The Waikato Argus [PUBLISHED DAILY.] A Guaranteed Circulation of Over 7500 Weekly. MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1904.

Waikato Argus, Volume XVII, Issue 2713, 10 October 1904, Page 2

The Waikato Argus [PUBLISHED DAILY.] A Guaranteed Circulation of Over 7500 Weekly. MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1904.

The people of Cambridge have very naturally and rightly protested against the starting of a home lor consumptives in the middle of the town. On the grounds of humanity, if there were real necessity for such an institution, in such a situation, the risk of the spread of the disease would have to be faced with equanimity. It is impossible, however, to contend that this is the case. Tut, ting aside altogether the fact that the Government has established a sanatorium on Maungakawa, of which we will write something presently, it is reasonable to demand that such a home should he placed in an isolated position ; the air is just as curative three or four miles from the town as it is in the town itself, and still more so on the hill where the sanatorium is situated. Dr, Prengley pointed out that it was better to have such an institution as that proposed, where every precaution would be taken, than to have consump'ives distributed in every borough throughout the colony. We quite agree with him, but the fact does not in any degree justify the starting of one in the middle of a town which is within an hour’s drive of a hill which has been set aside for the purpose of treating consumptives, and upon which there is ample room to house all the consumptive cases in the colony with a minimum of risk of spreading the disease. If it is desirable that there should be private hospitals, it would be much better that the Government should erect suitable buildings on their property and lease them to those who are desirous of entering into the business, These people would in any case be compelled either to purchase or rent suitable buildings ; it would therefore bo no hardship upon them if these were procurable in the situation fixed upon by the medical profession as being the roost suitable in New Zealand, if not in the world. On the 30th of last month, in referring to the proposal to erect annexes to existing hospitals for the treatment of consumption, we wrote ; “ The goal aimed at by Government in establishing snub an institution as the Maungakawa Sanatorium is not only the treatment of patients, but tho ultimate stamping out of the disease. The present system is no more likely to lead to success in a high degree than an attempt to fill a bottomless jug with water. Medical science teaches that the disease is highly contagious, and that one person suffering from it may communicate it to any number of people. Whore the use, therefore, as a means of stamping out the disease of applying curative measures to a few and turning those pronounced as past cure among the population ? Owing to the prevalence of the disease the difficulty in dealing with it is very great, hut it is little use making spasmodic efforts. It must he manifest to all that isolation is the only effective preventative, and this system should so far as practicable he pursued.”

The Premier baa given a promise to introduce a Bill this session with the object of adjusting the salaries paid to assistant teachers and teachers of small country schools, So small is the pay, as compared with the earnings of those following other avocations, that it is not surprising that there is groat clillD culty in keeping up an adequate supply of male teachers. The Otago Education Board has published figures showing that during the past tea years the number of female teachers in that district had increased by 17 per cent, while the number of male teachers had decreased by 11 per cent, and the ratio of entrances to the profession is given as nine females to two males. These figures may be taken as an indication of what lias happened in each of the educational districts. The general public may not be aware of what is the pay of teachers. It takes a youth entering the service four years before he can qualify for the position of assistant teacher; this appointment only carries with it the magnificent pay of £BO per annum, During the four years he receives : On on-* leiing, £2O per annum, which increases by three increments to TOO. If he had spent his time in learning a trade, he would after four years be in receipt of about £ll7, A contemporary has been to the trouble to ascertain the position of teachers in Dunedin schools. The highest salary paid to an assistant teacher was £2lO per annum ; but he was one of the best-paid men in the service, Second assistants’ salaries range from £l3O to £l-15 ; none of these had less than 11 years’ experience, and some had had 2b. The Otago Board may well ask how it can be wondered at that the supply of young men is not adequate to meet the demand when after a quarter of a century of bard work a man is likely to find himself with only £l3O per annum. It is to be hoped that the Premier will not allow this session to close without legislating in the direction he has promised.