands this sessional) Better . security against falling salaries; (2) a better basis of payment, in lieu of payment by attendance ; (3) an adequately-increased rate of payment; (4) that superannuation be granted on the best three years. • A very, hearty vote of tltaulcs to Mr. Sykes, M.P., for liis attendance closed cv spirited meeting.