Payment unlikely for teachers in choirs

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32703, 4 September 1971, Page 18

Payment unlikely for teachers in choirs

Teachers in the two Christchurch choirs on tour in Australia probably will lose pay because of the policy concerning payment to State servants bn leave for overseas tours, in spite of a plea taken to Ministerial level.

The choir of the Royal [Christchurch Musical Society at present is on a threeweek tour to Sydney and Melbourne. More than 20 schoolteachers, teachers’ college staff and students are [included in this choir, but as [the final week of the tour is 'the first week of' the final; [term, they will not be paid! [for that week. At the invitation of the Australian Broadcasting Com. mission, the Christchurch Harmonic Society’s choir will tour Australia in 1973; several members of this choir are teachers also. Because they considered the tours were significant nationally as well, as locally, the two choirs made a joint approach to the member of Parliament for Wigram (Mr M. A. Connelly) seeking help on the matter of payments to the teachers. Assistance from funds It was pointed out that if the teachers and college staff and students did not receive assistance from the Department of Education, the societies would have to draw on their meagre funds to help out.

The Minister of Education (Mr Taiboys), replying to Mr Connelly’s approach, said that when considering requests for leave with pay for overseas tours such as those by the choirs, it was necessary to have regard to the criteria laid down in respect of leave with pay for State servants who were members of sports teams undertaking overseas tours.

In the case of a sports team, selection must be on a national basis, and not provincial or representative of any particular racial or sectarian group. Competition at international level must be

held at some stage during the tour.

"Unless it could be shown conclusively that the choirs were in fact chosen to represent the country and not merely because of their particular musical excellence, I feel it would be difficult to justify use of taxpayers’ money to help finance tin overseas tour,” said the Minister.