TEACHERS' SUPERANNUATION.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue LXIV, 13 September 1902, Page 7 (Supplement)

TEACHERS' SUPERANNUATION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir—lt is to be hoped that when the superannuation scheme is being considered iv earnest care willy be token to guard the interests of the teachers with small salaries. Those numerous labourers in the educational vineyard have no representation anywhere, and if you would in your powerful, journal take up their pause you would be but following out

the excellent traditions of the Evening Post,. I understand it is proposed to reguttite the amount of pension by the amount of salary. In that case, it vould bo fair to take tho salary as it was prior to reduction under tho colonlnl scale, as the basis of pension. The effect of tho "colonial «cal»" upon tho email salaries was disastrous ; ifc cut thorn down to almost a vanishing point. The original intention was to raise the average salary of head teachers of small schools, but, as a, matter of fact, the colonial scale has reduced the average by almost the eamo amount as it was intended to raiso it. Where were the Educational Institute's fostering care and influence on behalf of the smaller salaried teachers, when that took place? Again tho proposal is to make the age of retirement on pension 60 years. Why ! not 65 years, as in England? ; It can haadly be too strongly represented that, in the intereats of educatiou as well as in those of the profession, the claims of the humbler members or thoso who dwell in the "back blocks" should receive special consideration. The Department professes a, wish to attract the best men to its seivice. Yet what ambitious youth can be expected to burn tho midnight oil to qualify for a profession which will yield him about 20s a week? For better that he should buy a shilling ccokery book and a bag of flour and make himself an adept at the culinary art. I trust when the men of light and learning who "carry on" in tho educational ship, come to bend their brows upon the superannuation scheme, that they will be a little more considerate of the claims of the smaller fry than was the Royal Commission. Nominis umbra! We dwell under a "colonial scale 1" And if only it had not brought us a pecuniary drought we should hooray loyally. — I am, eta., REMOTE. Wairwapa, 7th September, 1902.