TEACHERS' SALARIES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 338, 27 October 1908, Page 7

TEACHERS' SALARIES.

THE MINISTER AND THE MINIMUMSURPRISE AND CONSTERNATION. ACTION BY THE TEACHERS' INSTITUTE. In The Dominion of yesterday's date, there appeared,., under the heading of "Teachers'. Salaries," a statement by tho - Hon. G. Fowlds, Minister for Education, in which it was clearly laid down that under the; Education Amendment Act, 1908, which conws into'operation on January 1 next,..". .. j teachers having salaries bolow tho minimum will receive annual increments of £5 .'. . but will not bo raised to the minimum by one increase." A Bolt from tho Blua. This announcement camo as a bolt from tho blue upon the members of the teaching profession in Wellington, and there is a feeling of intense indignation towards the Minister for his attitude. Tho 'condition of the general mind of the' teaching profession is one of surpriso and consternation at tho announcement and resentment at the manner ip which this particular matter has been concealed from the teachers. Prompt Action. A meeting of the executive committee of the i New. Zealand Educational Institute, was held yesterday," when it was _ decided to requisition the; services of the institute's legal advisors with a view to prompt action being taken.', ; , !'.The .Department 'is evidently- to economise: on ■ a- side-wind," remarked tho Becretary rf tho, institute (Mr. Wm. Foster) \to -a Dominion . representative, after the meeting. .'' "I. myself quite fail to see how the Department can possibly extract,■' from tho test of Clause 7 of tho new Act, the authority for 'such an action," stated another, member of: the executive committee,-Mr. J. Caughloy. The, Department evidently relies on Bub-clauso 3 of Clause 7, which reads:— 'A teacher who is employed in a pub- ' lie school at tho commencement of this Act shallj so long" as ho remains in the same position, receive as from the beginning of each year (commoncing with tho . year 1909), an annual increment of £5, in addition to the salary received by him at the commencement of this Act, until his salary reaches the maximum for tho grade or subgrade of salary attached to that position-by this Act.' ■ .. . "The Minister, will probably rely upon his interpretation of the phrase 'the salary 'received by him : at tho commencement of this Act,! .in justification of his action," said Mr. Caughley, "but if the schools aro regraded, the .'salaries must also, fie regraded." "There is going to be very ,serious trouble, I can . see," said Mr. Foster. "Here is an instance," he/went on, "of the sort of thing I ain in for. When the new Act was passed . I received numerous letters from outlying .districts all,over the country asking for information'as .-'to'the new salaries. Poorlypjiid teachers away down on the West Coast, getting'£so to £60 per annum, often less, told me that their average attendances were so arid so, and wanted to know whatthe new scale meant to them.' I told them it meant a lot to them, and you can imagine their satisfaction.. And now—this-announcement! Wb asked Messrs. W. H. P. fiarber and J. G.; W.. Aitke'n what tlioy thought'of it, and they said, that they were astounded. I should: think they would be. I don't believe one single-members of the House had the faintest idea that the Minister.contemplated such a thing." , Teachers Interviewed. Several assistant teachers were asked how th^y.would be affected by' this latest announcement.' One-of'..the senior assistants in a big city school explained that his present salary, was £250. Under 'the new Act, the , .minimum salary for his position .was £270, • rising :to £290, in £5 annual increments. '/If .what the. Minister says is true,", he' said, ;, ."it, will take me four .years-to reaclr tho minimum, and another fonr to reach th(i .maximum—eight years..altogether. Instead of; receiving £270, per annum after January 1,1 shall receive £250, plus £5; but if a similar position to mine becomes vacant, the maii/t'o whom it is given (if the appointment is 'made ; after January !) will receive £270, with very probably half my service. I'm thoroughly. disgusted," he concluded, "and I've a yery good mind to throw the whole - thing ,up." -Miss Helyer, headmistress of the Mount Cook Girls' School, said that the Minister's

statement had come upon her as a complete % surprise. She had watched the progress of the Act'through its various stages kit session, and had carefully studied its provfsions, hilt had heard of nothing which could justify such a ■construction as the Minister had placed.upon it. ' ■"Isn't it awful?" remarked a young lady who had been counting upon an increase '.' from £105 to £120, the minimum under the new scale. "I've gone and mortgaged my rise, and now its gone."' Yes, it wis rather awful. . r . Another lady teacher had endured, at the hands of the Legislature, more than her usual share of the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, "When I wasi'first appointed to my present position," I she said, "hiy" salary was £145 per annumi "Nest year the school went down a grade, and I lost ■£5. The minimum for my position, under the new scale, is £150, .but now I won't get that. It will bo two years before I can manage it." ■ ' r • An assistant master in another'of the city schools said that his present salary was £30 below the new minimum. "-It will take me," said he, "sis years to reach my minimum salary,, and anothor four to reach the maximum—ten years!" ,Jb The Chairman of the Board. • Mr. Robert Lee, chairman of* the Wellington Education Board, when asked for an expression of opinion on the point, said that he had not had timo to properly consider it. Speaking off-hand, ho would' 1 say that it would be a most unfair proceeding to pay - less than the minimum salary.'ito a teacher in one school; while in another' school of the same grade the same position was more highly salaried. Tho Minister's announcement did not seem to accord with what was . generally expected of the Act. ' The Secretary, for ; '"There is .nothing newi'in the matter" said Sir E. 0. Gibbes, Secretary for Education, to our • representative;, "The poirtt was raised previously, and 'dealt with at the time." He turned up thei Act. "Clause 7, . sub-clau'so 3-r' the salaryoreceived by him at the'commencement of this Act-rf' that's clear.enough, isn't it?.'V r It is arguable, submitted the reporter. _ "The teachers shoulcli;bavo drawn attention to it before," said Sir Edward. They say. that the A'fct cannot possibly bo interpreted in terms' <jfi- the ■•Minister's decision?'. ' ' ii ' "Will," concluded; t[hi3 Secretary for Education, "the clause has .been' interpreted in those terms, and' the;, Department is acting accordingly..' / •[