PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 50, 15 October 1914, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. [Per Press Association.] Wellington, October 14. The Council met at '2.30 p.m. Hon. Hardy resumed the debate on the coinmital of the . Factories Act Amendment Bill. , . Hon. -Moore withdrew his amendment that the Bili oe read six month* hence. In the.course of the debate Sir. William Hall-Jones deprecated that a Labor Bill which was sent through from the House without one dissentient voice should be treated in such a way. He criticised the findings of the Labor Bills Committee, and said that women were not well treated in woollen mills. j The Council adjourned at 5 p.m. I HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. j In reply to Mr Russell, the Minister 'of eDfence said that the men of the Iforce had been paid up in full to Sep'tember 22nd. The allocation of wages ,to dependents had not been taken, out of the pay, because the men were on 1 shore, and could make their remittances themselves. The next pay was about, due, and a deduction would be 'made in the interests of dependents. j In reply to Mr Myers, Hon. Allen jsaid that" Mr G. H. Scholefield had I been appointed to act as war correspondent at the front for the whole of the Press Of the Dominion. He hoped there would bo no disposition to regard the appointment from a party point of view, as Mr Scholefield was to act in the interests of all newspapers alike, Sir Joseph Ward said he did not wish to approach the matter from a party point of. view,: but there was a czrave doubt as to what Mr Scholefield was going to do, and by whom he was-'going'tcj be paid. He suggested that the Premier should cable Home for information as to what the position was. They all knew what., happened in connection xvith Samoa, and he did not want that sort of thing to occur again :■ TBhe Premier said he would cable Home for further information regarding Mr Scholefield's position. In' reply to Mr Campbell, Hon. W. Fraser. stated that he was making provision to relieve- unemployment in Hawke's Bay. THE EDUCATION BILL. In-the evening, Hon. Allen, .upon the motion to go into committee upon the Education "Bill, said he did not propose to go into more details regarding the Bill than necessary- District councils were established for the purpose, of advising this Minister upon local; matters. The setting up of the education council marked an important stage in educational legislation. The . centralisation of inspectors was propos- ; ftQ^ffilTE^SSnlfK^. Object." Inspectors would still remain advisers to boards, but there was a certain amount of overlapping, and centralisation would ! enable the Government to supply "inspectors where required. He pointed particularly to clause 157, which provides that each, year the inspectors should gazette a list, of all teachers classified and graded. ■ He saw no reason why this system of classification and grading should not in time become complete. It would be a simple thing for the inspectors to pick out from the top of the lists teachers qualified for progressive employment. He hoped also, that classification of teachers would enable them to be appointed by any board in New Zealand, thus cutting out the narrowing policy now prevailing. The Education Committee had decided not to fix the boundaries of the education board districts, but to leave the matter to a Commission. He hoped the House- would help him to increase the size of these districts. Members had something more to do than to look after local interests. They had the general education scheme.of New Zealand to consider. Greater opportunities would be . given to teachers ■ under the provisions of the Bill than any mere increase of pay. He outlined the schedule of grading, which showed that substantial increases in salaries were proposed in all grades. It was also proposed to grade inspecsalaries in districts where there was a large number of small schools. A larger amount of money would be provided to carry on school committee work. Better provision would be made for payment of teachers in back blocks. There was' some difficulty in arranging to pay married teachers the expenses of transfers. He'felt it was rather hard that a head-teacher should have a hous allowance and a married assistant get nothing. He intended to ask the Houso to agree to an amendment in the direction of paying increased salane's to married assistants, at the rate of £2O per annum. The proposals would mean an increase of £II,OOO per annum. Dealing with the question of equal pay for equal" work between men and women, he said thoy could not judge payment by the work of the day. They had to take it es a life's work. Women left the service very much earlier than men to enter upon more important work as wives and mothers, and he wanted male "teachers to be in a ]>osition to keep their wives and families at least in decency. The cost of increased salaries - would be £IOO.OOO per annum. When the present Bill came into operation the cost of education will be £873,000: He paw no reason why the increases should not- come into operation in Jahunry, 1915. In conclusion, he paid a warm tribute to the Svork of the TnspectorGeneri.l of Schools.

Mr Poland, while approving generally, of the Bill, strongly objected to the establishment oi district councils and the ' reduction of educating distrirfcs. The Bill" shelved the respondhilitv for the reduction of educations! district?, on to a Commission, which, >vas not satisfactory. The House should decide the matter itself.

Mr (?. M. Thomson said the ctreat majority of the teaching profe-;T&<m