Educationists’ Increases

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30442, 16 May 1964, Page 3

Educationists’ Increases

Professors were paid £2BOO a year, said the committee. University councils had the right to increase salaries in appropriate cases by £2OO. But the committee had not used their discretion in the way that was intended, and this was difficult to understand, especially as the case presented to the Committee for High University Salaries rested mainly on the grounds that New Zealand universities needed to pay more than at present in order to attract the best applicants. “The international demand for professors in the different disciplines varies considerably, and this suggests the need for a wider range for professorial salaries,” said the committee. “Such a range would make it possible fo- a professor to be paid at a rate more appropriate to his experience, qualifications and scarcity value. “We recommend that professors should receive a salary within the range of £3250 to £4OOO. “We strongly recommend that the University Grants Committee fix in respect of each university the maximum number of professorships which shall receive salaries in excess of the basic salary of £3250, and further that the individual universities so use their discretion that uniform increases are not granted above the basic salary recommended.

The committee recommended that for future appointments are differential on salaries paid for medical and dental chairs, as such, be abolished and that salaries to be fixed for these chairs should be determined according to the merits of each individual case as with other chairs.

“Where there is a shortage of good quality applicants for a professorial chair a university council may have to place a scarcity value on a

particular applicant. The number of salaries permitted above the minimum should provide for such special cases.”

The recommended salary for a vice-chancellor was £4lOO and fdr the principal of an agriculture college £3900. In teaching institutions, the committee recommended the following scale: Principal of the technical institute, Auckland: £3250. Principal of a teachers’ college: £3lOO. Principal of a post-primary school, proposed grade VI: £2900.

Principal of a post-primary school, grade V: £2700. Principal of an intermediate school, scale XII: £2250.

These rates were for the appropriate scales and included married allowances of £7O in each case. The committee also recommended that the Government’s employer subsidy on superannuation allowances be amended.

“We consider, however, that other related features of the Superannuation Act should be considered by the Government at the same time—in particular, whether contributions to the Superannuation Fund should not cease after 40 years and retirement allowance be limited to twothirds of the average salary for the last five years or such other period as may be determined.”