THE EDUCATION BILL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2212, 27 July 1914, Page 6

THE EDUCATION BILL

TECHNICAL SCHOOL STAFFS NO SCALE OF SALARIES PROVIDED SOME SUGGESTIONS .' At a meeting held iii the library of the Wellington Technical School on Saturday, to consider the Education 'Bill, delegates were present who represented the day school staffs at Auckland, Wangauui, Napier, Nelson, Christehurch, Wostport, Greymouth, and Invereargill. Mr. Armour (Wanganui) presided, and the following resolutions were adopted:— (1) This meeting of delegates from teohnical day school staffs regrets that the Minister of Education has provided no scale of salaries for teachers in technical high schools. (2) That failing such scale, grants' for technical high schools should be, as far as possible in accordance with those to be made to secondary schools under the tenth schedule to the Education Bill. (3) That, in tho opinion of delegates, tlie tenth schedule to the Education Bill should apply to teohnical high schools, with the following adjustments: — (a) £100 in tho first line of the schedule should be £200, and £9 iu Clause "d" should bo made £10. These alterations were considered desirable, owing to the highest cost of maintenance in technical schools. , (b) In proviso (iii), the average salary should be at least £276—the average salary now paid in at least one technical day.school. (c) In proviso (iv), the average salary should be £200, owing to the wider qualifications needed nutech-. nical schools. _, (d) Students in training should be exoluded from the operation of the tenth schedule. (e) The maximum number of hours of teaching for technical high'. . school teachers should be 25 per week, exclusive of 'time devoted to physical culture, drill, and sports. Mr. Armour dissented from this clause. (*) 'That delegates are of opinion that technical school teachers should have a representative, separate) and distinct from the representative of secondary school teachers, on the General Council of Education. (5) That the question of salaries and conditions for teachers in manual training centres should receive attention. It was resolved.to submit these resolutions to the Minister ef -Education, the chairman of tho Education Committeo, and the Inspector-General. It was further resolved:— (1) That the Canterbury. Technical School Teachers' Association .consult with other local associations, in order to prepare a draft constitution for a proposed N.Z. Technical School Teachers' Association, and submit this to a future meeting of delegates, to be convened by the Canterbury Association. s (2) That tho delegates presentform themselves'tihto a provisional' executive committee, and that Mr. G. J. Park (Christehurch) be elected secretary and treasurer.. . 3. That the meeting regrets that the Wellington Technical School Assistants' Association decided_ not to bo. represented at the meeting. A vote of thanks to the. authorities of tho Wellington Technical School for tho use of a meeting room, aiid the lady- teachers for. generous hospitality, was unanimously accorded. MEETINCS ELSEWHERE. . WAIRARAPA TEACHERS AND THE BILL. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Masterton,:July26. At a largo and representative meeting of Wairarapa teachers held at MasterTon on Saturday, the Hon. J. Allen's Education Bill _was considered, and a series of resolutions were passed, among which were tho following:—, "That this meeting appreciates the pains and ability bestowed! on the Bill, but is of opinion that to give lasting satisfaction the salaries attached to responsible positions (namely, to- those : that are essentially married men's positions) must bo substantially, increased: "That the Minister bo recommended to add a sub-clauso to Clause 131, making provision for necessary surgical, medical, or dental treatment of childTen reported upon by the medical inspectors, but whose parents. cannot afford to obtain such treatment; "That the Government be strongly urged to make provision in the new Biil for payment of house allowance to all married male teachers; "That this institute reaffirms the principle that any satisfactory scheme of salaries must be based on efficiency and servico;; "That the transfer _ expenses , of all teachers should be paid." MAXIMUM SALARIES. (St Teleerapli.—Prosa AB»uoiation.< Hastings, July 25. At a meeting of the Napier branch of tbo Hawke's Bay Educational Insttute this morning a sub-committee was appointed to inquire into the anomalies and inadequacies of the new salaries scheme in the Education B,ill. and forward a report to the Minister of Education, through tlie executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute. A resolution Was carried congratulating the Government on the introduction of the Education Bill on broad and statesmanlike lines, but expressing the opinion that the maximum salary should bo £500 and house allowance, and the minimum £120 and house allowance, aud that tho intermediate, grades be made to correspond further, that teachers be paid on efficiency and length of. service, and not on the attendance of pupils. ■ ' CONGRATULATIONS. Dunedin, July 25. At a meeting of the Otago branch of the Educational Institute to-day the following resolution was carried by 45 votes to 37: —"That this meeting congratulate the Minister of Education on the introduction of an Education Bill providing for a moro liberal teaching staff and increased salaries, and for the grading of teachers, which latter reform, it is hoped, will lead to the computation of salaries on tho basis of efficiency and service. Thoso composing the minority vote objected to the scale of salaries, not to the Bill as a whole. It was further resolved that the number of Education Districts should bo four; also that the minimum salary of inspectors be £500. SALARIES. ' Oainaru, April 25. The North Otago Board of the, Otago Educational Institute adopted a resolution thanking the Minister for; what was plainly an holiest attempt to increase the salaries of teachers, but considers that a more thorough comparison of the old. scale with tho proposal will reveal several anomalies that should be remedied. ■ SOME ANOMALtES POINTED OUT. Feilding, July 25. ' Members of the' Wauganui Education Board, with Mr. G...D. Braik: Chief Inspector) and Mr.. Swa'nger (secretary), $ho!d a conference here yesterday, and !.considered the Education Bill. It jras.

arranged that Mr. Braik should give evidence, and, if possible, the ohairman (Mr. Pirani) ; should also appear beforo the' Education Committee of tho Houso of Representatives. Amongst the anomalies objected to was tho proposal to pay head teachers and assistants of girls' schools and infant schools £60 and £40 a year respectively less than similar teachers of mixed schools. TARANAKI SCHOLARSH T PS. Stratford, July 23. ■ An enthusiastic and representative meeting last night passed a resolution protesting against the proposed extinction of the Taranaki Education Board, and calling on the Government to reenact in the present Education Bill clauses dealing with Taranaki scholarships. . ■ "• APPRECIATION IN AUCKLAND. Auokland, July 26. A largely attended meeting oi the Educational Institute yesterday considered" the new Education Bill, and decided to ask:' That the inspectorate bo represented on the Council of Education; that teachers be directly represented on the district councils; that there be not moro than five education districts: and that moro liberal staffing bo provided for., It was unanimously resolved that the meeting should express appreciation of the general features of tuc Bill, and congratulated tho Minister of Education on introducing so progressive and comprehensive a measure. PAYMENT ON ATTENDANCE. 1 New Plymouth, July 26. The Teachers' Institute to-day passed a resolution of appreciation of the 'Education Bill,, especially : in regard .to tho forward move in connection with salaries, the establishment of a. Council of Education, the enlargement of education' districts, staffing of .schools, and the transfers of teachers, but points out that there are anomalies still existing, such as payment, on attendance, appointment of teachers, and the absence, of any provision for transfer expenses, • or for a Dominion scale of sick pay; tfie removal of which anomalies would make the Bill even more valuable to the cause of Education. It was resolved: "That the attention of the Minister be called to the small increase in salary in- schools with an average attendance of from 81 to 120." UNENDOWED HIGH SCHOOLS. Gore, July 25. At a meeting of the Gore High School Board of Governors, the provisions of the Education Bill were discussed. It was decided to point out to the Minister that under the Bill the finance of unendowed schools will be seriously affected by the provision that &Yl 5.05. per pupil' capitation will be paid. Salaries would leave a deficit of £212 on the basis of last year's school roll.- Under the Bill* the salaries here amount to £2036, including a special grant of £100 leaving a surplus of £176, but as tlie expenditure of the management of tho schools totals £386, there is a deficit of £212. The hoard considers that the capitation for unendowed schools should at least be £15 per pupil. Special grants for improvements locally are extra.