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298. You think a woman if she does the same work as a man should receive the same pay? —Yes. 299. Do you know the number of schools in your district with an average attendance below 20? —I do know, but I cannot give you the number from memory. 300. As I see, there are fourteen according to your last return, and you suggest that the salaries paid in connection with those schools should amount to £1,500 ?—Yes. 301. The amount at present on the capitation of £3 15s. amounts to £498 155., so that, roughly speaking, you would suggest that £900 extra should be given ?—Yes. 302. What number did you state as the. minimum for which you thought a school should be established in these small districts ?—5 or 6, providing there is not another school within a certain number of miles. 303. In regard to the minimum salary of £100 which you state should be paid in connection with those schools, you think that the Government should pay it, and that the Board should receive no help from the district at all?— Yes. Ido not think that parents in outlying districts should be burdened in the way of being compelled to lodge or board the school-teachers, and it is a point I feel very strongly upon. 304. Would you suggest that rating-powers should be given to Education Boards ?—No. You would at once destroy the national system of education. 305. If the Board said it could only give a certain amount, and if a local authority chose to make up the deficiency, would you not give it that power ? —No. 306. You would require the Government to pay the full amount?— Yes. 807. W r hat is your opinion as to the present inspection arrangements in your district ?—I think they are not satisfactory. 308. Do you think it proper for an Inspector to reside out of his district?— No. 309. Do you think your schools could become efficient under such a system of inspection ?— I might say we made overtures through the Westland Board with the hope of getting the present Inspector there to take over the duties of both Boards. If that were done it would be more satisfactory. 310. Do you not think it tends to laxity on the part of the schools when the teachers know the Inspector is away?—l should not think so; they have to stand the test ultimately. 311. Mr. Hogben.] What do you think would be the maximum amount for board and lodging for teachers in these outlying districts ?—I should say £30 to £40 a year at the least. 312. And there are travelling-expenses in addition to that?— Yes. 313. The Chairman.] You stated as your opinion that the teaching profession generally is underpaid ?—Yes. 314. You draw no distinction between the headmasters of large schools and the head-teachers in small schools in the country?— Yes, I do. I say that our small schools are much more underpaid than the larger schools—that is, so far as the West Coast is concerned. 315. Do you consider that teachers receiving salaries from £150 to £450 are underpaid ?—Not in the case of teachers receiving £450, but I think teachers receiving £150 are. 316. Do you think teachers receiving over £300 up to £450 are underpaid ? —Compared with the salaries paid in other Government departments, such, for instance, as the Bailwaysand Customs Departments, I think they are. 317. Can you point to any department in the public service in which there is a considerable number employed and in which the salaries paid are higher?— The Post and Telegraph Department and the Customs ; and the responsibilities are not nearly so great, certainly not from a moral point of view. 318. Would you increase the larger salaries paid to teachers ?—I would not materially increase the large salaries. 319. Would you be astonished to learn that applications for teachers' vacancies carrying a salary of £150 are very numerous ?—That is, unfortunately, owing to the small salaries we have paid in the past. 320. Do you not think, as shown by past experience, that in every branch of service if you increase the salaries the congestion would be increased ?—lt will be increased if we continue on under the present system. We employ too many pupil-teachers, and that is causing congestion. Pressure is brought to bear by the parents that they may receive employment. 321. Why should that pressure be brought to bear if the teaching profession is underpaid ? —It applies principally with regard to females. " 322. Is that not because there is a very poor outlet for female labour?— Yes, undoubtedly. 323. If you follow up the law of supply and demand, i 3 there a great difference between the teaching profession and other professions?—No, Ido not think so. It is a question of a livingwage, not so much the question of supply and demand. 324. Is it not because of the large salaries offered by other Boards that you are losing the best of your teachers ?—To some extent. 325. Have you increased the salaries ?—We have given the utmost we could. 326. What would you prescribe as a maximum salary ?—I would not prescribe a maximum Salary as a layman. Ido not pretend to say what is the value of a thoroughly competent headmaster for a large school. His payment should be commensurate with his responsibilities. •■'•• 327. You are of opinion that your pupil-teachers here have not facilities for receiving proper training ?—That is so. We are compelled to send our pupil-teachers out to these small schools without their receiving proper training. We have no normal school here, and these teachers are unable to come into Greymouth to receive training. In many cases the best training they receive is that provided by the headmaster. 328. Would you be in favour of having training-colleges in the larger centres, so that pupilteachers might be sent there?— Yes, provided that the State makes allowance for the tuition of