THE PREMIER IN SOUTHLAND

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 101, 18 April 1908, Page 2

THE PREMIER IN SOUTHLAND

IAILWAYS' AND TEACJIKKS' DEPUTATIONS. IVr Press Association. Invcrearg'd], Ln.st Niglit. Tin l t'riinu Mininter paid a living ■isit lo lini'iiaigill to deparllicntai Hiatti»rs. He miehud here 011 A ; udiu a sduy ovoniuy. and left again for the iN'urth on Kriilay afti'i'iioon. During his stay two deputations waited on liiiu. Ten settlers from Tokonui urged more rapid progress Iteing made with Lhi' T«»konui railway extension of the Seaward Hush line. There had been £40,000 placed on the estimates .for this line, and though work on it progressing rapidly al the Callms end of the. line in (Jingo, very little was 1 !>eing done at the Tokonui end in Southland; in fact, work there had been .slowed down. .Sir Joseph said he would be pleased to speak to the Minister for ltailways about it. The C40,0U0 was intended for the prosecution of the railway generally, and it could not be laid down as a hard and fast rule Unit a particular amount would be expended at one end, and a proportion on the other. What was wanted was a fair amount to

>e expended on each cud. An impression existed that the whole of a vote must be expended by March 31, and, if not, they would miss portion of it, but that was not so. They bad been trying to spend votes on railways, but there hnd been dillienlties at times in doing ,o. It had been diliicult to obtain suit-■ able men at times, but this position had been relieved to a certain vxtciit. were occasionally employed at more remunerative worK, such as harvesting, lie was anxious Lo see railways pushed on, and would do all he could to help.

A deputation from the Teachers' inslitutc laid several grievances before tl„ Minuter. Mr. U. Chirk spoke on me (liii'oulenl in me aervice oil uecoiii vf salaries 'belli" l«i«xl ou average .< •• temlallee, ami save -specille mslanees o lw<s U) teachers through no lau't 01 their own. Mr. W. «. Mehaffcy spoke of the stiperiitinUiilion scheme, and i=aid leathers received only lwlf in Uw niiitler of back pay of that provided m in other superannuation schemes, icacner- wauled lo be brought into line iviin oUier selieines, or as an allornalive would like the privilege of being brought under the civil servanls' scheme Ml. A. iuglis brought forward general uissatislaction with the present prouioliou system, and urged upon the Minister the necessity for making Education Boards supreme in the matter of ap pointing teachers. He cited instances of a recent appointment in invercavgui which had excited general discontent among teachers, and said that a scheme from the New Zealand Teachers' institute would he submitted to the Minister for Education in a few days. Sir Joseph said the chairman of the

Otago Education .Board had taken a remark of his made a few days ago in Dimedin to mean that the liovermne.it was anxious to Lake complete cuargc oi iln- whole education system, and he dm noi wi-ii Liiat implication to hj tauen from anything he might say thai day. Tlic tpiestions of lh< 1 app'Oimuient ami promotion of teachers, and the supeiannuation scln.'ine devised for their benefit had presented no little dilliculty to those who had had the responsibility on their shoulders. The problem was to see how the teachers employed by the different bodies could he treated just as if there were no sectional districts, if it were possible, the whole of the teachers, as was the case with the railways, would come under one organised ■system when the difficulties would largely disappear. The Government were anxious to help teachers, but had to keep before them the troubles which the system created. So far as superannuation was concerned, next session I an attempt would be made to improve the 'position of the teachers. The Government hoped to be able to submit a system that would give satisfaction ( to the teachers generally. With regard to average attendance and teachers' salaries, the matter was very importantAn attempted improvement had been carried out, but evidently it was not sufficient to meet cases such as those that ! luid been referred to. This matter would require to be further considered with a view to preventing lluetuations. Sir Joseph was banquetted at the Bluff'.