E.—l2.

86

[_E. SIMPSON.

64. Do you not think it would be a good idea if your association put forward a candidate or two, and showed the metal of the women, because your complaint seems to be not against the Department, but purely against the administration of the Boards? —Yes, largely. 65. Has your association done anything to counterbalance the bad effect of having men on the Boards?— Our association has only been in existence a very short time, and we have not done anything in that respect as yet. 66. Is it not a matter of fact that of late years the position of women in the educational system has vastly improved?— Yes, but only relatively. It is improved on what it used to be, but not in comparison with the position of men. 67. Is not the salary women get nowadays very much better than it was twenty years ago?— Yes, but by reason of the increased cost of living the extra salary is relatively small. 68. The cost of living depends on the individual : some people are content to live on 6d. a day?— Women do not want to be the ones to be content to live on 6d. a day. 69. Do you not think it would be a very much fairer thing to classify the men and w-omen in the same classification scheme, and let them take their chance for promotion ?— The Auckland Educational Institute approached the Board requesting that that be done—that all teachers be put on one graded list and all positions thrown open. That has not been accorded, and Ido not think our Board, from what I understood at the time, is in favour of it. 70. Do you know- whether there is any reluctance on the part of the women to take sole charge of schools? —Some women would not feel themselves competent to do so, but a great number of women would feel themselves competent. Some of the men are not competent to do it. 71. But the men do it if they are told? —The fact of the matter is that women never have a chance to do these things in Auckland and Otago. 72. In regard to women going out from teaching to other occupations, are they young teachers, or teachers who have been years in the service? —The cases I have in my mind were women of a little over twenty years' experience—some may be less. 73. And do you think, as a typiste, that a woman would get anything like what she gets in a school after twenty years' experience? —Possibly not, but then she would not have anything like the arduous work. 74. Do you not think she would have longer hours ?—Longer hours do not matter so very much. We have long hours. We do not work just five hours a day, because we have a good deal of work outside the actual school hours. Some women would rather take less salary and take less arduous work if they cannot hope to have these good positions. 75. Do you not think that the question of study and examinations has something to do with the women leaving the service—that they would prefer not to face that? —I do not think-so. I think women are just as hard working in the matter of examination-work as the men, but women have found for so many years that it is no use qualifying, as it did not bring them any advantage. 76. The women in the Auckland District? —And in Otago; and these are two of the biggest districts; and even in Canterbury. 77. Do you think that a reduction in the size of the districts might favour the claims of women, then? —I have not considered the question, but the small districts are proportionately just as bad. In Wanganui no woman holds that position. 78. Do you know- we have four women teaching fourth-grade schools in our small district? — That is at a salary of £190. 79. Do you know we have two women in other schools getting £260 and house-allowance? Do you think your association would be satisfied with such a promotion list as we hay is, that the women and men should be put on an equal footing in the promotion list, and should get an equal chance to have an appointment, from the headmaster right downwards?—l do not think we can give up our present position for that, because we have been so long kept out of these positions that we have no confidence in the Boards to give them. 80. What is being advocated is a Dominion system of promotion for the whole of New Zealand, and on that list every teacher would be classified according to that teacher's attainments and efficiency. If there was a Dominion system, do you think jour association would be satisfied to be put on an equal footing in all respects with men in regard to promotion and salary ?—That requires thought. I think we would like first to have women Inspectors as well as men Inspectors. 81. We have teachers here who practically advocate the abolition of Inspectors?—lf there are to be Inspectors at all, let there be women Inspectors as well as men. 82. Before you would be prepared to go on a promotion list on on equality with men you think there should be women Inspectors?— Yes, to safeguard our interests. Of course, I am speaking personally. That is a question that has not been discussed by the association. 83. How are the women teachers in this district satisfied with their positions on the promotion list —with the estimate of their ability? —That is a question I cannot answer. Our positions are not known on the graded list. We know what marks are awarded. 84. Have you ever heard any dissatisfaction expressed with the maximum marks awarded to women by Inspectors?—No, I cannot say I have, but I think if people were graded low and were dissatisfied with their markings they would not be likely to speak about the matter. 85. Would they not have the right to appeal?— They have the right to appeal, but they would not care to have the matter generally known. I know one lady who is exceedingly dissatisfied with her marks, but she would not let it be known except to a few intimate friends who were not supposed to tell anybody. That is the only case I can give you from personal knowledge. .86. So you have no absolute reason to be dissatisfied with the marking by the Inspectors on the promotion list except that theoretically you think a man would not be fair to women? We are only judging by past experience. In the particular case I have mentioned the woman was