NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 74, 21 December 1918, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

A -iieasukb of justice is done to school k'achers in the salary increases which were sit out in our news columns on Thursday, but the MjxjSTEk of Education himself admits that he "wouid like to , have been able to make some other improvements;"' The truth to be faced is that the profession of teaching will never bo established on a satisfactory basis in this country until it is remunerated, with reference to service rendered and to the salaries paid in competing occupations in consideration of ability and attainments in no way superior to those of a qualified teacher. Until this basis is accepted it is of little use to talk about attracting some of the best of the rising generation into the teaching profession. It is, perhaps, as true of teaching as of any occupation that those who take it up are far from being concerned only about the amount of salary obtainable, but it .would .bo equally unjust and inexpedient' to trado upon this fact in keeping teaching, as it is at present, the worst paid of all professions. The Education Department has effected some appreciable improvements of late in dealing with the'payment of teachers, notably in substantially increasing the amounts paid to probationers and pupil teachers, but there is still plenty of scope for comprehensive reform.

It would Ijc an ungracious act to allow the' passing of the Sydney Street Soldiers' Club to take placo without some' public acknowledgment of the splendid service rendered by those ladies \yho conceived the idea of <jts establishment and who have since so successfully conducted its management. The club has undoubtedly been the most popular rendezvous in the'city for soldiers on leave from the training camps, and deservedly so. The pr<> vision made for the comfort and convenience of' the men was such as to attract very large numbers at all times, while,the special entertainment so liberally provided and the cheerful spirit of hospitality invariably extended to the men from other parts of the Dominion did much to brighten their idle hours and hearten them for the tasks ahead. It-says , much for the capacity of the ladies concerned in the management of the club, as well ;is for their whole-hearted zeal and untiring industry, that they have been able to so successfully carry'on so large an undertaking without the aid of the- sterner sex. Contributors to the funds, of the club have had the satisfaction of knowing that the money has been expended to the best possible advantage, and that many thousands of our""soldiers hate been cheered and benefited thereby.

The statement that no shipping will be available for many months for emigrants to leave the Motherland for new homes overseas touches the, fringe- of. what is regarded in Britain as a question of vital importance. ' The war has , made the people of Britain far better acquainted with conditions in the Overseas Dominions than would have been possible in a generation under ordinary circumstances. Tens of thousands of young men from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and South Africa have been mixing with the soldiers of Britain and wjth the people of the Homeland, and in most cases they have been great ."boosters" of their respective countries. British soldiers have, of course, learned of the higher pay and better scale of pensions and ailowances which the overseas soldiers have been receiving, and the overseas troops have not been backward in supplementing this information rfith particulars of .the scale of pay aiid working conditions generally in the countries they hail from. As a result it was generally anticipated , that, at the close of the war there would be a great rush of emigration from- Britain to the outlying parts of- the-Empire. British statesmen have been showing sonic concern'as to. the''possibilities .in this direction, and it has been strongly urged that one of the first questions requiring consideration under the reconstruction schemes of tn'e Government was the combating of the lure of'the Overseas Dominions by promoting attractive schemes of land settlement in England. With its depleted man power due to the war, Britain can ill spare the class of men likely to venture .overseas in search of new homes and wider chances of advancement, and it may be taken for granted that no effort will be spared to, keep emigration down to a minimum. One factor which will assist in this direction will be the discouragement afforded emigrants owing to the difficulties which will confront all the younger parts of the Empire in arranging for the repatriation of their own soldiers. These naturally will receive first'consideration, and whatever the. future may. hold it is unlikely that there will be any influx, of immigrants here or elsewhere for some time to come.