A MISERABLE PITTANCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10297, 4 June 1919, Page 4

A MISERABLE PITTANCE

TEACHERS' SALARIES OBSERVATIONS BY MINISTER FOR EiniCATION. Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, June 3. Replying to-day to a deputation from Canterbury College, who detailed requirements aggregating £BO,OOO, the jLloji,\j. A. Hanan said that the Minis-<tei'3i-"'for Education throughout the British Empire and the United States of America were considerably handicapped in their efforts to bring about certain reforms owing to the fact that there was no. adequate supply or properly-trained . teachers, ..more particularly irialo teach-.ers..,,.-.Reports irom. .the. countries referred to all stressed the fact that tins shortage was mainly due to the salaries an tho .past being inadequate and the prospects before the teacher' in this profession were not such as to encourage young people to'enter the service. Tne fact was that a miserable pittance, com- . paratively speaking, had been given to . the teacher as a salary, and that largely accounted for the unfortunate position.. in ' which the Ministers -for Education found themselves when endeavouring to give effect to such reforms as.the re-. . diictjon of the size of classes- and .so "forth';' ' There was now. a wave sweepr"' ing over the Empire and over progressive parts, qf the world which showed . that, people were beginning to recognise the importance and value of education, with the result that considerable attention was being directed to the, question of improving the position of teachers ,',with %Ho object not onij'bf' maintaining the present personnel," but also .. of making the teaching profession more attractive to promising and intellectual , v young people. ....'..'.'....•..' /'.„.__'.-,',, As to the Canterbury College request,' : he asked the board to bear in mind that the funds at his disposal were limited, and that there were other districts in the Dominion anxious to obtain a large share "of public., expenditure. To meet the educational..needs, of the many'ap-'.. plications ..that <\vera.coming in to-Mm. involved such a large expenditure.ihat ... the education vote, although it had - ■ been increased of late, particularly foT .-.- buildiug purposes, was not. sufficient to meet the increasing, wants and, require- f . .ments.brought under liis ! npti£e>,.: ' :!