RETRENCHMENT

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 139, 9 December 1921, Page 4

RETRENCHMENT

IN TEACHING PROFESSION. Some hint of retrenchment in teachers' salaries was dropped: by the Minister of Education (the Hon. 0. J-Parr) at the year-end ceremony of the Training Collage, Kelburn, yesterday. Ho had just come away'; he said, from ar Cabinet meeting where the vexed question of reducing'the salaries of Civil servants had been discussed. "I shall strive, of course," he said, "to keep the emoluments ?and allowances oKthe teaching profession as high as possible.' If a reduction is to be made, it will only. be because of the necessities of the situation I need not tell you the financial situation k serious in this country, and I see no possibility or rather no probability of its being any better next year— rather, I am afraid, it is going to be worse. There is only a certain amount of revenue, and.we have to make both ends meet. As to the students in twining, even if there is any reduction it will be a very small one. It will etill leave you in the proud position of being more liberally treated than in any other country. lam anxious," said Mr. Parr, "to keep the remuneration of teachers as high as possible. I realise it is.the only way to get the material we require, the best material in the country. If it should be that the exigencies of the time demand in your service as in others some sacrifices, I want you to believe that the reduction, so far as I am concerned, must be considered only temporary. With the return of good times (which may* not be so far off as other people think) remuneration would be, must be, raised again to such a level as would attract the best brains of the community." (Applause.)'