SCHOOL TEACHERS' GRIEVANCES.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 April 1919, Page 5

SCHOOL TEACHERS' GRIEVANCES.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER. • By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. A deputation from the Assistant Teachers' Association waited on the Minister for Education, and laid before him some grievances of the assistant teachers. It was pointed out there was still a number of secondary school teachers who had not joined the superannuation scheme, and they wished to be afforded another opportunity of joining. It was claimed that superannuation payments respecting salary earned in the teaching and technical classes- in the evenings should not be demanded. The need of increasing the capitation payment respecting the free place pupils in secondary schools was urged, and it was contended that the maximum provided for superannuation, namely, £3OO, would have to be increased. The association asked for a Dominion scale of salaries for secondary teachers. The Minister said the teachers had many opportunities for joining the superannuation scheme, and if they failed to do so they were themselves to blame. He could not promise the request would be granted without considering what would be the effect in other departments where a similar request might be made. It was a difficult matter to prepare a Dominion scale of salaries for secondary teachers, but he thought something might be done, He was an.ious this should be done, because he believed it would result in the Education Department obtaining some voice in the appointment of secondary teachers. He hoped the time was not far distant when the country would have some form of unified control of primary, secondary, and technical education. He promised that the requests would receive careful consideration, but there was little chance of the superannuation maximum being increased.