TEACHER’S SALARIES COMMISSION.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 29 May 1901, Page 4

TEACHER’S SALARIES COMMISSION.

[per press association]

Tijiaru, May 27

The Education Commission opened here to-day. Bell, Inspector and acting Secretary to the Board oi Education, showed that the amended scale of staffing did not differ greatly from that existing in South Canterbury. Ho thought £BO a minimum salary for women teachers, £6O being hardly a living wage. In small schools a femkle does quite as good work as a male. Howell, Chairman of the Board, Held that the incidental allowance was quite adequate. He did not see where more power was given committees in the selection of teaching. He did not think the powers of the Boards should be enlarged nor should they be curtailed. Ho did not think the colonial scale would really reduce their powers. Women would not prefer the colonial scale of promotions, as local knowledge. The best he thought would be some allowance for sickness. His Board did that and found tor paying relieving teachers. Hogben said that this had been omitted in his scheme.

Barclay, a member of the Board said that no provision had been made for additional staffing of the District High Schools and said there should be 7th standard teaching in some secondary subjects. Most country teachers could teach the 7ch Standard, and the grant given them was a good thing for education if that were done, but they would need a larger endowment for the Board or a capitation grant. Ho had the greatest objection to the colonial scale. It was not weakening of the Boards but the strengthening of the teachers against the Department. Women would not object to a superannuation scheme provided the teachers contributed. The Government Chief Inspector suggested that the scale of certificates should not be made a hard and fast rule as applied to teachers already in employment. It would be well to tell young teachers that they must gain these certificates, but those who had been in the service a long time with lower certificates should receive consideration. He, wished to see provision made for assisting P. T’s to go to some central training college. Teachers of standard 4, 5 and 6 should be males. He wished to discuss the question of District High Schools, but the commission deqjjued to do this. Of the Colonial scale all the witnesses approved in general over the superannuation scheme.

Mr J. A. Johnson, representing the teachers, said that all were more or less satisfied except'some females, who expressed dissatisfaction at the smaller pay.