WOMEN TEACHERS

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12589, 26 August 1901, Page 4

WOMEN TEACHERS

The deputation which waited upon,' 16® Premier and the Minister of Education oni Saturday with regard to the position and) remuneration of women teachers in tihei colony had no reason to be discouraged by the manner in which, its representations were received. The Ministers, might fairly have given a definite start©* ment of the Government’s attitude on thq question of equal pay for equal work.) Fully 60 .per cent of the teachers in New Zealand primary school® are women, .and yet wo doubt if half a dozen ■women teachers hold positions worth £2OO a year, Thera is no feature of the Civil Service so scandalously bad as the treatment of this large and important class of State servants,, and Mr Seddon, having the facta before him, could surely have promised the deputation something more, substantial than sympathy. But women teachers have the satisfaction of knowing that Parliament will not deal with the proposed new colonial scale until they have had an opportunity of obtaining a general expression of opinion from all parts of the colony and of giving evidence before the Parliamentary Committee. If, as Mr Seddon said, the Government does not dfcsire to place women teachers at a disadvantage, it must be willing to grant them equality of opportunity and equality of pay, a course in which it would have the approval and support of a majority of Parliament and of the community. The North Canterbury Women Teachers’ Association, which appointed thtt deputation, will have plenty of work before it during the nest few weeks, and we hope its members will make the most,of the opportunity. Similar organisations should he formed: in other educational districts, and teachers generally should realise that if they are to obtain the recognition of the main principle they must sink all minor differences and be prepared, if necessary, to make some personal sacrifice.