NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 227, 3 October 1901, Page 3

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

THE TEACHING PROFESSION,

j The following is the text of a petition | recently signed by the certificated teachers jof the Gisborne district :—“ That equality of opportunity shorn be regarded as the birthright of every X, v Zealander, irrespective of class or -ex. ”hat your petitioners have obtainc 1 c ficates in the teaching profession, in tin xaminations for which the conditions vre equal for both sexes. That there is ,i manifest anomaly in demanding equal proficiency for both men and women teachers, and in afterwards throwing open to men (to the exclusion of women) the highest and most remunerative positions in the profession, That some of the statements made before :he recent Salaries Commission were without reasonable evidence in their support, md were highly injurious to women Odchers, notably the one which declared hat ‘ women are not capable of teaching he higher standards.’ That until women lave opportunities afforded them for provng their efficiency for the higher posiions, it is grossly unfair to declare that bev are incapable of filling such positions, 'hat where the work of men and women

teachers is capable of comparison, because accomplished under similar conditions, it can be shown that the work of the women teachers is quite equal to that of men teachers. Y’our petitioners therefore pray that your honorable House will take such steps as will open every position in the public schools of the colony' to whoever may bo the most suitable candidate, regardless of sex, and that in all instances -final remuneration shall be given for -‘final work. And your petitioners, as in iuty bound, will ever pray.” At the usual monthly meeting of the executive of the local Council of Waiapu Aomen, the following resolutions were 'asset! unanimously(l) That in the pinion of this meeting, besides the inustice of sex discrimination among the eacher.s of our public schools, our children re the poorer for it, inasmuch as aptitude jr teaching, ability to control, the happy wile tact (unerring guide in the managelent of the young) are not monopolies of len, and that, therefore, fitness should be ic sole test for any position in the üblic schools. (2) That “equal pay for jual work ” is a question of mere comicrcial morality, and that in the highest terests of pupils and others, who are apt retleet on such ungenerous enactment, i well as of the injured instructors, it is

time our statute books were relieved of such old time ideas.

It was also proposed, seconded, and passed unanimously : “ That this meeting desires to record a vote of thanks to Mr J ohnston for the firm stand he has made on the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board re the erection of a suitable building for infectious diseases within the precincts of Gisborne Hospital,