THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1843, 1 September 1913, Page 11

THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

ASSISTANT-MASTERS' CONDITIONS.

Tho annual report of the Secondary School Assistants' Association of New Zealand states that one important gain was achieved by tho association during tho past year, viz., tho amendment of the Court of Appeal Act, so as to enable "an association such as,ours is to safeguard the interests of its members against more or less arbitrary dismissal. This amendment means a great deal to secondary school teachers throughout Now Zealand, and will havo tho effect of consolidating our association, and making 'security of tenure' a fact in deed and not in name. "Evidence was given before tho Education Commission on behalf of Mr. Heine and Mr. Gilford. The latter dealt specially with tho important quos'tions of superannuation and salaries. So far, wo havo heard very little of the Government's intentions in regard to this last-mentionod important matter. Only recently tho oxecutivo forwarded a series of resolutions, passed at a special meeting,-to tho for Education ; but tho reply has again been that lie is thinking tho matter over, and will communicate with your executive later. "As matters now. stand, we have these two facts before us(1) That secondary school teachers' salaries aro, in many casos, scandalously inadequate, and (2) that unless we fight, and fight hard, wo shall bo overlooked in the battle that is at present raging between the primary school teachers and tho Government oyer the ( very.samo matter. "Another matter .of almost equal importance is the question of superannuation. At present a Civil Servant has his or her pension competed on the threo best years of service; a teacher lias liis or hers computed on tlio three last years of service. When ono considers tho arduous naturo of a school teachcr's work, and that in many cases as ho becomes old he may be compelled to take a position carrying with it a smaller salary than ho had in previous years, it is obvious that the present condition is an unfair one. In any caso, why should teachers bo placed in a moro unfavourable position than Civil Servants ? In the course of a conversation with tho Inspector-General of Schools, representatives of tho executive put before him tho request for equality of treatment. They wero told, 'You will nover got it.' Aro wo going to be satisfied with this? Your executive has been in correspondence with tho N.Z.E.I, over this matter, and it is tho latter body's intention to bring tlio matter beforo a joint committeo of tho House later on in tho session. Tho institute advises us to do likewise.