SECONDARY TEACHERS' SALARIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 160, 8 July 1922, Page 7

SECONDARY TEACHERS' SALARIES.

INCREASES NOT PERItANENT. (Br Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. Additions to emoluments of secondary school teachers were made in the form of bonus, the same as to primary school teachers and public servants, and there was no undertaking that the increases were to be recognised a≤ permanent increases in salary, said the Minister of Education in reply to Mr. T. 1L Wiliord to-day, when the latter asked him to withhold, the cut until the teachers had had an opportunity of making representations to him in regard to such an understanding made with the Minister. Mr. Parr explained that prior to 1920 the salaries of secondary school teachers were largely increased. The increase was to meet the cost of living, and he could not agree that it was otherwise than a temporary bonus in consequence. He admitted that the Government had in mind increasing salaries which had been too low, 'but had not given the increase until 1920 because the Education Boards had jurisdiction in the matter. He understood, however, that the, boards had in fact made eeveral increases prior to that date. Subsequently the Minister quoted from a statement supplied by the Secretary of the Department showing that " grant 3to secondary -teachers had been increased in 1015 from £12 10/ to £13 10/, and in 1919 to £15, while grants from £400 to £500 were made to each school, so that the hoards were able to grant an increase prior to 1920.

Mr. Parr quoted further, stating that it was true that the secondary teachers did not receive th?ir war bonuses till 1020, while primary teachers received their first bonus four years earlieT, but up till 1920 the salaries of secondary teachers vrere fixed by employing boards and not by the Government. °As showing how the average salaries of secondary teachers had been increased since the beginning of the war, he said that the average salary of all assistants was £211 in 1914, £246 in 1918, £290 in 1919. and £340 in 1920, an increase of over 60 per cent. At the came time the average salary of male assistants was increased 55 per cent, and that of female assistants over 70 per cent. The circular referred to advanced reasons against the Government's retrenchment policy "with regard to the first cut and all future cuts as applied .to the teachers in genrral and secondary '' school teachers in particular." It state* that up to 1920 the salaries of secondary school teachers were in gener'l deplorably hrirl, and the whole system of re- | numeration of these teachers was "chaotic and anomalous": thnt secondary school teachers; were tlie It.-t to pet any measure of financial relief, namely, :n 1020; that after enjoying this relief for one year they were deprived of portion of their salaries: and that while the conditions of secondary Sfhool teachers in Xew Zealand are much letter than they were a decade aero, they ar;> not ! equal to the conditions prevailing in I =ome other rarts of tie British T>rpir<\ ]Tt is maintainel t'>at the cost of living had nothing to dn with the increase's •riven to salaries nf secondary school teachers. "With us it was a question of adequate remuneration for profe-sional services and a de-ire to attract to an admittedly dyinjr profes-ion men and women of character and ability."