TEACHERS' SALARIES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1886, 21 October 1913, Page 9

TEACHERS' SALARIES.

. Sir, —Tho return of the averago of teachers' salaries laid on tho table of tho Houjo of Representatives, on tho motion of Mr. Ell, is a comploto refutation of tho exaggerated and untruthful statements that havo appeared from timo to timo in the press of tlio Dominion, as_ well as statements mado by members in tho House of Eepresonta.tives. When wo consider that only for about six months out of tlio year aro teachors required to give their services for scholastio duties, that the maximum timo for teaching does not exceed 24 hours a, week, that they havo uninterrupted employment for 30 or 40 years, and oven more, and that in tho decline of life they can retire on an incomo: that under these circumstances they aro in a far superior position to thoso who aro taxed to pay thorn. If, sir, I am not mistaken that pupil teachors are added on tho average'of teachers' salaries it swells their salaries to a larger extent than tho return indicates. It is timo that not only the present Government but' future Governments mado it clearly understood that no increase in salaries will bo allowed. Such is tho system in- America, and why not in' New Zealand? . Our present "High Commissioner is receiving a salary that is tho same as that" of Mr.. Bryan, tho Secretary of tho United States, viz., £2500, and there is no comparison between tlio duties of tho two offices. Mr. Bryan says ho cannot live npon his salary, yet although he is ono of tho Ministers of tho United States, his colleagues will not increase it. That is tho system in the Government of tho United States; if riot satisfied, resign; but here Government officials aro allowed to agitato —demand what increases tliey require, and in tho majority of cases got it. Yet if a union asks for a slight increase of pay a huo and cry is raised by the press at once, and tho Government consider it their duty to support the employers' refusal. If England wore to pay tho samo amount for national education as it costs New Zealand, it would amount to somo £45,000,000 instead/of fifteen millions. Our wretchedly. paid school teachers are receiving a far greater salary than aro our bank clerks, whoso hours aro longer, riot one-fourth of the holidays, and who have no superannuation to retire on. What wo want as our representatives aro statesmen, not carpet-baggers or political' adventurers, _ for thero aro numbers of members in both Houses at present who have sons and daughters in tho Education Department and- other State .Departments, and it is they who aro continually agitating for increases to school teachers. Tho whole of tho education agitation originated in Invercargill by two or threo school teachers, and ono of them showed tho sinister intention by stating that by getting an increase of salary meant a larger amount allowed under the Superannuation Act. Our railways will become a sovcro tax on tho community. Within tho last five years increases, amounting to somo six hundred thousand pounds havo been allowed, and tho railway returns for tho la?t two months show that the salaries or working expenses nearly absorb tho revenue. Such is. democracy—pandering for Government official and employees' block votes. These two Departments, not to mention the police, tho employeos_ in such aro receiving at 'the present timo tho highest pay in tho world. —I am, etc., REFORM.