SALARIES OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12569, 2 August 1901, Page 2

SALARIES OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS.

_ The following'is the report of the Commission appointed to consider the question of School Teachers' Salaries: We, the Commissioners appointed by the Commission of the 9th day of April, 1901, , under the hand of your Excellency and the Seal of the Colony, for the purpose of considering , the best method of establishing a uniform scale of staff and salaries to be in force throughout the- colony, under which the number of teachers employed in public schools maintained under the Education Act, 1877, having an equal number of children in average daily attndance shall, as. far as possible, be the same; and the teachers holding similair positions, to one another shall, other things' being.equal, be paid equal salaries; and to reporo ftß to the priitciplea upon which such uniform scale should ba baised, taking into consideration the total amount payable by the Government of the colony for such purposes as are contemplated by the payments now made under sub-section 2 of section 8 of the said Act, the said amount not exceeding on the whole a sum equal to a capitation, of £4 per ivnntim for each child in average daily attendance, have now the honour to report to your Excellency as follows: . 1. EVIDENCE." ~ For the purpose of obtaining evidence upon the matters comrn'itted !to us, 'we caused advertisements to be inserted in tli3 newspapers circulating in the localities we proposed to visit, inviting those desirous of giving information to appear before us. Sittings were held at Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson, Greymouth, Hokitika, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, Timaru, Auckland, New Plymouth, Wanganui, and Napier, and every publicity was given, the meetings being held with open doors. During our inquiries thirty-eight sittings i of the Comrmission were held, in addition to numerous meetings of committees. We examined 150 witnesses, including the In-spector-General of. School?, chairmen, secretaries and members of Education. Boards, members of school committees, inspectors of schools, teachers, and others. The evidence, oral and otherwise, elicited during the inquiry is attached hereto. The first witness examined was Mr G.' Hogben, M.A., Secretary for Education and Inspector-General of Schools, who placed before us a scale of staffs' and salaries drafted by himself. This scale was, at the request of the .Commission, immediately distributed ' by .the Education 'Department among the teachers and members of Boards and School Committees throughout the colony. During the inquiry several draft I scales were submitted, and finally five were under consideration. Of these, exhibit 2 is the scale put in by Mr Hog-ben ; exhibits 50 and 10Y show the same ■ scale in an amended form;. exhibit 110 is a scale also drafted by Mr Hogben, differing from the others by omitting deductions from salaries in.connection-with certificates, and requiring a capitation grant of £4 ss. Tire fifth scale was presented by » member of the Commission. 2. THE NECESSITY FOR A COLONIAL SCALE, The necessity for the adoption of a colonial scale arises from conditions connected with the administration of primary education in the colony. The Department of Education' distributes to the Boards the capitation voted by Parliament, aind each Board frames its own regulations relating ■to the staffs, and salaries of the schools. Given thirteen districts and thirteen schemes we are invited to bring into h'ar- | mony .widely-divergent-interests and conditions— a ta.sk,..'ifc must be admitted, presenting some difficulty. •'.''.; The Beards have frequently-.found'.'it necessary, for financial 'and other; reasons, to change their regulations ; and it ishard to yayhow many different scales have been in operation since the. Boards' were . constituted. The evidence taken *ho'ws that, as a general result of these changes, .the salaries of teachers throughout the. colonyare steadily falling, while., statistics prove that in other.parts of the British Empire, the change is in the opposite direction. In support of the latter statement We quo to. the report of,the Board of Education, England, for the year 1900: " The average, ./salary of a certificated majster has risen, since*lß74, 35 per cent, and of a certificated mistress nearly 48 per cent." In New Zealand, on the other hand, it is shown in the annual report of the Minister of Education for the same year that the <ave-. rage salaries paid to teachers have fallen.We are convinced that discontent exists among the great-majority of teachers, but whether the adoption of a colonial scale c-f staff and salaries will completely remove this feeling remains to be seen. .Among the reasons urged in favour of a colonial scale are the: following : ) (1.) The great inequalities existing 'in the payment of salaries in schools u£ the same class ; (2.) The disproportionate allotment of salaries in individual districts; (3.) The frequent reductions in salaries ; "(4.) The'increasing' cost of maintainancc of small schools. Although the Government has paid the same capitation allowance to Boards, it does not follow that equal justice has been meted to them. Thus, in the Westland district there are -thirty-six schools with a combined average or an average of 31.6 ])upiK''iiV"'eiwli' sicliool. On the existing capitation of £3 15s, the amount, payable to the Board is £4271 ss, which for each school averages £ll3 13s. In the adjoining district of North Canterbury the average number of pupils to each school is 83.75, representing on the same ba*is» an income of £324 Is .xl. The scale of staff and salaries submitted herewith shows that a small school costs, relatively much more than a large one. This enables certain Boards to pay higher salaries to their teachers than can be paid in districts,

where the- average number of pupils in each schoolis spall. In order to make this point clear we give, tho range of salaries at rates paid in 1899. This is quoted from the statement that forms pari, of exhibit 2 : Average attendance. Range of salary. 20 £7O to £lls : 100 ' . . . £l6O to £225 250 ... £203 to £275 600 . . . £258 to £575 In order to equalise the salaries of teachers that are in charge of schools with the same average attendance, ifc is necessary either to give higher capitation to small districts such, ag Westland, C4rey, and Marlborough, or, salary purposes, to v regard the schools of the, colony as belong-' irig to a single district. In the latter case the income by way of capitation must be so ■ allotted to the teachers that th« same salary mil be paid to every teacher in schools of the same size. Any further attempt' to secure equality is impracticable, although much evidence was given respecting the varying cost of living in different. parts of the colony, and evert in Afferentparts of the same e duration-district. ■ On. the, whole, the members of the Commission consider that, though in the past this difference was very considerable, it is not sufficient to require at the present- time special, recognition, and the rapid improvement in the means of transit will still further reduce whatever inequality may at present, exist. ' 1 It is generally conceded that the Boards have used the funds placed at their disposal, to the best advantage. The grant, of £3 15s for each pupil i-rr average attendance ! being found to be. inadequate, the Boards i received • from 1878 to 1887, inclusive " special capitation allowances" of from 4* to 10s towards the expenses of Committees. Since the latter year no capitation beyond the £3 15s has been paid*, Notwithstanding that the commercial, nomic, and social conditions of New land have compelled Boards to extend their, work.in various directions, the capitation grant for teachers* salaries and allowances to' School Committee*, etc., remains practically the same as in 1878. The insufficiency of. the grant of £3 15s is conceded by your Excellency's Commission, which requires, us tu prepare a colonial scale of salaries based on a. payment of £4 per annum for each child in average daily attendance, '. 3. PROPOSED SCALES OF STAFFS AND SALARIES. .Before proceeding to refer in detail to. the scales of salaries formulated by us, and to explain the principles upon which ithey are • based, it is necessary to note a Somewhat uncertain factor—namely, the turn to be ''set aside to meet the cost of administration by Boards, allowances to School Committees, inspection, "sick-pay," supply service, and minor charges. Varia-* tions exist throughout the colony in the rates of payment for thess purposes similar to those presented in scales of staffs and salaries. The average expenditure incurred in Boards' expenses for the Jasfc three years was £62,160 per annum. 'We find that several Boards have—more especially in former yeare—devoted a portion of'the. capitation'grant to the erection and' repairs of school buildings. This necessarily, reduced the amount available for salaries. The majority of Boards now, however, consider that this l allowance should not be expended on school buildings. We hold that such transfers from the General Account to the Building Fund are unjustifiable, .'and Should be discontinued. In making provision for the fund for purposes other than the payment of teachers' salaries we have adopted the suggestion of the Inspector-General of Schools. By tins suggestion £250 is allowed to each Board, with a capitation of lis 3d on the total average - attendance of the schools of the ; d'istrict. The sum required will be £66,108. By the fixed payment the financial position of the smaller districts will be 'strengthened, while the total (increase will prove beneficial in all cases. According to an'estimate ..prepared by'the Secretary for Education the income available, based on the returns of the year 1900, is £450,990 composed of: (1) a capitation t of £1 on 111,747.5 pupils; equalling £446,990; (2) inspection subsidy to be merged -with (1), £4000;- a total of £450,990. If from this sum is deducted £66,loß—allowances to Boards—-there is left on which to base the necessary calculations for the construction of a scale of staffs and salaries the amount £oo-t,882. Two schemes have been prepared, and these are marked Scale- No. 1 and Scale No. 2 respectively, and appear as appendices A and B. They'present the same general features, the difference between them being that in the secon4 there is an increase in the antc-u:rt proposed as salaries to teachers in schools with an average attendance' of more than 20. We strongly recommend the adoption of Scale No. 2. As, however, the order of reference necessitates the construction of a scale on a capitation of £4, we .are compelled to mo reduce salaries as to bring the total expenditure within tho amount available. This as has been stated, is Aii84,882, while tha cost for salaries if, under Scale No. 1, £584,764, and under Scale No. 2 £395,616, leaving an unallotted balance of £llß in the former, and a debit balance of £13,425 in the latter. We urge that the amount to be voted for the payment of teachers' salaries and Boards', allowances ba raised to a sum equal to a capitation of £4 2s 6:1. There would then be sufficient funds to provide for tils requirements of Scale No. 2, and to increase the allowances of Boards to a capitation of 1.2?, with the addition of £250 to each district with an average attendance not" exceeding 8000—a- provision we estimate •to ba sufficient. The adoption of this course would, in our opinion, satisfy the requirements of Boards and teachers, and, from an educational point of view, result in increased efficiency in ■ the. primary i-ehcok. ■; ''■: 4..: NOTES ON THE PROPOSED .:-.'.-. . SCALES. ..■_" • We. supply notes- on the chief features and principles presented by the proposed 'scales. The numbers used are from th| returns of tie last quarter of the jiyeaf 1900, that being the year on the of which the estimate of the expenditure under the scales was made. Scale No. 1 gives a suggested staffing of schools of an attendance from 1 to 1050,' The latter limit has been found necessary in order (o provide for schools already established in the larger centres. We think,' however, that for many reasons ifc is undesirable to foster, the growth of .very large schools. The maximum number; of pupila should not exceed 700, representing an average attendance varying from 600 to 650, and w& suggest .that in future that limit should be adopted. ; We make .this recommendation to obviate, the duplication of classes and of separate departments. v - ; It-i^;our>'opi;niori that the mixed school,-\rhodefate.'iriSsize; represents *the highest typaliif "the; primary school. Both scales provide for a grant of £5 up to ah average attendance, of 20. Under this proposal the Boards wi!l;(be enabled to make complete provision.'; for. education in isolated and sparsely populated districts. For schools of this grade the grants made by Boards have varied in rat*. Some Boards have refused to sanction the establishment of a school unless an attendance of at least 10 children of school-age could be ; guaranteed, while others have paid a subsidy for a single child. In the majority of districts, including the smaller, the opinion was almost unanimous that a capitation of. £5 is a sufficiently liberal allowance. According to the latest returns, the total average attendance in schools of this grade is 6314, and £31,570 will be absorbed in salaries, irrespective of the cost of maintenance. In schools of the second grade, with an average attendance varying from 20 to 30, the salaries are the same for teachers of both stxes. The question of "equal pay for equal work" to men a.nd women formed a prominent feature in the evidence taken by us, and on this subject widely different views were expressed. While ,-fome women teachers claimed equal pay with men, others "..ey were, f C r

: economic reasons, not entitled to the same, remuneration, although they held that the ; disparity in salaries had hitherto been too ■ great. It was- agreed, however,, ithat women in many instances do not receive '■payment commensurate with the work they perform. Members'of tho Commission, though divided on the question o® granting equal pay to men and women, unite in L thinking 'that' "existing 1 circumstance^ 1 the principle cannot be' fully 1 applied. It : has, however, been adopted as -far" as rei latest to: all schools 'with' an average attendance not exceeding 30', and above tfes number the salaries of women teachers I have been raised to approximate moro elosei ly to those paid to male 'teachers in similar positions. In this grade (20, to 30) I'there are 323. schools, and the capitation ! allowance--wilt, on each unit of increase over ! 20, he at the rate-of £3 10s, under Scale : No. 1 and £4 under Scale No. 2. The salaries will, therefore range from £lO3 ■los to £135, and from £IOO- to £l4O under the two scales respectively., These -schools: will absorb in salaries approximately -£38,114 according, to Scale,No.,l, ; a»d according to scale- No. 2 £39,719.'.-' ' > In the 'third grade of sch¥#> 'consisting, 'of those'with an averaga' attendance of over 30 awFflot over 40, a differential ''«cale'begins. The increase for each unit is at the rate of £2 for ; men and £1 for women. By this proposal the salary for a master ranges from £l3o to Mot* : under Scale No. 1, and from £l4O- toV£l6o under Scale No. 2; while the salary. for mistresses varies from £135 to £145; under the former scale, and from £l4O to £l5O under the laitter. In the three grades of schools now considered prevision is made for nearly five"eighths of the primary schools-namely, : 1039 out of a total of 1674—and we have so far dealt, with schools in. charge of a •Wr.teacher.' Our aim has teen to provide to , attract teachers of inIcrearfed i, capacity and training, and, alIthaugihuthe salaries paid to men and women "respectively differ slightly, both sexes are ■placed practically on the same competitive terms. ■ T In the grade 40 to 50, under Scale No. 1, the salary'of the head teacher varies for men from £155 to £165, and for women from £145 to £l5O. in Scale No. 2, £5 is added to the salary of each teacher. - A new feature is now presented by the introduction into the staff of an assistant teacher. Several Boards have not recegn:«d the necessity for the grant of assistance until the "average attendance has reached 45, and even 50, and when help has been supplied, ib has usually, taken the form of a •pupil-teacher. We regard ib as indispensable that the first addition to the staff should be a duly qualified assistant. Therefore, so soon'as the average 1 attendance exceeds 40,, an assistant mist- '■ vess is to be' appointed, at a salary comI meriting at £BO per aunqm. At this | point, however, we undoubtedly prefer the allotment of a minimum salary of £BS, I as provided in Scale No: 2. 1 In both scales the salaries of all assistants are fixed at eaich grade, and do not vary, as in the case' of head teachers, with each unit of increase or decrease inthe average attendance. For example, the assistant in a school in the grade 50 to 70 will receive £BS per annum, while in the succeeding grade her salary will be £IOO. , The schools between 50 and 90 number 232, and the cost of staffing each school varies from £250 to" £315. This, we are aware, .is somewhat costly, but we deem it important that provision should be made for' securing the highest- degree of erli-' ciency in tne country schools. Of the 1674 primary schools, 1411 have an average attendance not exceeding SO. Of these the total average attendance is 34,143, and the total salaries approximately £167,671 under Scale No. 1, and £172,276 under Scale No. 2. The average attendance of the remaining 263, schools varies from 91 to 1020, and in only one school reaches 1000. The staff is increased at-90 by the addition of a pupil-teacher, and at 120 by a second pupil-teacher: .Between 150 and 330 the increase is made by appointing an assistant alternately with a pupil-teacher, the advance required being 50 for an.assistant and 30 tor a pupil-teacher. Above 330, while the same alteration- is preserved, the addition required to secure an assistant is raised to 60. ' The supply of male teaohers to fill the positions available on the staffs of the primary schools ia at present inadequate. On reference, however,-to the explanatory notes at the',fcot of Scales Nos. 1 and 2, it will be "seen that great latitude has been allowed to Boards in the choice of teachers of either sex, and in other special arrangements of the school staff. The maximum' salary t-et -down in Scale No. 1 /for the largest class of schools is £374, and in Scale No.' 2, £3BO, exclusive of house allowance. Thes-e salaries are less than those paid to head masters in many primary schools of England and l Scotland.. Taking into consideration, however, the needs of country -districts and the inadvisableness of encouraging the establishment of large schools, we have not fixed a higher r;ite in such positions. The number of schools of more than 700 pupils is six, while in. only two cases will tlie headmasters bs entitled- to the maximum salaries. It may be here stated that, while either of the scabs submitted will benefit the large majority of teachers and schools in the colony, more particularly in the smaller districts, it has been found impossible, especially .jmder Scale No. 1, to avoid reducing a few salaries. Several Boards have, at certain points in the scales now in force, adopted payments higher than these allotted in other distriots, and higher than can possibly be given according to a general scheme. Where, however, a salary paid according to the scale in force on June 20, 1901, is more than that of the colonial scale, we recommend that the reduction shall not take effect until the close of a period, of two years, unless an the meantime there is a' change of teacher. Details of staffs and salaries in the various grades'.-.of schools under. Scale, No. 1 and pehdix G). . It is necessary to provide that before any alteration: in staff, by increase or decrease, can take place the average attendance calling for j-uch alteration must have'been maintained for at least two consecutive quarters. We, consider, however, that pwver should be retained, in' any case ofc decrease under exceptional circumstances, and on the recommendation of an Education Board, to defer the action of such re-g-...ution for a third quarter. 5. HOUSE ALLOWANCE. • The scales we have the honour to place before your Excellency deal solely with staffs, and salaries, and take no account of .the rental value of jchoolrssidsncss occupied by many- head teachers.,, Excluding from j.our, ..consideration the where the,,' a.v.eifage attendance 'does,, nq-i «»*cd 20, there are 835 schools, with, ..and 351 without, residence?. If the colonial sca.e of staffs and salaries has for its. aim the equalisation of payment, it is evident that tho head teachers of the 351 schools are not on the* same line of equality with thos6 provided with dwellings. The cost of the existing residence? has,,we assume, been defrayed out of the annual grant for buudr ings. To take, therefore, from the CGipitation'grant sufficient money to provide house , allowance would, i:i our opinion, be wrong. For this reason we recommend that where no residence is provided house allowance be paid from the Building Fund c-n the following scale.: >Over 20'and?iiot--over o(J in average attendance, £2O ;-.over „0 and no-t over 150, £3O ; over'.l6o-'«iidi;nt>t over 250, £35; ove^9so-'and f n»tW£r.:42Q,:>£4Or over 420, £SO. It is necessary -to- explain that the salaries of -head teacher* are suggested as adequate only if a residence is granted or vent allowed. The estimated annual cost of rpecial prevision for house allowance in connection witn the -»l schools referred to ds approximately i-SUUU. 6. TEACHERS' - CERTIFICATES. While not .prepared to adopt a general system. of deductions for deficiencies m . certiflcatE's, we recommend that the salaries of uncertificated head teachers and assistants be reduced 10 per cent, provided that

; such salaries do not in consequence fall below £BO per annum. The evidence indicates that many teachers and other educationalists are opposed to the of ceroificates at present in vogue. We think that it is unduly complicated, and should be simplified by a (reduction in the number of classes and divisions. The issue" of. two grades of certificates of competency to manage and tea,ch ; a .primary school is «11 'that the public irt- ; teres*? demand 1 . ' Length of service and tho ' reports of inspectors furnish sufficient -ad- • ditional data upon which Boards may base their estimation of the capabilities of teachers. The holders of literary qualifications higher than those recorded in the suggested certificates ma:y obtain official recognition of the same by passing university examinations. It is therefore unneces- : sary that the Department should issue toa graduate of the university a diploma higher thin the present C certificate. / l 7. SCALE FOR SPECIAL SCHOOLS. There are a few schools that do* not conj; form to the type of mixed school to which !j we have alreaidr made, reference. In cerr tain districts there are separate" schools; for infants,, girls, or boys. We have presented (Appendix C) a. scale of staffs and salaries for these when they. exceed. 200 in average attendance. The number of schools coming under this scale is only six, and we are unanimous in the opinion that these should, without delay, b& brought into line with the other schools of. the colony. In tho case of a side-school that is carried on as a branch of a main school, it is sufficient, we think, if the I staffing be allotted on the combined ave- ! rage attendance of the two schools, with 1 extra provision such as the substitution of r.an assistant for a pupil-teacher. i 8. THE TEACHING STAFF. At the present time the teachers in the I schools of the colony may be classed asHead or sole teachers ; infant mistresses ; heads of departments; assistants ; ex-pupil-teachers ; pupil-teachers; sewing-mistresses. | Under the proposed schemes . only . three classes are recognised—namely, head or eple : teachers, assistants, and pupil-teachers. In all schools where there are assistants the head teacher is the controlling authority, and is responsible for the organisation of the whole school. To use the terms "head of department" or "infant mistress " [ is liable to- lead to a wrong conception of : the positions of such officers in relation to l the head teacher, to whom every'member of ! the staff should, be amenable for direction in carrying on the work of either class or department. In several education districts it is usual to appoint sewing-mistresses to small j schools in charge of male teachers. The, . salary. paid to the sewing-mistresses is in" I many cases nominal, as the time occupied fin this service does not amount to more than two or three hours a week. We carefully considered the probable effect of the abolition of this position, and are satisfied that the result will be beneficial, as the increase in salaries will attract into the: smaller schools teachers capable of pro* viding for instruction in sawing and at the same time supplying a higher standard of general training. 9. THE PUPIL-TEACHER SYSTEM. We are in accord with a number of witnesses who consider that the least satisfactory part of primary education in New Zealand is the pupil-teacher system. This objection does not go so far as a recommendation of its abolition at the present time, and we confine ourselves to suggestions for important modifications. A great want of uniformity is disclosed in the selection, appointment, instruction, and examination of pupil-teachers. The most' important point brought under cur notice relates to the entrance examination. This varies from a pass for.the Sixth. Standard to the matriculation examination, and the age of admission displays corresponding variations. . It is, found in all districts, however, .that there is considerable reluc-

\ tance on the part of boys- to enter the proIfession, and. the chief reason assigned for this is the long and arduous apprenticeship at » low remuneration. The; scales submitted show a, reduction in the number of pupil-teachers from 962 to 681. This 'reduction can be effected gradually as opportunity occurs, so th'ab pupil-teachers already in the service may . not be prejudicially affected. The pay- ' rnenfc proposed is- equal to the highest now allowed by any Board,, and. the duty of giving (instruction to pupil-teachers has been • allotted to the bead teacher- and assistants without special remuneration. We think* further, that the- qualifica'tiwis required for entrance should be greater than a mere pass in the highest standard of the primary course; that the age of candidates should bs raised; that, if possible, the period of apprenticeship should be shortened; and that a uniform system of examination should be instituted. If the age and qualifications required at entrance, are not raised, the question arises whether in this colony, ; as, under the: London, Glasgow, Birmingham, and other School Boards of Great Britain, pupil-teachers: should be required to engage in the instruction of pupils for only half of each, day, 'devoting; the remainder to. study. 10. TRAINING SCHOOLS. A matter of still greater importance, although perhaps beyond the scope of our inquiry is the training of teachers during . the period immediately following the pupilteacher course. The only institutions at ; present established for this purpose are the Normal Schools, in Christchurcli and Dun- : edin, and a Training School in Napier. Each, of these' includes a primary school with speoial arrangements for the training of teachers. The Normal Schools under-; take, in addition, instruction in literary! ; subjects for the departmental examinations. This appears to, us to be superfluous in centres provided with university colleges. It as sufficient that training schools should confine themselves to the preparation of students in the art of teaching, in the principles on which methods ase based, and in subjects that require manual training and 1 practical exercise, such as drawing, music, drill, and handwork. What are required; in slibrt,. are technical schools for teachers. The?e should be established in each of the chief centres by removing the pupil-teachers frota the staff of an ordinary primary school and substituting a certain number of ex-pupil-teachers who have qualified themselves by success in examination and by satisfactory progress in the art of teaching in its elementary stages. This scheme would be comparatively inexpensive as the extra cost would be, in some 1 cases at, least, confined to the payment of such students at a"salary of, say, j£6o per-an-num! less the sum set down in the scale for the pupil-teachers that are replaced. More advanced instruction in theory might well be left to lecturers on the science of education in connection with- university colleges. ' ! Whether or not the scheme here outlined is adopted, • it is essential that increased provision be made for the training of teacher.", as upon this depends: to a large extent the efficiency of our primary schools, which supply for nine-tenths of the population the only means of education, and which form the chief basis not only of the progress of secondary education, but also of social, moral, and economic conditions. The greatness of a country, is • founded on the right upbringing of its children, and the schools, whose first care i this is, depend for their power foivgoojl upon the character, skill, and intelligence of the teachers. We urge, therefore, thait hardly any sacrifice is too great for the colony to make on behalf of the sound training of its young teachers.' The nobler -the influences and the greater the intelligence brought to bear on true education the higher will be the ideals of private life 1 and citizenship of the men and women of the future. '

11. CONCLUSION. We have now dealt with the mosc salienfi points bearing upon the primary schools.' Our purpose has been to bring into view* what benefit will accrue to the public school teachers and to, education generally from a colonial scheme, and how that schema will affect directly (wid, indirectly the work of Boards. We admit that the,division! of the colony into education districts 'has materially assisted in the\ spread of primary education. The independence enjoyed] by Boards has. emfbled them l to adapt their schools to, the special conditions and! requirements of distriiJts. Noting the good work that has been done, we have endeavoured to so. guard, the introduction of a colonial scheme that the influence of Beards will in no. way suffer. The. evidence, accompanying our report, is foil of suggestions bearing, on the success of the primary schools. Some of these we can merely mention,, as they form subjects, for 1 separate inquiry. We, refer to- the control :Of Inspectors, the afpointmeait, transference, and promotion, of teaciiers, besides : such, subjects as superannuation of teaebers, ; compaissionate allowances to representatives of deceased teachers,, truancy, scholarships, and the amalgamation of certain education : districts. The valuable evidence: that, wa9 I given by- members and secretaries, of Education Boards stands as. a monument, of their earnestness and capacity in fostering th« '■ interests of the. primary- schools. So, too, '■ the evidence of teachers shows that Bcadis i have not ; been unmindful of the impo-rtanca ' of selecting men and women of' inteMgetice , and wide influence for good. : Should the colonial; scale advocated by ; us be approved, we feel confident, that, the ; event will mark an era, in, the history of I primary .education in New Zealand. ; Tiachers and children will, be alike benefited —teachers by the improvement of -their. ■ social; status ; : children, by the higher in--1 Suences? that must follow the gradual replacement of pupil-teachers by- capable assistants and the. general advance in the effi- ; ciency of the, teaching staff as a result of increased remuneration. ' We cannot/ do more than hope that our labours will result in fostering the work of primary education along the lines laid down in the Act of 1877., As the result of our inquiries and deliberations, we, with great respect, advise your Excellency:— . ■ 1. That Scale No. 1 comes within a £4 capitation. . * - 2. That Scale No. 2, estimated 'on. a £4 2s 6d capitation, fulfils conditions .that will, in our opinion, greatly benefit primary education. . Therefore *we strongly recommend its adop- '■■ '■'■' : tion; '■'' : 3,,.'|hat jtjie scale come into operationi '."'''■'' "on the'lst day of January, 1902. 4. That, as stated in the body of the report, two- years be allowed for adjustment o$ salaries in certain cases. 5. That a modification in the system of the certificates of teachers be adopted. 6. That the pupil-teaeher system be . amended. I 7. That training schools for teachers bs • established, and that, pending the introduction, of a, general scheme, existing institutions receive special consideration. "' \ Finally, we acknowledge in the warmest' manner "the invaluable information, counsel and help supplied by the Secretary for Education and the officers of his Department- the assistance freely accorded by the Chairmen and officers of the several Education Boards; the evidence furnished by representatives of the various branchef of the New Zealand Educational Institute, and by other witnesses j and the ability and the untiring devotion of the Secretary to the Commission, Mr A. J. Morton, B.A. All which is respectfully submitted for the consideration of your Excellency. As witness our hands and seals,, at, Wellington, this thirtieth day of July, 1901.