THE EDUCATION BILL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2213, 28 July 1914, Page 6

THE EDUCATION BILL

VIEWS OF TEACHERS DOMINION SCHEME OF PROMOTION CBj Telegraph.—Prej» Association.) Blenheim, July 27. The Marlborough Branch of the Educational Institute has resolved: "That this institute congratulates the Minister of Education on his attempt to better the conditions of teachers, but deeply regrets to iin'd that the attendance still remains the basis for the computation of salaries." , Tiie now education districts were also discussed \ and members expressed the' opinion that so far as administration was concerned, they were quite satisfied to remain under' the Marlborough Board. Figures were produced to show that the proposed now districts wero most inequitable,, and it .would.be of Httlo benefit to teachers to be incorporated with' Nelson. It was decided, therefore, to ask the Minister that whatever might be done with the boards, he establish five promotion districts, suggesting as the names of the new dietricts, , Otago and Southland, Canterbury and Nelson, Wellington and Hawke's Bay, Egmont and. Waikato, North Auckland. These districts would give all teachers much'the same chances of promotion. This, however, tho institute suggested merely as a steppingstone to what every teacher in New Zealand earnestly desired, a Dominion promotion scheme. . , ■ A deputation of teachers brought these views before the Marlborough Education Board, which body passed the following resolutions: (1) "That, taking into consideration the large areas of closer settlement and tho still larger, areas to be settled, it is essential for administrative purposes that there should be a board, the members of which would be in close touch with and have a thorough knowledge of all parts of the district, and this board strongly urges that the interests of education would be much' better served by the retention of, the Marlborough Education Board, with the inclusion in its jurisdiction of the whole of the Marlborough Sounds and. the Kaikoura Counties." ' . ~-' - : (2) "That, in the opinion of this board, the Dominion promotion 'scherne could be conveniently incorporated in tho Act by giving the advisory council, or general council, power in making teachers' appointments,, referring the same to school committees, in the 6amo manner as education boards do now." Chrlstchuroh, July 27. .' The North Canterbury Teachers' Institute, at a meeting, 'expressed approval of the Education Bill, and congratulated the Minister.' on the suggested reforms, but expressed the' opinion that no scheme of salaries based on an average attendance could' be entirely satisfactory. NATIONAL UNION OF TEACHERS. A GISBORNE AGITATION.' •' Clsborne, Juiy. 27. Tho Poverty/Bay. Branch of the Educational. Institute strongly protests against the Education Bill,, ancf passed a resolution recommending the institute to make arrangements for tho formation of a national union of the teachers of' New Zealand. ' - > ■ the' new ':.'_•' ■ ■ grey board dissents.' (Br SeUßrftßh.-PreM AiwolitionV Creymouth, July 27. A special meeting of the prey Education Board to-night considered- the Education Bill, and passed tho following resolutions: '"That while in agreement with many of the' . provisions of the proposed Bill, this board, for itself, and on v behalf of the • school committees of the district, makes an emphatic and vigorous protest against the abolition of the Grey Education District, and its,proposed incorporation with Canterbury • • "That die board strongly urges upon the Minister todeave the education district as at present, but if, Parliament refuses to do so, it requests the Government to take into consideration the selection of a now district for tho West Coast, taking in the counties of Westland, Groj's Buller, and Murchison, which with the combined boroughs have an approximate population of .40,000." CRADINC OF SCHOOLS, DIFFERENT SCALE SUGGESTED. The Northern Branch of the Wanga- : iiui Educational Institute- met at Hinvera on Saturday, last to -consider the Education BilL.lt was unanimously resolved to congratulate the Minister for Education qji the'introduction of "a greatly improved, and' liberal measure. The meeting approved of the action:of the Minister in the centralising of the inspectorate ; reduction of the number of grades of fichdols.;. increase of 'teaching power in the schools;•.establishment of model schools; election of women to/the Advisory Council for Education; retaining the average attendance of schools as thebasis of salaries, nowthat he has in the new Bill made such generous and ample'provision that the salary, of a teacher should not.be reduced through falling attendancej until the teacher affected had hadan opportunity afforded him of appointment to another position equally well paid, • and " even if the teacher refused such a position his 6alary would still be ■.maintained , unreduced'for two , years; merging the Taranaki Education Board into that of Wangaimi, instead of merely its' extension to .tbo boundaries of the Taranaki Province. (This merging would give the Taranaki teachers immensely improved opportunities of transfer and ■ promotion.) The following improvements to the Bill were ■ • ' \ Although salaries' generally are raised yet under the 'new.'Bill a teacher of a school of an ' average :of 16 to 20 would ; start with a minimum salary of £100, while'under the present scale he. would receive a Vminimum of £120: Here there , is a drop' ■of £20 in the class; of' schopl, .generally in some isolated position'away back; to which it is already almost impossible to get qualified teachers to come, and:still harder to , get them to stay. To encourage teachers to go'to such '■ schools, it is suggested that the'scale of'salaries should bo: — • ' Grade'la, average 9to 15. salary £100 to £140. ' ■ Grade Ib, average , l6 to 25, salary £140 to £170. '..-■. Grade 11, average 26 to 35, salary £180 to £210. .Grade Ilia, average 36 to 80, salary £220 to £250. The meeting considered that in schools of '200 overage or over the first assistants, whether male or female, should .receive house, allowance, and that transfer expenses of teachers should bo paid, especially where the transfer was the result of falling attendance. Instances were ' quoted where teachers promoted had such heavy travelling expenses that the improvement in salary for several years was thus swallowed up;