TEACHERS’ SALARIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 785, 4 October 1929, Page 11

TEACHERS’ SALARIES

fourth edition

MEMBERS ADVOCATE INCREASE ESTIMATES HELD UP (THE SUSS Parliamentary Reporter) PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Today. When the Education Department’s estimate (£3.170.668) was submitted, ■while the House was in committee of supply. Mr. J. A. Nash moved that the sum he reduced by £lO on the ground that no provision had been made for an increase in the salaries of the headmasters of primary schools. Mr. Nash pointed out that the salaries of these officers compared very unfavourably with those of headmasters of secondary schools. ~>lr. H. T. Armstrong said he considered all teachers’ salaries should be increased. Mr. Nash: Then move a further amendment. Mr. Armstrong: That might come, but perhaps if we give the Minister time he will state that something is to be (lone. Mr. Armstrong, continuing, said that school building was being held up, owing to the delay in the decision in regard to junior high schools. Mr. R. McKeen also advocated an increase in teachers’ salaries, saying that the duties of primary school headmasters were quite as important as those of headmasters of secondary schools. Mr. R. A. Wright suggested that the building of schools should proceed norniallv. pending decision in relation to the junior high schools. TEACHING THE BLIND Mr. W- J- Jordan asked whether the ‘School Journal’’ would be made available free ol charge to all pupils. He a l«o asked whether the Government would make provision, if not to take over the Jubilee Institute, then to take pome steps in the direction of increasing the facilities for teaching the blind. Mr. A. M. Samuel supported the amendmen t. Mr. I*. Eraser said the Reform administration had been in favour of increasing the headmasters* salaries but had been hindered by finance. The present Minister had agreed that an increase was required and that any delay in granting it could only be a matter of finance. The teachers’ battle had been won and he suggested to Mr. Nash that it would be a wiser plan, in the interests of teachers, to support the Government’s endeavour to raise finance by taxation than to put out of office a Government that was favourable to an increase. DISPARITY INDEFEASIBLE The Minister of Education, the Hon. 11. Atmore, said he stood by his answers to the deputation when he had agreed that the disparity between the salaries of headmasters of primary schools and those of secondary schools was indefensible. Mr. Fraser had been right in saying that the matter was entirely one of finance. Mr. Atmore declared there had been no shortening in supplies for other necessary buildings, pending a decision in respect to the junior high schools. Mr. J. McCombs ifaid that Mr. Nash might inadvertently have rendered a (iis-service to the teachers in moving the amendment. He had placed members in the position of having to decldo whether to vote against the Minister, who had been favourable to increasing headmasters’ salaries, or to vote for the placing on record that the House rejected the amendment in favour of an increase. Replying to Mr. W. Lee Martin, Mr. Atmore said the Government would do anything it could to assist higher education in the country areas. It was the Government's policy to carry educational facilities as far as possible into rural districts.

Replying to Mr. J. S, Fletcher, the Minister said he was in favour of openair schools and would extend the princljfte wherever possible. He said he would secure an estimate of the cost of supplying school journals free to all pupils, and he would also look into the position of the teachers of the blind. TJ»e House adjourned at 1 p.m.