THE TEACHERS' BALLOT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 36, 6 November 1920, Page 9

THE TEACHERS' BALLOT

MINISTER'S SCHEME APPROVED AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY 'Die Minister of Education (Mr. Parr) j. recently directed that a ballot should bs taken of the certificated primary school ; teachers of the Dominion on the following proposal, which is in general terms the one contained in the Education Amendment Act:— . That all appointments of teachers shall be made by all education boards in accordance with thb posilion of applicants on the graded list ' of teachers, unless the applicant is, in the opinion of the board and the senior inspector, unsuitable ior the position. Provided that special provision may be made in cjises where a particular type of teacher or a teacher with special qualifications is required. Uncertificated teachers were not asked!' to vote, since they cannot be appointed! to a position if a certificated teacher ap-' n.ics, and,' in any 'case, uncertificated teachers are not graded, so that the new proposal could not possibly apply to them. The ballot was secret, anil the opening and counting of the votes was delegated to three scrutineers appointed bv tli« i\ew Zealand Educational' institute. Tho poll has now been closed, nn.l the scrutineers have reported the to]lov.'uik result:— For the proposal '. 2283 ■ Against the proposal 798 'Informal 19 Total of votes recorded 3100 Majority for proposal 1485 I Tim li. i, i.

> The following is the result of tlic diei iTict voting:— In- . , For. Against, formal. TI. Auckland 4SU 291 7 77g Canterbury filS 56 G 580 Hawkes Bay ... 202 22 — 094 Nelson 97 6 - 103 •••• 242 154 1 397 Southland 167 25 — 199 .Taranalci 121 18 1 140 \ aiisMui 211 fiS - 279 Wellington 245 157 4 406 district undefined — 1 _i j 'J-'otals 2383 708 19 3100 Ballot papers were sent out to 3892 cortincnted teachers, and 79.6 per cent, of these recorded votes, of which 19 were intentionally invalid. Of the valid votes recorded' 74 per cent.'voted in favour of the proposal. The Minister said last night tlint the unusually large proportion of votes recorded and the endorsement of a system of Dominion appointment according to the grading list by 74 per cent, of the teachers who voted,

•' *77 V 4 ivauuciO «UU VULtfU, » was sclf-evidently a most emphatic ap-. J proyal of his policy. The result was in t contrast with that secured by threo edu--1 nation boards through the ii6e of an ob- • Bcuro ballot paper. • The Minister exprossed his ETatiflca--1 tion at the widespread and keen interest ■ which the-teachers of New Zealand had ■ evidently felt in this matter, as shown J by the response which they had made to 5 the Minister's request that every teacher 1 should record his or her vote. Tlipse - teachers would be glad to know that the J lesislation forecasted in the ballot pa-pei ' had now lieen passed, and would come 1 into effect on Junfe 1 next, when it was hoped ■ that the new system would .contribute .largely to the improvement of the conditions of the teaching service.