AUCKLAND SESSION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 130, 3 June 1901, Page 3

AUCKLAND SESSION.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON PRO-

CEEDINGS

The Commission appointed to in-f quire into the question of school teachers' salaries and the staffing1 of schools sat again on Saturday afternoon, when further evidence was heard. Mr Wells paid he thought no lady teacher should be asked to teach more than 50 in a class. In the interests of education and the teachers themselves, a colonial scale would be of great benefit. The question of house allowance was one of vital importance in this district, and no scale could be called fair in which no such provision was included. Very few teachers were really efficient after reaching- the age of say 55, and a colonial superannuation scale was most desirable. The present system of certificates was too complicated, and caused confusion and even mistakes among school committees. Taking them as a whole, the teachers of the Auckland district were not adequately paid. ,T. D. McNaughton, in charge of the school at Drury, gave evidence as a representative of small schools, and pointed out what he. considered were some anomalies in Mr. Hogben's proposed colonial scale. Country teachers' present salaries were insufficient. F. IT. Brown, first assistant at Newton East School, and James Armstrong, headmaster of Devonport School, also gave evidence this morning, the former representing the first assistants, and the latter the headmasters and the second assistants of Auckland. The headmasters urged that the maximum salary in the proposed colonial scale should be raised. Other callings had far greater prizes, and the result was that clever boys were diverted from the ! teaching profession. The headmasters considered that under Mr. Hogben's proposed scale their salaries would be reduced, and they thought it distinctly a grievance that the oldest and most experienced servants of the Board should suffer. Mr MeNaug-hton, a teacher from Drurv and representing small country schools, stated that amongst the teachers of that class of school there were apparent anomalies in the proposed colonial scale to which a number of them objected. One was that a head teacher' of a country school could only earn £175 per year, whilst a 'junior in a larger town] school could earn £220. He considered the proposal to deduct £10 from sole teachers of schools with a roll oi less than 40 unfair. Mr Armstrong, headmaster of Devonport school, and representing the headmasters of larger schools, and) second assistant teachers, thought if a colonial scale were established a proper scheme of superannuation could and should be arranged. He thought small schools had been unnecessarily multiplied in the Auckland district. Generally speaking he thought a male teacher should get a larger salary than a female teacher. The assistant teachers in the Auckland district were not paid enough; probably this was more true of the female teachers than any. To Mr Hogben: In the case of large schools too many subjects were expected to be taught." It might be better to allow a choice of subjects rather than to purge the syllabus. If a, house allowance were made to headteachers of the larger schools, say, of £50, most would be satisfied, but even then some would be reduced as compared with the scale in force nine months ago, before the reductions by the Board. He wished, to state, on behalf of the second male assistants, that their salaries were not adequate to the work they did, in proportion to the salaries of first male assistants. Whilst fully appreciating the efforts of infant teachers, he thought they should riot be paid equal salaries to lady teachers of standards. Tfte latters' duties were far more arduous. He was not averse to seeing both improved. Mr Brown, first' assistant at Newton East, gave evidence on behalf of first assistant teachers. Mr Taylor, headmaster of the Northcote school, and representing the headmasters of the medium-sized schools, stated that most of the masters of schools of from 200 to 300 pupils were in favour of Mr Hogben's first scale, on account of the extra staffing, head-teachers, as a rule, having at present to teach three standdards. To Mr Mackenzie: He would prefer Government control to that of the Board, as there would be less likelihood of any sudden alterations. He believed in the payment of teachers oil the two-thirds of attendance basis. Miss Shrewsbury, lady assistant at the Wellesley-street school, said that speaking of the. colonial scale in a general way all female teachers were in: favour of it, because . they were not satisfied with the present, or any ether, scale, and the colonial scale would give them more security. Their present feeling of unrest made them unable .to give the attention to their duties they would like to do. As to the proposed scale of salaries, they thought that female assistants should start on some minimum, or living, wage, and that increases should follow with increased service and increased ability, particularly with service. For extra subjects, such as singing, drawing, etc., they considered a bonus should be paid. The difference made in salaries between {nale and female teachers should not be more than 10 per cent, or 20 per cent. To Mr Stewart. She held an Al certificate, and liad passed her university degree with honours. Her salary was £100. She taught Standard VTL, with an average attendance of 30, and took the pupil-teachers' class in mathematics. She received £30 per annum for the latter. The Commission adjourned at five o'clock until this morning.