N.Z.E.I.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 202, 10 August 1927, Page 3

N.Z.E.I.

HAWKE'S BAY BRANCH. SEVERAL IMPORTANT QUESTIONS DEALT WITH. A meeting of the Hawke’s Bay branch of the N.Z.E.I. was held in the Hastings Central School on Saturday last, the president (Mr. D. C. Pryor) presiding over a fair attendance of members. Various matters of importance to teachers and to education generally were- freely discussed. The delegates appointed to interview local members of Parliament reported that both Mr. Campbell and Mr. Mason had given them a very considerable hearing and had promised to give their representations their most careful considerationThe matters dealt with in these interviews were mainly: (1) The married women teachers; (2) Bible in schools; (3) employment of children before and after school ; (4) teachers' right of apjqeal; (5) size of classes. A special committee of six members was set up to consider the questions of the new sick leave regulations and the new methods of training teachers as proposed by the Department. MARRIED WOMEN TEACHERS. In introducing the question of the married women teachers the president stated that the considered opinion of the N.Z.E.I. as expressed at its annual conference was that the married state should not enter into the question of the appointment of teachers. This was carried by a vote of 65 to 15 (not 65 to 50 as stated in the press throughout New Zealand). Some of the Education Boards, however, had chosen to ignore this opinion and had proceeded to take a referendum of the individual teachers upon the matter. This the executive rightly regarded as an attack upon the unity of the Institute and the question to be decided was whether this branch upheld the executive in this attitude. Following some discussion the following motion, proposed by Mr Chaplin and seconded by Mr Garland, was carried unanimously:—“That the Hawke’s Bay branch of the N.Z.E-I. endorsed the action of the executive of the N.Z.E.I. in regard to the referendum on the question of the employment of married women teachers and impress upon members the importance of being loyal to the policy of the N.Z.E.1.” ' The following new members were elected:—Mr Hayman, Miss McDonald and Mr. Kirk.