Students Quit Class Over Delay In Pay

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29783, 28 March 1962, Page 12

Students Quit Class Over Delay In Pay

Feelings ran high among some students at the Christchurch Teachers’ College early yesterday afternoon when fortnightly pay cheques had not arrived. Some students in the post-primary division did not attend the last classes of the day as a protest. This group said this was the third time in succession that pay arrangements had been “messed up” and “they were getting sick of it.”

On the last two pay days, they said, some students had been overpaid and subsequently deductions were made. Some were underpaid, and a few were not paid at all.

Yesterday’s pay would normally have been issued at noon, but students on this list were told cheques would be issued at 3.40 p.m,, About 3 p.m. it became known that the cheques had still not arrived and there would therefore be no pay that day. At this stage some postprimary division students decided to leave the college for the day, although they had another ciass still to attend. They said they “objected on principle to the inefficiency of the Education Department,” and they were “dismayed by the continuation of earlier trouble.” They also said the delay in pay for a large number of students could cause real hardship. Questioned about the alleged hardship, a spokesman claimed that many young persons at the college paid their board on pay day and “landladies expected it on the dot.” Others had financial commitments which they had promised to meet immediately and they were embarrassed about having to explain the reason for their present inability to pay. The principal of the college (Mr George Guy) made an immediate statement when approached by “The Press.” “About 1260 students at the college in all sections are paid fortnightly while they are in training,” he said. “Most of them are paid on a Tuesday art noon and the rest on Wednesday at noon. “This morning it was found that cheques for the majority, issued by the Education Department in Wellington and usually sent down by air,

had not arrived. The students were told than cheques should be available at 3.30 p.m. As this hour approached and the cheques had srtill not arrived, the students were informed that there could be no pay today. “In fact," said Mr Guy, “the cheques arrived about 3.30 p.m., but it was too latte to catch all students. Both Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s payments will therefore be made together.”

Mr G*uy said it was “most unusual” for such a hitch to occur, but it was understandable considering the large number of different cheques with different deductions which had to be prepared. “Unprofessional Conduct"

Mr Guy said that he could appreciate the students’ concern, but he was most disappointed that some had thought fit to absent themselves from the last (flass of the day. Such conduct was not justified by the circumstances and was not professional in any sense. Speaking personally, said Mr Guy, he considered student teachers fortunate to be paid fortnightly. Some university scholarship holders were paid only once a term and at the end of the term at that. Their problems in budgeting would be much great er.

Comment By Director

( N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 27. Commenting on the delay in paying Christchurch students, the Director of Education .Mr A. E. Catnobell) said tonight: “A great deal of additional work has been involved with the fortnightly pay because of the inclusion in salaries of the increases granted following the ruling rates survey and the first stage of equal pay for women. “As a result, pay lists and cheques left Wellington a little later than usual. “On the information available tonight, they should have reached Christchurch by air this morning in time for the payments to have been made today,” he said.