RIVAL SERVICES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 303, 16 September 1920, Page 6

RIVAL SERVICES

DEPARTMENTS AND SCHOOLS

NEED FOR HIGHER SALARIES FOR 1 TEACHERS

The (relative advantages offered to members of the general Public Service and tho teaching profession, both being under tho control of the State, were discussed by the Wellington Education Board at its meeting yesterday. A statement was received from the executive of the New Zealand Education Boards' Association regarding tho present conditions of engagement in Die teaching service, compared with thoso recently announced by the Public Service Commissioner. Inter alia, tho executive stated:-

"In practice the young teacher, after leaving college, must be first appointed, and twice subsequently appointed to the next higher grade if the maximum figure quoted is to be received. The executive has purposely omitted opportunities which exist of skipping n grade in promotion. It quite understands that tho scale of tho'teacher is still to be. revised, and it will require all the revision Parliament can afford it to save the country from educational disaster. The boards eagerly desire the welfare of teachers. They 'also represent the parents of New Zeaiand and are deeply concerned with the problems of the immediate future. If the Public Service, if commerce, if the professions, if industry in town and country—if these are to be highly efficient, then first and last, and all the time, tho teaching profession must be highly efficient. And how is this to bo attained? How is this efficient supply of young people of the requisite mental and moral calibre to bo assured? The conditions are partly material, partly moral. The State must recognise a duty: (1) to pay its teachers fairly; (2) to increase the emoluments from the earlier years' aftor entry into the profession of teacher; (3) to remove the olv stacles-in law and regulation to fair and regular advancement as the. reward of meritorious work; (I) .to increase the increments to undertake country work/ Problem to be Faced. The statement continues: "It is this problem with which the recently-appoint-ed Minister is face to face. He has evinced enthusiasm in his work, and he may rely on the support he requires from the parent* of this country and from their representatives, the boards; It has always been felt that the State hasten slow to recognise the needs and to improve the conditions of the teaching profession. In the past, other branches of the Public Service have beon accorded much more prompt and generous treatment. Let this be changed, as it is now full time that the teaching profession should receive equality of treatment If the difficulty is faced and solved with frankness and friendliness of attitude, the executive is convinced that our teachers will respond with a loyalty and an enthusiasm which will reward the whole" community of youth. "In the'following figures a comparison is made between the salary and allowances given in the Public Service and education service, the lodging allowances being given in parentheses:—First year: Public Service .£125 (£«>),. education service £90 (£20); second.year: Public Service ,£l3O (.£3O), education service £100 (£25); third year: Public Service .£135 (£2O), education service .£llO (.£25); fourth year: Public Service .£l4O (nil), education service .£llO (£25); fifth year: Public Service £180 (nil), education service £110 (,£25). From tho sixth to tho twelfth year of service the Public Service officer receives salary as follows:.£215, .£230. .£250, ,£270, .£290, .£3lO, and £320. For the same period the teacher receives annually .£155, .8165, £175, £185, £195, £205, and £215,» The total salary paid the Public Sorvife officer for twelve years is £2575, and £1815 is, received by the teachor." Improvement Needed. Supplementing the statement, tho chairman o! the board madtf reference to tho advertising scheme inaugurated by the Public Service Commissioner. Ho considered there should bo an improvement in the conditions governing the education service. Tho emolument in the Public Service was high; and without higher rates of pay in tho education service it would be impossible, he thought, to obtain the class of youth desired in the teaching profession. The examinations necessary in tho teaching service were higher and harder than in. tho Public Service.

Mr. Forsyth referred to the bonus recently granted the officials of the Public Service, and contrasted with it the- bonus probably to be granted teachers—.£ls for married and £1 10s. for unmarried members of the service.

Mr. Grundy: IS it not true that Public Service cadets receive free instruction?

Mr. Forsyth: Yes; and I understand that the Department has arranged for reduced accommodation rates for them." Continuing, Mr. Forsyth said that undoubtedly there was great disaffection in the teaching service on account of the great discrepancy, as compared with tho Public Service. He considered that the teachers wore doing sen-ice as worthy as that done by the staff of other Departments.

A charge of inconsistency was made against the Government by Mr. G. London, who referred to tho desire of educationists to increase tho school ago. It seemed now that the Public Service aimed at obtaining boys under the age proposed.

It was decided to send a copy of the executive's statement to each member of the Legislative Council and the House of Representatives. '