HIGHER SALARIES

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19644, 13 June 1929, Page 5

HIGHER SALARIES

HEADMASTERS* REQUESTS. DEPUTATION TO MEMBERS. "We've been tuo modes,:.. We don't, make demands; v.e don't make threats and we hardly make requests. We have received promises that have not been fulfilled." These were tome of the remarks mod* by Mr H. F. Penlington in making representations to the Canterbury members of Parliament for their cooperation in securing better salaries for headmaster* of primary schools. The first speaker was Mr L. F. Pegler (president of the Christchurcn branch of the Headmasters' Association), who said that the maximum salary for headmasters in the ordinary seventh grade school was £686. a long way below the salaries granted at Technical schools and the High Schools. A headmaster might have from 15 to 2o assistants and about 900 children. The past three Ministers hud expretmed their sympathy and had said that when the money was available the headmasters would get their deserts, but that was as far as they had gone. They also wanted a unified Bystem of primary, secondary, and technical teachers, and also due consideration for increased work. They felt that the greater the responsibility entailed the greater should be the remuneration. They asked for a rise of £3O for grade seven schools and £4O for grade six schools to be made retrospective for this year. In answer to a question Mr Pegler said that would bring the maximum up to £635 Mr Penlington said they had been asked by the Dominion Headmasters' Association to put this matter before the members. The Department had brought out a scheme which partly met the position and partly did not. It would bring the salaries up to £615. but that was not enough. Too long the primary schools had been the Cinderella. ' "We are not complaining for one minute of the salaries of others." he said, "but we think there should be a Welling op. We are asking simplv for a restoration of what might be called pre-war conditions."