TEACHERS' SALARIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8987, 19 September 1892, Page 3

TEACHERS' SALARIES.

to the editor. Sir,— is a source of satisfaction to me to find that the Educational Institute is in sympathetic accord with what I suggested in ; the columns of your paper some time ago, viz., that the teachers' salaries should be fixed by Parliament for all the colony. Ido hope that the Board will give up tinkering at the question and urge the Government to take it up and carry out the suggestion now made by the above institution, and thereby make it a colonial question, for I am convinced it will be far better for our provincial district, and it would set the matter at rest and be far more satisfactory to teachers who in the present state never know what fad Education Boards may take re adjustment of their salaries. It is not a question to my mind that should be. in so uncertain a state, and it is to hoped the Conference proposed will result in putting the matter at rest for all times.—l am, etc., H. CRISPB. September 16,1892. * TO THE EDITOR. , , 1 Sir,—ln continuation of my previous letter on this topic, I have now to submit a few additional facts and figures, culled, as were J

my former ones, wiih care and accuracy from official records, which will still further exhibit to your readers the excellence of " the system" hitherto pursued by the Board of Education in apportioning public money amongst the teachers of the public schools. Before going further, I wish to confine attention to the headintr of my letters, from which it should be clear, to all who are not a little purblind, or whose neck is not crooked, that I am not writing on all topics under the sun, but only on one—viz., the apportionment of public money under the name of salaries amongst a large class of public servants. Sage critics will kindly note that Having already dealt with the salaries \\ , ; paid to male head teachers, I now begin with >i,., the salaries paid to female head teachers; ;-" and on turning to the official records I find ? an LI teacher, with eighteen years' service, receiving just £100 a year, and another El, •' with five years service less, £160. What makes the difference more lovely is the fact' that the latter has been receiving £160 or thereabouts, since her sixth year of service. Now; is not " the system" beautiful! Again here is an E2, a grade lower than the fo-mer receiving £184 a year, a figure she has been receiving since her fifth year of service- * lower down' the page is another E2, with fourteen years' service, receiving £80 a-year ■ another E2, £50; another E2, £80; an E3* £80; an E4, with seven years' service, £80; and another E4, with seven years' service* £50. • Taking the next higher rank, here is a D2 teacher, with fourteen years' service, receiving £120 a-year; on the next page another 1)2, with fourteen years' service, £100 ; a D 3, with seven years' service, £80; and another D 3, with seven years' service, £100. In Class C there are but two teachers, one of whom in Cl receives £200, and the other in C2 £100. Just note : C2, £100; E2, £184. How lovely ! Recapitulating: El, £100; El, £160; E2, £184; E2, £80; E2, £50; E3, £80; E4, £80; E4, £50; JD2, £120; D2, £100: D 3, £80; D 3, £100; Cl, £200; C2, £100. So far as the female teachers are concerned, then, the beauty of " the system," the golden beauty, is very striking. But up to my writing, how carefully that beauty has been shrouded from the eye of the public ! The lovers and admirers of the golden beauty of " the system," whether among the members of the Board or the teachers, have often spoken and written on " the system " during the past twelve or fourteen years ; and now, I ask the public, have those lovers and these admirers, ever, during that long stretch of years, revealed how the money had been apportioned? Before reading my letter any further, will readers here pause until my question is answered? Then, why have voluble talkers, ardent lovers, and heartstricken admirers so long carefully concealed every particle of such information from the public? Now, why? Why the long, the studious silence? To proceed, I take the salaries paid to male assistant teachers next. Here is an El, with seven years' service, receiving £200 a year, a figure he has been receiving since his third year in the service; a D2, with seven years' service, £150 ; a D 3, a grade lower and with only three years' service, £150, a figure he has been receiving since joining the service, having been found very serviceable in a certain matter to an exmember of the Board; an E3, with four years' service, £110; another E3-, with five years' service, £100; and another E3, with five years' service, £75. Since there are only 21 male assistants, those six instances will suffice to show still more of the beauty ol " the system." Indeed, that beauty can b< glaringly discerned in every channel into which the money goes. • Recapitulating ranks and salaries : El, £200 ; D2, £150 ; D 3, £150 ; E3, £110 ; E3, £100 ; E3, £75. Finally, I turn to the salaries paid the female assistant, teachers, and as I look down the list I must qpnfess that I am almost enraptured by the fascinating beauty of " the system "— a golden beauty, seen nowhere to such great advantage as here ; but as I have already occupied so much of your space I content myself by submitting a condensed statement of ranks and salaries El, £120 ; E2, £90; E3, £80 ; El, £80 ; E2. £60; E3, £60 ; Dl, £120; Dl, £80; D2. £90; D2, £70; C 4, £60: E4, £60. Just note: E4, £60; C 4, £60. From what I have quoted in this and in my former letter, it can be readily understood by any one who cares to sudy the matter why those teachers who have, been receiving unfairly high salaries for years past, and their friends on the Board have a strong attachment to the beauty of " the system " of apportioning salaries; and having long monopolised that beauty, that golden beauty, they have for some years been congratulating each otheron their delicious prospect of enjoying it lovingly and serenely together for ever; and they are now, after the usual fashion of jealous lovers, deeply angry with me for my partial exposure of that golden beauty to the garish light of public opinion. The said beauty, or, to speak correctly, the glaring injustice revealed in my letters has some defenders amongst us it is true; but, then, that should be expected by all fair-minded men, for what iniquity ever existed, as the history of man hind proves, too foul for some men to defend. That unblushing favouritism has had anything to do with the scandalous state of things I have slightly revealed no one will for a moment believe; though it is rather difficult to understand how, otherwise, that state of things could have been brought about. To regulate salaries according to the Education Act, as some of the new members have vainly tried to do, would be only spoliation and robbery of those teachers that have hitherto enjoyed the unfairly high salaries. So they and their friends on the Board say for have they not as much right to go on enjoying, though unfairly, such fine salaries in the future as they have had hitherto ? To be sure. Never mind those unfortunate teachers that have all along been starved and ill-treated. Never mention them. They are of no account.l am, &c, Junius. P.S. The public may rely on the accuracy of my figures. Is there a member of the Board can deny the accuracy of a single one of them ? My critics may receive some attention from me when I have nothing of less importance to write about.