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Sib,— Wellington, 9th August, 1905. May I (a) be allowed briefly to explain away what seems to have been a wrong impression. I represented the Dunedin meeting. The Oamaru branch had favoured fifty as the retiring-age. I wish to make that statement in justice to Oamaru. (6.) In answer to the question as to whether a larger number would come on the fund in the future I should say there would be a much larger number. Let us look at it in this way : those already referred to have held their positions for a very long time. The next section (I am speaking from an age point of view) would be larger, and the next larger still, because of the increasing number of positions. The teachers filling these positions would be able to work more heartily knowing that some provision had been made for them retiring voluntarily or otherwise. (c.) One great benefit of the age being fixed at fifty-five would be that those who are supporting aged parents or others would not find their income curtailed too soon. I remain, &c, The Chairman, Education Committee. Jane D. Hoopek.

Sir,— Kaikora North, 11th August, 1905. I am unable to give evidence before the Commission on superannuation in person, and should esteem it a favour if you would accept a written statement from me. Re lady teachers : I wish to draw your attention to the practical, as compared with the theoretical, result that would arise if women teachers had superannuation. Ido so because only those personally acquainted with the customs of our profession are likely to have the following facts at their disposal. 1. Of about 4,700 teachers at present employed in teaching in this colony 3,289 or about 70 per cent, are women. 2. Of these 3,289 women there are only about 220 now over forty years of age, and I doubt if there are twenty over fifty years of age, and this proportion is a constant one in the profession. 3. Thus of 3,289 women who would be paying into the fund only about 220 would stay in the profession after they were forty years of age, and only about twenty out of the 3,289 would ever come on the fund for pension. 4. The other 3,000 women teachers would pay into the fund for about fifteen years each, and then on leaving the profession they would only draw their actual contributions, leaving the interest to the credit of the fund. 5. Thus it seems perfectly impossible for the women's section of the fund to become insolvent, when 3,289 pay in and get no interest, while only about 1 in 200 at most will qualify for pension. 6. In giving my estimate of the number of women teachers over forty, I have taken Hawke's Bay as an average-sized district for an example. I know nearly every teacher personally and am quite certain that of our 146 women teachers not more than ten are over forty years That is about 6f per cent. In naming 220 for the colony as over forty years I have allowed considerably over this percentage (6|) to be on the safe side. 7. I believe your Committee could get the exact figures from the Education Department as information concerning the ages of all teachers in the profession was collected about four years ago. I hope the Committee will follow up this line of inquiry, for I feel sure the inquiry will show that in practice the women's section cannot possibly become insolvent, but will provide a large credit balance instead. 8. My figures for Hawke's Bay are (for the year ending 1903) : Number of women teachers, 146 ; number over forty, 8; number over fifty, 2. Thus T l f of our women teachers leave the .profession before they are forty years of age. I remain, &c, John Caughley, M.A., The Chairman of the Education Committee. Headmaster, Kaikora North.

Salaries of Public-school Teachers as at beginning of 1905 (exclusive of house allowances and of allowances paid out of the District High School vote).

11th August, 1905. G. Hogben.

Male. Female. Head or Sole Aaqintnnti Teachers. Assistants. Total. H T e e a a a e°h r er S s Ole Assistant, Total. Grades of Salary. 60 >> CD .a a 0 . la I CD • 5<^ I a s| a Not over £60 Over £60 and not over £85 , £85 „ £110 „ £110 . £130 „ £130 , £160 , £160 . £190 „ £190 „ £224 „ £224 „ £272 „ £272 „ £336 „ £336.. 23 34 64 82 212 290 142 116 61 19 £ 42 75 100 122 144 170 210 248 305 358 23 33 65 45 31 42 £ 100 124 148 174 201 236 23 34 87 115 277 335 173 158 61 19 £ 42 75 100 123 145 171 208 245 305 358 188 137 105 120 175 6 3 £ 42 75 100 121 136 175 201 516 352 101 53 18 3 £ 82 101 120 146 173 202 188 653 457 221 228 24 6 £ 42 80 101 121 139 174 202 1,043 176 239 167 1,282 175 734 94 1,043 97 1,777 96