TARANAKI TEACHERS' INSTITUTE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 173, 13 July 1908, Page 4

TARANAKI TEACHERS' INSTITUTE.

About thirty teachers attended the annual meeting of the Taranaki branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute at tile Education Hoard's rooms on Saturday afternoon. The president, Mr. J. W. Mail, presided. ANNCAL REPORT. The annual report, presented by Mr. Mcllroy. the secretary, stilted that the abolition of the subdivisions had proved successful. The most encouraging feature of the year's work was the large increase of membership. At the end of June, 1907, -there were 25 bona lide members. During the year the number rose to 74. Four of these had since left the district, but two had been transferred from other districts; fifteen new members were enrolled as the result of a recent circular, so that they began this year with a membership of 87. This was a fair percentage of the teachers ill Taranaki, and only three other districts had a better percentage. There were still 30 teachers who had not cast in their lot with the organisation. These profited by Hie exertions of their fellowtsaehers, but refrained from giving the small monetary support which membership required of them. During tiie year the bylaws had been revised and printed. The subscriptions had been altered to meet teachers on the smaller salaries and also to get a little more money for the Institute, which could lie made more useful if it had more funds at its disposal. Five meetings had been held, three at Stratford and two at New Plymouth. There were three executive meetings during the year. All the Taranaki remits to the conference of the New Zealand Educational Institute were carried. The greater part of the business at the conference concerned the promotion scheme, and it was to be hoped that the scheme submitted to tho Minister would be the means of securing better conditions of payment and promotion of teachers throughout the Dominion. Teachers would be pleased to learn that the system of synchronous examination of Standard VI. and of promotion of all scholars in January, as i urged by this branch, had been adopted , by the Education Board and introduced. During the year two members of the . Institute had the misfortune to be prose- [ euted by parents. One case was witli- , drawn, while the other was decided in I favor of the teacher. Intimation had i just been received that all the expenses ■ incurred by the teachers would be paid . out of the Legal Defence Fund of the , New Zealand Educational Institute, I which now stood at the large sum of 1 £913. These eases should remind teach- ) ers of one important benefit of meinber--1 ship of the Institute, as non-members t had no claim on its funds. Efforts by 1 the president of the New Zealand Eduj eationnl Institute to increase the mem- - bership were meeting with success. They 3 hoped the day was at hand when indi--3 viduals would recognise it was unworthy 3 to stand aloof whilst the rest united in ! seeking to gain advantages common to . all. The present occasion, indeed, should . effectively appeal to'every one to join in s with his fellows in striving persistently _ to attain those reforms which appeared ~ to be so nearly within reach. The claims I of the teacher to improved pay, fairer e promotion, and equal superannuation . benefits with other public servants were f admitted by lending politicians, endorsed by the Press, and supported by public e opinion. -So far the advocacy of their rights had not been in vaiir, but to push f the matter to a successful issue and u secure the legislation at which they had been hopefully aiming for the past few g years, the teachers must throw all their s united force into the agitation. The 0 present session of 'Parliament marked a critical stage in tho progress of their l_ schemes. There was every indication that if the measures they desired were • put into practical shape before Parliament they would be cordially supported. To get. their cause fairly before tho Legislature they must at the present juncture show themselves in deadly earnest, and it was therefore with confidence that the executive looked for such a rally among Taranaki teachers as would indicate a new determination towards united action. In concluding, the report expressed gratitude to the Education Board for the use of its room for meetings, to the Inspectors for postj.' polling Saturday classes for the nicetj ings, and to both the Board and Inspecr tors for Hie courtesy with which all com- ' muiiications had been received during the year. The balance-sheet showed revenue to be £25 8s received from 74 members' 4 subscriptions (one from the previous year), a balance of £3 10s brought forward from the previous year, and minor , items bringing the total to £2!) 2s Bd. Expenditure included £lB 10s, annual . levy to the New Zealand Educational , Institute. There remained a credit of Os sd, the remainder of the funds having * gone in printing, advertising, stationery, and telegrams. The adoption of the report and bal-ance-sheet was moved by 111'. 11. Dempsey, who congratulated the branch upon ' its successful year, lie enlarged upon ' that portion of the report relating to the teachers outside the ranks of the s Institute, and hoped that they would see ' the necessity for joining the organisalion whilst they shared its benefits. ' Mr, J. Rice seconded, and the motion s was carried. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. y The following oilicers were elected for { the ensiling year:-—President, Mr. J. W. Mail; vice-presidents, Mrs. Dowling and Mr. Tyrer; secretary and treasurer, Mr. R. L. Mcllroy; executive, Messrs. W. J. Evans, T. 13. Winfield, H. Stratford, and oilicers ex officio; auditor, Mr. J. Hunter. Letters were read from the Otago and North Canterbury branches concerning the necessity for amendment of the teachers' superannuation scheme.—Several speakers favored the Otago proposal » to base the superannuation on the salary '■ received by the teacher for the three II years next preceding his retirement, it 1 being pointed out that using the old 0 district scale (in vogue before the adoption of the colonial scale of salaries) "■ was unfair to teachers who were then ® teaching in the smaller districts which e paid low salaries.—The matter was res ferred to the executive, with power to '' act, _ CANADA'S APPEAL. |X The question of "Canada's appeal to s history" came up for discussion, a (. teacher asking for some direction or s suggestion concerning the advisableness j or otherwise of collecting subscriptions for the purpose of acquiring the "Plains of Abraham" as a Canadian National 1 Park, in memory of Generals Wolfe and , Montcalm, who fell at the Battle of Quebec.

.Mr. Dempsey thought "charity begins at home," and that this district had many historic spots and battlefields to the maintenance of which tho children's pennies might be devoted. Mr. Rice endorsed the sentiment, but said the amount was so small as to be ••hardly worth collecting and hardly worth while to refuse."

IMr, J yrer said that this appeal had been endorsed by IJie Department and the Board. He was of opinion that these' endorsements were often given without sufliciont thought or consideration. Of course, it was "only a penny," but there was a principle underlying it. .AJeilroy endorsed Renipscy's lomiuks. For instance, New PlymouLli was raising hinds for the erection of a soldiers' memorial on Marsland Hill. AYhy not give the pennies to that? }Jr. Johnston: Send an appeal to Canada.

liie matter was left to the discretion of the individual teachers.

Upon Mr. Pope's motion, seconded by J Mrs. Dowling, a vote of thanks was ae- ! corded the inspectors for having can* celled the teachers' classes that day to allow the meeting to be held. A similar compliment to the Hoard for the use of the Board-room ami to the Press concluded Die proceedings, then? being no discussion upon the president's carefully-prepared paper on 'Nnture Study." read at the previous meeting, and since circulated amongst the leaeher* with a view of discussed and eritieised at this meeting, i