THE EDUCATION BILL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 42, 18 August 1908, Page 2

THE EDUCATION BILL.

DISCUSSED IN SOUTHLAND. [11T TELEGBAPn*. — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] INVERCARGILL. 17th August. On Saturday afternoon a deputation from the Southland Teachers' Institute met Mr. Hanan, M.P., chairman of tho Parliamentary Education Committee, and discussed some aspects of the Education Amended Bill. The deputation assurod Mr. Hanan that Southland teachers cordially approved tho motives of the Bill, and recognised that its introduction as law even without alteration would do good to largo numbers of teachers. The deputation wished not to raise objections, but to make a few suggestions concerning the promotion of teachers. It was pointed out that an assistant, .going from a 1 ver position to a higher one_ might postubly be in the anomalous position of having for three years to work at a lower salary than an assistant working at the maximum salary in tho posi-i tion next below him. The raising pf the minimum salary in a few instances would i dispose of the anomaly. Answering a question regarding additional assistants, Mr. Hanan explained that it would be & matter for tho board to assign the position in the case where 'a new position was created, and vihero a new teacher would receive greater sal** ary than the original .member of the staff. Referring to the position of women teachers, a member of tho deputation, asked that the first female assistant be) ranked not lower than second assistant; on the staff of a school. Wellington,, Canterbury, and Southland Boards ap- . pointed the 6rst woman as second assistant, but Auckland and Otago appointed her third assistant. The uniform adoption of the first plan in big schools was asked in justice to the women teachers. Mention was made of the main objection to tho salaries scheme, in rlia* it still permitted reduction of salary mi tho case of a teacher whose school, through reduced average, had been lowered in grad*. _ Mr. Hanan informed the deputation that this objection was carefully; considered by the committee, and it wad proposed to meet it by adding a clause tothe effect that a teacher liable to reduction of salary in the circumstances mentioned ekrD continue to receive unreduced x* B } f° r t wo years, thus giving the IjT^xarlor. Boards opportunity of effecting, 'j-iritable transfer.