SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 7, 8 July 1922, Page 8

SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

The protest of secondary school teachers against their inclusion in the second bonus cut was referred to in the Houso of Representatives by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. T. M. Wilford) yesterday. He asked the Minister of Finance if he would withhold that part of the cut till the teachers had had the opportunity of making representations as to an alleged understanding, which they said was arrived at with the Minister of Education.

The Prime' Minister said that the matter was in the hands of the Minister of Education, arid he must leave it with him.

The Minister of Education (the Hon. C. J. Parr) said that he could not agree that the increase given to the secondary school teachers was absolutely an increase of salary. He thought it was made clear at the time that the bonus given on account of the cost of living was part of the consideration for giving the .^creases. The increases were made at the same time as the bonus payments to other teachers and Public servants. He did not want it to be inferred that they had not in mind the necessity for increasing salaries also; but the cost of living was also considered. The statement that the Minister of Education did not give the secondary teachers any increase till 1920 was correct, but the reason was that up to that time the secondary teachers were paid by the boards, the capitation of which was increased in 1915 from £12 10s to £13 10s, and in 1919 to £15, so that the boards were in a position to make increased payments, and did so. Mr. Wilford: i-'They allege a breach of faith."

The Minister: "That is denied." There was no undertaking that this was an absolute increase of salary with no right to draw back any portion of it. That the bonus entered into the consideration for making it was shown by a statement of his in Hansard in reply to a question by Sir John Luke. The Minister quoted figures as to the increase of avenge salary paid to secondary school teachers as follow :—Assistants, 1914, £211; 1918, £246; 1919, £290; 1920, £34*0, an increase of over 60 per cent..