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Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 98, 1 June 1914, Page 6

" . ~ ! T- _,t * With > the session approaching &nd a parliamentary election just beyontlit, the Government is being p/fessed on all si des. for .i Treasury, benefits. In the forefront of the. agir tators is the teaching pfrofession, aiid in their desire, to improve salaries and general service conditions the teachers will have the bulk of'public sympathy, behind them. Mr Alien, as Minister of t Education, has promised to bring down an Education Bill during the approach-, ing session, and in view' of:'"this'a 'eon-' fcrence of Canterbury school teachers and. local members; ;of Parliament was held on, Saturday, for the purpose of placing the latter in,;possession of the actual facts upon which ithe general appeal for a., more equitable system of payment is based. ; It is undeniable that the teachers, particularly with respect to salaries, have, cause for complaint. Low salaries and precarious j promotion have done , to send-the bright young men. other prof or branches of tlie Government. ,s<e*vice than any thing elsei" !Last session, while many of the Opposition pleaded the c ause of th 6 teachers inainly because to do so provided them with a stick, tp beat the Government, there was ample evidence adduced to show that the Government wiTT'have to consider seriously ari investigation of the whole education system as it concerns the teachers. The basis •of payment has .long.:,' been a '.sore • point.. Readjustment " in this connection will involve perplexing difficulties, but taere can be'no doubt that the old principle of payment on the'basis of the average attendance should be thrown overboard, and some system where merit and efficiency are the determining factors substituted, i The comparisons made at the conference on Saturday asj between the teachers and. other branches of the Civil Service should be sufficient to impress the Minister that changes are, necessary. . Contrary to what is* generally understood, by the outside public at least, the amending Act of last session only raised the minimum salary for certificated teachers from *'9o to £IOO. The Bill proposed for this year will, it is believed, deal with very important educational questions, including that of teachers/ salaries.