TEACHERS' MINIMUM SALARIES.

Mataura Ensign, 28 October 1908, Page 3

TEACHERS' MINIMUM SALARIES.

INSTITUTE AND MINISTER AT VARIANCE. TER CSITF.n l'lil-.SS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, Oct. 28. Teachers are still dissatisfied with the announcement that the minimum salaries fixed in the amended Education Act are not to come into force al once, but must he worked up to by an increment of £5 per annum. The Hon. G. Fowlds, ni answer to an inquiry, stated that the £5 increase to all present teachers will cost £16,000 or £17,000, in addition to the cost of the increased staff, and that it less anomalous to give that amount all round than varying amounts to one and another. The secretary of the Educational Institute says he cannot see where the anomaly comes in. If the salary is he low the minimum, and that minimum represents the Minister's estimate of the lowest figure of remuneration, it h anomalous to allow the salary to re main at tho inadequate, figure. Mr T. M. Wilford, M.P., suggests that teachers should ask a judge of Hie Supreme Court for a finding under the Declaratory Judgments Act of last session, whicfi would only a few shillings. Other local members have expressed the opinion that the belief of the House, when the hill was under discussoin, was that the salaries would he raised 1o the minimum at once. DUNEDIX, Oct. 28.

Several local Parliamentarians are oi opinion that the Education Act is defective and requires to be amended te make it clear that the intention of Parliament was at present that teachers' salaries should start as from the beginning of the year at the minimum salary of the grade in which they were placed. They are very emphatic that Parliament never intended to penalise old teachers.