TEACHERS' DEMANDS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 222, 14 June 1920, Page 6

TEACHERS' DEMANDS

■ MINISTER DEPRECATES BELLICOSE ;.;..-, ,„',;,.,| ...'RESOLUTIONS.

i ' Resolutions:'ffecefotly passed by - meetfugs'of teachers were commented on by tnejfinister of Education on Saturday, I .■'• "The- position," said Mr. Parr, "is. mm clear. ' A 'little over a fortnight !: : ggo the New Zealand Educational Insti- , iute, which ..'represents all ■' teachers, i .placed before mo for the first time speciJflc claims with regard to increased ; i,ealaries.,.. I then fold the institute that 3 would'place their'representations be- : ;for© Cabinet as forcibly as I could. I 1 ijhftve carried out this promise. Such, t°Z? Ter ' nre - tlle •■'"""terous differences ■ ■ ibetween efficiency and pay in many ;•■■ .cases in the teaching .profession, thnlt i't i+ookMr. Cauphley and myself nearly a ; .fortnight .considering a iair scheme by •■which the meritorious should, get higher ' toward than" the indifferent. The matter is now before Cabinet. ThcEinance ■■ .Minister informod ino last week that the' teachers' salaries would be. considered .with-iother branches of the Public Ser'•nce. ...When Parliament shortly meelts, no floubt: an announcement will be made of : the Government's views, if not before. I really; do.not know what more could have • been done for the .teachers in the short • i : time.thali-1 have held office. In' view • of these fact?, bellicose and unreasonable i ; : ' resolutions from one or two districts do I i not .help matters. Indeed, foolish taci,tics may oflten. spoil a good cause. The rather thinly-veiled threat of tho Otago [teachers to so to any length—even direct action,_ I presume-does not help me in ', the slightest, in, my sincere endeavours ,to better the conditions of the profession." ':>-