PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND TEN PER CENT. CUT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 69, 20 February 1931, Page 8

PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND TEN PER CENT. CUT.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —There are certain sections of the Public Service, more especially headmasters of primary schools, grades 3 to 7, on whom a flat rate reduction will inflict a severe and unjust hardship. These men have been poorly paid in tho past and their claims to a rise have been long admitted by the members of the Government, including the present Minister of Education. All recent salary schemes have increased the salaries of lower grade teachers, but not so the headmasters who carry the whole responsibility for the success of the primary system. Many equitable methods for applying the cut must be apparent to the members of the Cabinet, who cannot fail to see the injustice of the flat rate as applied to educational matters. May I be permitted to put forward a few suggestions for consideration, suggestions that would achieve the same result, ie.. a saving of ten per cent without inflicting any undue hardship:—(a) Reduce the whole salary bill—primary and secondary—by ten per cent, and let the Department bring in a new salary bill on the reduced vote taking into consideration the folio-wing points: (1) 35dpce a *' secondary salaries to the same, or nearly the same level, as the primary. This is an ideal aimed at by the Minister, i.e., one-salary scheme for all; (b) find other positions for the large number of itinerary teachers and instructors. If these are now needed, there is something wrong with the training college curriculuip; (c) dispense with all subsidiary payments such as remote allowances.

After removing these, and other unnecessary items of expenditure, and failing a new salary scheme to remove anomalies in the present salary scheme, I would suggest that ,„Ahe following reductions be made: —(a) below £250, 2£ per cent; (b) £250 to £450, 5 per cent; (c) £450 to £6OO, 7£ per cent; (d) £6OO to £750; 10 per cent; (e) £750 and over, 15 per cent. All reductions to be doubled in the case of unmarried teachers without ab. solute dependents.—l am, etc., C. C. HILLS.