NOTES OF THE PAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 90, 10 January 1919, Page 4

NOTES OF THE PAY

Strangely little has been heard about the election which presumably is impending in Germany, but a correspondent stated yesterday that it will take place a, fortnight hence, and will'be the biggest ever seen in Europe, since out of seventy ■ million peoplo—tho actual population remaining to Germany .is somewhat less—all over twenty years of age arc entitled to vote. If the election- has in fact ■ been planned on these lines it should speedily afford a decisive test of political possibilities in Germany, and in particular of tho standing of. the Spartacus faction, which at the moment is reported _to be attempting a. coup, d'etat in. Borhri. The i general state of affairs in Rus-sia-became fairly plain when ,the Bolsheviki broke up the Constituent Assembly at the bayonet's point, and in one way or the other the forthcoming election, and its sequel should throw equally plain light upon the broad political trond in Germany. ...» # ■■».*.■

•The idea of creating a Federal system in Ireland in order to over- ' come Ulster's objection to- Home Rule for the whole of Ireland is not a new one. Ireland is divided geographically into at least three factions. What is known As NorthEast Ulster contains the main.body of those in Ireland who oppdso the Reparation of the Government of Ireland from that of Britain. There are many, however, who agree with the Ulstermcn who are placed in communities in the midst of Home Rule provinces in the South. These are a comparatively small minority of the objectors to Home Rule, but their.alliance with North-East Ulster constitutes ono of the difficulties in the way of a form of ment which would exclude Ulster from Home Rule while~extending it to the rest of Ireland. The Ulstermen feel that they owe it to their anti-Home Rule ■ friends in the South to oppose any .proposal which would place the Southerners under the dominance of an Irish Parliament, even though they themselves 1 might be freed from this risk. The Spectator, for instance, has for some time urged that Ulster's wisest and safest course is not merely to oppose Home Rule, but to appeal to the British Parliament to inolude the six provinces of Ulster ae a province of England. This would mean the sacrifice of some of Ulster's present representation in Parliament (Ireland being more liberally treated than the rest of Britain in the matter of representation), but as a province of England it could not be forced through , any Irish Homo Rule' scheme to come under '■ the government and control of an ■ Irish Parliament. Ulster however, in the past has re-, fused to take any step which would suggest the abandonment of co-re-ligionists and anti-Home Rulers outside the six provinces in the North-East. The idea of introducing a Federal system in Ireland with two or three State Governments and also a central Federal Government dealing with the larger issues of government is a form of suggested.compromise not likely to lead to anything. It is obvious that unless the Federal body were given wide powers over the whole of Ireland in matters involving taxation and expenditure it would not satisfy the Sinn Fciners,' whereas if such powers were proposed to be given the people of Ulster would never consent.

Women teachers have, an essential part to play • in forwarding tho movement of educational reform in this country, and proceedings at the annual conference of their organisations which is at present being held in Wellington afford satisfactory evidence that they have no idea of neglecting their duties in this direction. Delegates to the conference are performing a national duty as well as defending the legitimate interests of those they represent in insisting that women teachers must be given the scope for activity and advancement to which they are entitled in view of their qualifications,, and in part on the

ground of sex. .Whatever room for controversy there may be in regard to matters of detail, it is /certain that an educational system administered and conducted by men alone would be hopelessly one-sided and ineffective. The thinking part oi the community which takes a live interest in the improvement of the education system will undoubtedly look with extreme disapproval upon the policy which some branches of the Educational Institute are,said to be adopting in pressing the claims of male teachers and ignoring the claims of women. There is a great deal to he said for the proposal approved by the conference yesterday that in all the largo schools an experienced _ woman teacher.should liaW a position and status in the upper department, with special responsibilities in regard to girls. The idea of a "school mother" is admirable. Much sympathy will be felt with Miss Myers's observation that women teachers were not favouring this proposal in order to obtain a little added. salary, but so that they might aid in making the homes of the nation what they should be. It is not right that women teachers should be compelled to plead for an opportunity of taking up duties which they aloi\e aro fully qualified to carry out, and all who are awakened to the great need of sweeping educational reform and regard the problems involved from other than a narrow standpoint will no doubt be prepared to recognise and affirm the justice of their claims. 'There is responsible work to be done in •all schools—certainly in all' big schools—which experienced women are fully qualified to undertake, and the unhampered co-opera-tion of women of this type would serve generally as a vitalising and invigorating influence, not least in matters of strictly practical concern.