WIVES AS TEACHERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 33, 8 February 1929, Page 10

WIVES AS TEACHERS.

UNDESIRABLE ECONOMICALLY EDUCATION MINISTER'S VIEW DISCRETIONARY POWERS SUGGESTED. ''I would be in favour of granting discretionary powers to education boards in so far as the employment of married women is concerned," said the Minister of Education (Hon. 11. Atmore) this morning, in replying to representations made by the Auckland Education Board. Mr. A. Burns, chairman, said the board had no option at present, since a married woman had to be appointed to a teacher's position if she happened to be the best qualified applicant. There were cases where husband anil wife were both teachers, drawing liberal saiaiies. Mr. Burns thought boards should have discretionary powers, so that married women whose circumstances were good need not be appointed to positions which unmarried teachers were entitled to occupy.

Cases were quoted by Mr. Burns to show that married women frequently sought leave of absence, which was absolutely necessary. This was undesirable fiom an economic standpoint. Those who opposed the movement to give boards the power sought protested that married women had the maternal instinct, and that this made them excellent teachers of the voting. Mr. Burns contended that all girls had the maternal instinct. There were some married women doing heroic work, but others were not giving full attention to their duties, owing to the fact that thev hud ti milk cows and attend to their domestic duties. The Minister said he thought board* should have discretionary powers, although that did not mean that necessitous cases should be turned down. The humanitarian element found in every board would safeguard the position. "From economic considerat-ons it is undesirable that there should be two salaried persons in one home." Paid Mr. At more. "Save in exceptional cases I do not think a male teacher on a liberal salary should expect his wife to be allowed to take a teacher's position also."