TEACHERS’ SALARIES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11251, 1 July 1922, Page 14

TEACHERS’ SALARIES

THE PROPOSED “CUT” N.Z.E.I. PROTEST FORWARDED TO PRIME MINISTER. “JUST TREATMENT” ASKED FOR. The following letter has been sent by i the New Zealand Educational Institute, to the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey) regarding the further reduction in salaries: — Dear sir,—The executive of the Now Zealand Educational Institute, in view of the terms of the Public Expenditure Adjustment Adfc, submits to the Government the following reasons against the further reduction in the salaries of teachers that are provided for in that Act. In doing so it desires to say, on behalf of the teachers of tho Dominion, that, as during the war, so now, they are quite willing to hear a fair share of the public burdens. .They feel however, that they have a right to draw attention to facts that are often overlooked; and the executive, while recognising that its main duty is to watch over and foster the interests of education, also feels called upon to use its best efforts towards securing fair and j-ust treatment for those on whom education ultimately depends—the teachers. To that end the attention of the Government is requested to the points herein set forth. LOW SALARIES. Teachers’ salaries in New Zealand have always been on a. low scale and they are still distinctly lower than the scales in some of the more progressive countries in the world. It is impossible, therefore, that teachers can escape a Feeling of injustice, and this can only be accentuated if their salaries, already low, are still further reduced. The paramount importance of the teachers’ work is acknowledged by all, and if that work is to .be adequately carried out, the best quality of teachers must be secured. The beet quality cannot be obtained if the salaries offered do not measure up with the importance of thegveat national work the teachers undertake. the' last increase. The executive desires to, reiterate that the last increase in teachers’ salaries was not given as a cost of living bonus, but os a definite increase in salary. There was no undertaking express or implied that teachers should be prepared to accept a reduotion if the cost of living fell. That is why the teachers accepted an increase of £35 a year while the other services received , a somewhat larger addition to their salaries. The increase was given, and was accepted’, as a step in the direction of raising the remuneration, of teachers, a step nearer to that of a standard professional salary. The first reduction was submitted to without protest because teachers accepted the assurance of the Government that the redaction in view of the condition of the national finances was unavoidable. Accepting, also, the assurance recently given by authority that the financial condition of the country is improving, that we are “round the corner ” teachers feel that they may confidently ask that the scale of salaries granted in 1920 be no further reduced; but, on the other hind, that it should be restored to its original level a.t as early a date as possible. SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS. It is perhaps hardly necessary to remind you that there is, and has been for years, a serious shortage of teachers. The last report of the department records that theTe are nearly 1500 uncertificated teachers iof the schools. This means that many thousands of young people, mostly in the country districts, are not receiving the attention that they should receive. Such a condition of affairs requires that special efforts should be made to remedy it. It is true that more teachers are in training than formerly, but still not enough to overtake the needs of the service for a good many years; and if the attractions of the service are curtailed just as returning national prosperity increased the demand for young .people in other occupations, it is not difficult to forsee a, decline in the number of entrants and the continued employment of unqualified teachers. SPECIAL PROTESTATION. Tho willingness of teachers to accept a fair share of the public burden has already been referred to. The Government found it advisable last session to give special protection to certain classes of taxpayers because of the importance of their operations in furthering the general capacity of the country. The executive submits with, full confidence that there is no section of national activity that is more worthy of special protection than education. On it depends not only the capacity of the nation to make the best use of the resources of the country, but also tho continued peace and security of the people. It is only by education that the brain-power and the will-power of the national oan be brought to fullest efficiency. Other countries have recognised this, and tit© countries that Buffered most from the war are those, speaking generally, tlia.t are looking most earnestly to education as the best means of repairing its ravages. There is no “production” so important as the production of the healthy, well-eduait-ed population; there is no investment of capital that will give such large returns in the form, of trained skill, controlled will and highly developed social feeling and community- service. The institute therefore, advances the claim that education has the best right to slharo in any scherrte of special protection as fostering of national activities. In advancing this claim, the institute has behind it the support of a very large section of the general public. All over the Dominion, from all classes of people, have 'been heard expressions of the feeling that the very last function that should be subjected to re. strictiou is education. Therefore, first on the ground that national well-being demands that education should be fos tered and promoted rather than restricted or discouraged; and second, on the ground of the justice of the teachers’ claim that their salaries should not he reduced, when they a-ro already at so low a level that many teachers are never free of anxiety, the institute enters this ohjeotion to any further reduction of the emoluments of those who are giving their lives to this important phase of national work. (Signed) A. ERSKINE, Acting-Secretary, N.Z-E.I.