THE COLONIAL SCALE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12414, 25 July 1902, Page 5

THE COLONIAL SCALE.

TO TIIE EDITOH. ; - Sir,—Some timo before tho animal meeting of the Teachers' Institute I heard that someone was to propose a vote of thanks to the teachers who had sat on the commission for their kindness in adding £5 to their own already fair salaries, while taking it off their insufficiently-paid brethren in the country; but it did not come off? Still,'! think that the above hits a fault in the principle of tho scale. It seems to bo taken for granted that as a school increases tho salary of the master should increase in tho same ratio. This is true lo a certain extent. If fivo pupils join a school with an average of 50 cr under they make a big difference to the work. In schools from 50 to 100 they.would not make so liiuch difference, and in larger schools, the extra work would hardly be felt. Again, an increase in the attendance means an, increase in tho staff, so with the greater help to do the work and the greater subdivision of labour to ensure a higher effiei-

ciicy there seems no reason why the head master's salary should go steadly mounting up. Mind, I do not say that anyone is getting too much; hut I do say that if there is not enough to pay each worker a. good salary jt should at least be more equitably divided. When the cry for a colonial scale first arose it was argued that the scale would do away with the discontent and restlessness existing among teachers —that tho country teacher would no longer be looking to Dunedin .is his promised land, hut remain content in his rural home, happy in the possession of a living wage for himself and family, with enough over to buy books, and take an occasional run in tf> see what was doing. That this has not ye., come to pass was shown by the teacher of a small country school when speaking at iho annual meeting. He referred to the ' hardness and injustice of his own case when his school had gono down in attendance. He had to lose his assistant, thereby doing double work, while at tho same time hi? falary dropned considerably. What would I advise then? Simplv this: Pay a man a. living wage as minimum, and if his rehool is not worth it, shift him. Haiso tho salaries of second assistants to bo only a little less than first assistant? Hoping you can spare room for this,

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