SALARIES OF TEACHERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8947, 3 August 1892, Page 6

SALARIES OF TEACHERS.

V At the meeting of the Board of Education, yesterday afternoon, Mr. Luke, in pursuance of a notice that he had given at the previous meetiug of the Board, moved ; —" That the allowance for living away from home be increased to the rate of £20 a year in the case of first year pupil teachers, and £15 »year in the case of second year pupil teachers." Mr. Loke, in speakiug to the motion, said that he would very much prefer to have a national scale of payment throughout the colony, but he thought the case in question was one in which they should try to do some good. He knew that young girls were sent out as first year pupil teachers who were paid less money than they paid their nursegirls. Sometimes they had to p<jy more than their salary for board and lodging. He thought that if pupil teachers and assistants were kept near their homes, a good deal would be saved, lie thought that they should live within their means, as they had done for the past few years. Since ISB7 they had saved money. In this resolution he asked the Board to do justice to the, poorly paid teachers. The increase would mean an addition of about £600 per annum to the Board's expenditure. Of course it might be said that the pupil teachers down South were paid even less thau theirs were, but they were taken on at a very much younger age. Since giving the notice of motion he had received mauy letters thanking him for the effort he was making on behalf of the teachers. Hie motion would provide assistance for those teachers in Rotorua and other places who were compelled to pay high rates for their board and lodgings. Mr. Buckhurst said that he agreed in the main with Mr. Luke's motion, but thought that it "was a mistake to deal only with a portion of the stafi". He therefore moved as an amendment, " That a committee be appointed to formulate a plan dealing with the whole question of salaries and report to che Board at its next meeting, the committee to consist of Messrs, Luke, Udy, and Muir, and that the motion of which notice has been given, be adjourned till the next meeting of the Board." He thought that if these gentlemen met, the difficulty would be got over once and for all time. Mr. Moat said he had very much pleasure in seconding Mr. Luke's amendment. He quite agreed with what Mr. Luke had proposed, but thought that they should make an effort to get some scheme formulated. This would lead to some satisfactory answer to the question. He considered that the reason Mr. Luke had proposed the motion he did was because he was getting hopeless of any scheme ever being established. The whole thing should be thoroughly opened up. Mr. MCTIR said that both Mr. Buckhurst and Mr. Moat had made some very sensible remarks. He was quite prepared to act upon the committee, and was willing to give way in certain things, in order to meet the views of the other gentlemen. Mr. Udy considered that the matter ought not to be dealt with piecemeal. He was quite prepared to give way to help to formulate a scheme that would be acceptable to all. Mr. Gkant supported the amendment. The amendment, on being put to the meeting, was carried, and the committee will meet onjTuesday next to formulate a scheme. The notices of motion that were adjourned were as follow :— Mr. Luke to move, "That a salary equivalent to that of a third-year pupil teacher be paid to pupil teachers, classified partial E, dating from the commencement of the fourth year of their service under the Board." Mr. Grant to move : —" 1. That no female teacher with a full certificate receive less than £50, with £10 added, if living from home; and no male teacher less than £60, with £10 allowance. 2. That, as a temporary arrangement, all assistants receiving less than £100 have their salaries increased 10 per cent; those receiving £100 to £150 have their salaries increased 5 per cent. 3. That teaehers receiving over £300 have their salaries decreased by 10 per cent.; and those from £200 to £300 be reduced by 5 per cent."