SHOCKINGLY UNDERPAID

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10087, 28 September 1918, Page 7

SHOCKINGLY UNDERPAID

THE TEACHING PROFESSION "WILL THERE BE A STRIKE OF TEACHERS? In common with other branches of the working community, taachers consider they are painfully underpaid. At last night's meeting ot the "Wellington branch of the Now Zealand Educational Institute, Mr W. Foster brought' up the matter. Ho said that todcliors were being shockingly underpaid. The fact that a teacher received £lO a month was not a correct estimate of a teacher's salary, but rather should it be ton times 13s odd, the Statistician's estimate of the purchasing power of the sovereign. Teachers would be shirking their responsibilities if they did not agitate for better remuneration of teachers. At present the toachng profession was a blind alley, and those who entered this alley were very poorly paid. Other teachers stated that the profession was actually losing some promising teachers because of the lack of inducements in the profession. No father who had any knowledge of the profession would induce his son to enter the profession, with the prospect of an uncertain livelihood. It was considered necessary to impress on Pariament to remedy the present position during the coming session. It was most necessary that teachers should convince Parliament that the position was most urgent, and that tlie welfare of the edu cational profession was at stake. Mr B. .Keen said that the coal-miners had gained an increase in salary by going slow. The tramwaymen had gone slow, and were going to gain an increase. He was suro of this. Could the teachers gain an increase by going slaw?

Miss P. Myers: If tlio schools close for a year Another speaker: Will you strike? Miss Myers: Yes, I will. (Laughter.) If we wero to close for a y_ear, then the people would realise it? We must bring some pressnro to bear. The chairman of the meeting (Mr A. MoKenzie) said the Minister for Education had gone around the country saying the teaching profession was a dying" profession. He was right. Until teachers got more money they would have the greatest difficulty in keeping the ranks of tho profession full. . Mr Foster said that the position was so had that in some nightmares he had had lately, he had seen himself as organising secretary of the teachers' trades union. The teachers should go to, the Government, and demand an increase, in salaries. He was quite sure thiii.ihe .younger members of the profession, although.; they were not "going slofr," were anxious to get out of the profession, A teaoher: And. they are in the majority. Mr Foster: Yes. I Finally, a motion waa passed, on the suggestion of Mr Foster, urging upon associate institutes- to forward their views to the institute on necessary increases in teachers' salaries.