TEACHER SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3177, 30 August 1917, Page 6

TEACHER SOLDIERS

DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT IN PAY \DISCUSSION BY EDUCATION BOARD Mr E. P. Bishw.orth rather startled his fellow members of the Education Board yesterday, when he said that the Education Department should be summoned before a Court for acting detrimentally towards. recruiting. It seems that under an arrangement arrived at bv the Department teachers who go away w'ith the Expeditionary Forces as officers are allowed a. quarter of their salary, tut if they go into the forces without commissions they receive no consideration at all. Several protests have been inado by Hie board against this arrangement, and yesterday a further letter was received from tho Department regretting that it was unable to alter present conditions. Mr. Eishwo'rth thought that the reply wiwmost unsatisfactory, one of the poorest that could bo made. The protest fihould be renewed with added force until justice was done. Teachere who hud gone away in the ranks had sacrificed all, inclu'dinj tho best years of their study. No democratic Government would deny the claim for equality of treatment. Hβ moved: "That the board considers the reply from the Department utterly unsatisfactory; that it considers that 'the democratic principle of equal treatment for all should be recognised by tho Department; and that Jhe co-opeft'a-tion of all other educational authorities throughout New Zealand be sought to again urge upon the Government the necessity for a reconsideration of tho mutter."

In seconding the motion, Sir. G. Lcndoi said there should he absolutely no distinction between the ranks. He hoped that the next letter from tho board would express its views in no uncertain manner.

Mr. E. A. Wright, M.P., said that the motion opened up a big question, because the Government had not been following the policy of ranking- up the military pay. However, the Government would Boon have to face the problem. Mr. T. Forsyth said that tho board wished to see equality of treatment such as they \cmild hope to find in a democratic country like New Zealand. There, was nothing democratic in making a distinction of this kind between officore and men. Mr. A. Mackay suggested a deputation to the Government on the matter. Mr. T. Moss thought it was unreasonable and unfair 1 Hint any distinction should be niade at all. Mr. William Allan reminded members that they were not representing tho penoral public. They were out to see fair play for the teachers. A geueral principle might be involved, hut he could not <?n into that. Mr. Bakowell hnd reminded him of the reason for preferential treatment of officers and privates. Earlv in the war there was a shortage of officers, and a special inducement was siren those in choree of cadet companies who had Von trained in arms up to a certain point. The motion was unanimously carried.