UNDERPAID TEACHERS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 77, 13 March 1934, Page 5

UNDERPAID TEACHERS

Criticism of Rationing FULL SCALE ADVOCATED <By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 13. A protest against tho Education Department’s scheme of rationing teachers was heard at the meeting of the Wellington School and Education Federation last evening, Mr L. J. Macdonald moved: “That the action of the Minister in providing for permanent employment of teachers previously working under the rationed scheme is appreciated by this organisation from the point of view of the advantage accruing to the children, but it deplores tho meagre salaries being paid, and urges the early restoration of the full salary scale.” The position in this country, Mr Macdonald said, was as discreditable to the parents and the school committees as it was to the Government. It was depreciating the value of the whole of the teaching profession. This country was lagging hopelessly behind and there was a deliberate attempt to make the position still worse. It could not go on without affecting the children. Mr N. A. Ingram said it was a deplorable state of things when teachers, after four years of study, were given £6O a year. Ho entered a strong protest against such procedure. Mr C. H. Pinnock said the position was that these teachers were out of work, and the Minister had done something by providing a scheme of benefit to themselves and the children. Mr J. F. Fyfe said they should give thanks for small mercies. He thought their feelings could be expressed by asking the Minister to restore the normal salaries as soon as possible. Mr L. Hennessy said that a great deal of money was being expended, aud there was no reason why the teachers should not get some of it. The resolution was passed unanimously.