TEACHERS' GRIEVANCES.

Feilding Star, Volume I, Issue 265, 14 May 1907, Page 4

TEACHERS' GRIEVANCES.

« TfSB PBESS ASSOCIATION.] Dunetlin, May 13. Messrs A. Marshall and W. Davidson, representing the Teachers' Institute, brought two questions before the Minister of Education Mr Marshall said the first matter was that teachers now bad to pay postage on returns, examination schedules and other official communications forwarded to the Education Board. The Minister — "The Boards are doing altogether wror.g in asking teachers to pay this postage. Teachers could post" their official letters without stamps and leave it to the Postal Department to collect the postage from the Boards. I think Boards of Education should pay the postage of teachers 'communications and returns. I think in some districts they do so and it should be done in all. The question of vhether the Boards should get a grant for this is a matter they should fight with Government, but they should not try to penalise teachers." Mr Davidson then brought up the matter of payment of teachers on the basis of average attendance. He said li«» fully appreciated the improved condition of teacherß to-day as compared with six j ears ago.. The fact remained, however, that there was a feeling of discontent thioughout the colony and there was constant changing from place to place on tho part of teachers. The Institute's suggestion was to regrade the schools into nine instead of thirty grades, having a considerably smaller fixed lpn.imum salary in each grade than at present, rising by small increments to a somewhat higher fixed maximum than at present. The Minister replied that he was leathering information on the question of alteration of teachers' salaries, and was hopeful of being atle to | arrive at an improved system on tlo present. One great difficulty in connection with instituting fixed salaries was that of the transfer of teachers of increased efficiency. As kng as we had local control, a valuable factor in our education, that difficulty would be hard to get over. He was hopeful of finding a way out on the lines suggested, viz., reducing the number of grades of schools and a;lding gradual increment to salines within that school. Even then the grades would have to be based on an average attendance. That must always be. He had asked those who had been strdying tin question to give him suggestions, and as soon as he could soe a method of effectively dealing uith the case he would adopt it. "I thing that on tho lines you have suggested this morning we shall be a: ile to get somothii.g done."