SCHOOL TEACHERS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 1009, 8 December 1881, Page 4

SCHOOL TEACHERS.

Teachers have just cause for complaint against the Government for the treatment which they have received in the matter of reductions in salaries. A year or so ago there was such a hubbub about the financial state of the 'Government that heavy reductions in expenditure were made in each branch of the Civil Service. Education suffered the heaviest blow of all, and, as if to ruin the scheme entirely, the -capitation grant was subsequently withdrawn on all children below five years of age. Altogether, reductions in the grant for Education purposes have been made to the extent of about 17 per cent. Teachers have had to bear the brunt of these reductions, and many of them have been forced to deny themselves and their families many ordinary comforts in conse--quence. We observed that during the passing of the estimates for the current year by the Government, several members expressed themselves as strongly sympathising with certain of the Civil servants who had been reduced 10 per •cent., and it was decided by vote of the House to give them back the 10 per cent, as from July last. Contrast this with the action of the House towards teachers. Who spoke in their favour ? Who inquired how many teachers had been forced to cease payment of their insurance dues because of the Government reductions in the Education grant ? Who asked that the old payment should again be made to Education Boards so that they ■might pay the teachers what had been taken from them ? Not a member of the House raised his voice in favour of Education or of those who are entrusted with duties and responsibilities second to none in importance in this •country ! Such treatment is not honourable to the Government or the ■country at large. It seems as if the =cry of impeeuniosity on the part of the Government had been got up simply to damage the Education scheme by the withdrawal of a portion of the Government capitation allowance, else why return the 10 per cent to all the Civil servants except teachers ? We ■consider the Government should have treated the teachers in the same manner as the other Civil servants, and we shall continue to protest against such palpable injustice, by which one branch of the Civil Service obtains a very great and unfair advantage over another branch of the Service, simply because the one is politically strong and the other is not. Can it be said that teachers have no grievances to ventilate ?— N. Z. Schoolmaster.