TEACHERS’ SALARIES

Hokitika Guardian, 15 July 1924, Page 4

TEACHERS’ SALARIES

o | .‘•“YSTIS.M INVESTIGATED. j UK PORT OF A dOXFEREXCE. WEEKiXGTOX, July 12. Sonic- valuable recommendations regarding the system under which the seule of salaries for teachers should he drafted have hocn received h.v the Mon C. J. Parr. .Minister of Education, from a conference uf departmental officers and representatives of the teacher-.. As a result, the Education Department will prepare a draft of amendments to the present scale, which will he submitted to the Teachers’ Institute and Education Hoards for further consideration and comment . The committee was set up as a result of a ernfetenee between the Minister of Education and the Xew Zealand Educational Institute. It comprises the Director of Education 'Mr J. Cnughley), Mr A. Bell (secretary of the Department), Mr F. Marry (President Xew Zealand Educational Institute, Mr 11. A. Parkinson (secretary), Miss J. A. Finlayson, Miss F. M. Hind, and Mr T. Kane, also representin'; the Institute, and Messrs E. E. Purdie. S. M. Park, H. S. Hilton (Assistant sol-rotary), and \V. 1.. Dunn, secretaries of education hoards. What is known as lhe Kanc-llyUon s'lieme was lullv considered, actual test- of every individual teacher’s casein two districts bein'' submitted, (ogetlsor with estimates of the cost compiled by Mr Kane. It was shown that as aptirnved by the institute, the cost of this scheme would be prohibitive, and that if the settle rates were brought down so as to brine; the expenditure within ranee of the present outlay, the reduced rates would not, according to a maioritv of the committee. lie acceptable to tlie teachers themselves. The reduction o! settle rates would largely increase the burden that would have to he carried lor a greater number of years resulting from 11 to over-scale salaries ol teachers who, under the present scheme are receivin'' eon-iderably more than they would under the Knne-1 lyllott scheme. WKAKXKSS OF THE SCHEME. The evidence before the eoinmiltea .'bowed that tiite id the Ilium tendencies of this -rheme would be to heuclU the woiia-ii teachers largely at the expense of the men teachers, by considerably reducing lie- financial inducements for men to enter the profession. Figures were also submitted which, it Wits urged, showed that, the women teachers, from the economic Standpoint arc. tinder the present scale paid at least as well as the men. It was also claimed in lurther statements to tin- committee that the country school- would sillier through the aggregation of the lie-t teachers in the town- and that similarly, tins larger districts would hem-lit at the expense o; the smaller on*-.-. It was ttlso shown that the stall' transfers would lie at least a- iiiiiuc rot:* as liilder Lite present system, while any attempt to remedy this by compulsory transter of teachers to positions for which they did not wish to apply would present endless troubles. The representative* of the institute slated that they were not wedded to the Kane-I l \ltd scheme, but they urged the principle of payment id teachers necnrdiiu' to their (ptaliliiaiioiis in-lead of to the position they belli; also they stood for an eiptal basic salary on efficiency fur men and women, with allowance for married responsibilities and special positions. The Director of Education staled that (lie Department could not undertake to irume any scale based oil principles which would diminish the present inducements to melt, ami , which were onlv siiffieittlt to secure tile rei|itisite number of male teachers. Further, he said that the tn-in- • it.-!'- ~l of-.i't-g '-I t!:e '|!l:lbli'. ati'iii-. without regard to the positi'iii held, I. oiii* that has not been adopted and could lint lie adopted by any employer, or by r.nv government or institution in the world, lie oifered to -upply any data or information which the intitule might requrio to enable it. if ii so desired, to frame a schem - o-i the principles advocated, while keeping within the present expenditure. The committee next discussed the present seal.- with a view to its simplification and improvement. The Minister of Education attended tlioi final Hireling of the rntnmilice to heara brief ivonri on its work, and lie expressed his .satisfaction with the eottstieni ion . la hours of the commute:-. Mr Manx, president of the Educational Institute, expressed appr.-i iat ii.-I of the opportunity .given for the discussion, and added that the ground had been cleared in many ways, and that a great deal of good work iwittld result. i .Mr I’urdie, secretary of the A nek-’ laud Education Hoard remarked that only those intimately connected wilh! the working of the hoards could up-

predate lhe extent of ibe improve* incuts made in the stalling ami accommodation in schools during the lasi live or six years. These he considered were largely duo to the encouragement of the Minister and the Department and would certainly work out for the betterment of the children of tlie Dominion. Mr Pair as-ured llie committee that Ids desire was to see education take iis proper place in ihe estimation of the public, and lie felt that in recent years a great advance had been made. Me wished to see the teachers as satisfied as possible with the scale ol salaries. and lie would always he prepared to listen to any reasonable and prae-l tieable proposals in this direction.