POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 19050, 19 September 1925, Page 2

POLITICAL POINTS

TEACHERS' ANKUAL RETIREMENTS A SURPRISING TOTAL [From Our Parliamentary Rerorter.] WELLINGTON, September IS. Tito Minister of Education (Sir James Parr) made it clear in the House of Representatives yesterday that tho Government is not disposed to restore superannuation rights to teachers who leave tho sendee and subsequently return to it. Tho subject was raised on the presentation of tho report ol the Education Committee on petition of twelve teachers who desired to bo allowed to come under the Superannuation Fund from the time that they first joined the teaching service, and who expressed their willingness to pay in the contributions which would have accrued had their services with tho department been continuous. The committee reported that it had no recommendations to make. A number of members criticised this decision, but it was defended by the Minister, who said that most of the petitioners were women. They had stayed in the service for some years, and then, to suit their own convenience, left. They had drawn every penny they had paid into the Superannuation Fund when “ cutting the painter ” with tho service and tho Government. Years afterwards, perhaps ten or twelve years, they rejoined. The Director of Education had very pointedly warned the Education Committee what the effect would bo of allowing the teachers in question to corno into the superannuation scheme as they wanted to. He had pointed out that every year no less than 300 teachers left the service, mostly women about to bo married; and that there was no similar ■wastage in any other department of the State. » -* * » MAIN HIGHWAYS LEGISLATION. In addition to matters in tho Main Highways Bill explained by tho Prime Minister on its introduction, tho measure authorises tho payment to members of tho District Highways Councils of travelling expenses and allowances not exceeding 21s per day. The Slain Highways Board is to have tho power to sell any roadmaking machinery and equipment to any local authority to which it has delegated powers relating to main liighways, including arrangements for repayment by instalments over a period not exceeding four years.