EDUCATION BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12801, 23 October 1903, Page 6

EDUCATION BOARD.

The meeting of the Otago Education Board was resumed yesterday morning, and was attended by iters Snow (chairman), D. Borrie, R. Pcattie, J. Mitchell, .7. Sim, A. Marshall, and tho Hon. T. Fergus. DIl BllOWX's DEPABTUEE. The Hon. 'I'. Fergus paid before flic ordinary business of the- board was proceeded ■with lis had n molicra lio desired to move which he was perfectly sure would be. received with favour and kindnces by the board. They all know a. late member and chairman of tho board was about to leave Duueclin. He alluded to Dr Brown, and begged to move—"That this board, having heard that it is tho intention of Dr Brown to leavo Dunodin at no dictant date, desires to placo on record its appreciation of the valuable scrvicos which lie has rendered to tho cause of education both as a member and chairman of this hoard, and a present member of tho High School Board of Governon;, and further wishes to convoy to both tho doctor and his wife its best wishes for their health, 'happiness, and prosperity."— ("Hear hear.") Continuing, Mr Fergus said othc-r men could havo boon- better spared than Dr Brown. He (tho doctor) had been a true friend to education in nil its branches, and he would bo missed in-d-ow). 110 t(Mr Fergus) knew that tho teachers of Otago would inks him, bceauso he had heard tho doctor spoken of very kindly in different country places by teachers and their wives as being a friend to whom they could always go for advico and sympathy. He (Mr Fergus) asked that tho motion bo inscribed upon the minutes of the meeting of the board, and that a copy of it be forwarded to Dr Brown). Mr Pcattie, in seconding tho motion, said that tho previous morning, immediately after he came into tho office, he had said the matter was ono they should take up, and ho had intended to put be/oro the board a similar motion. Ho had spoken to several members of the board, and everyone had agreed that sueli a motion should be paisfcd, bocauso they all felt it was tho propar thing to do under the circumslanccn. Tho Chairman said tho matter had been spoken of tho previous day, and it had been decided to let it stand over till next meeting. Ho heartily supported the motion. The motion was then put, and carried unanimously. I'.ESIfiXATICXS. The following resignations wero acecpted: Thos. Paterson, head teacher, Otalcou; liuoy D. Smith, head teacher, Tomahawk; .Jessie Low, mistress, Maheuo; George Balsille, assistant, Normal; Geo. A. Cnldcr, fourth assistant, High street; L. A. P. Whinam, fourth assistant, North-East Valley; Cat-h. B. Keam, «ixl!i assistant, High Street; Elizabeth J. Wilkinson, assistant, Forbury; and Malcolm K. M'Cul'loch, assistant, Hampden. AIrOIJiTMKKTS. The following appointments wero made:— Lucy E. D. Smith, head teacher, Waipiata, vico C. M'Culloch, transferred; Alex. Hoggans, head teacher, Earnseleugh, vico O'Shea, transferred; Georginiv M'lvor,head teacher, Saddle Hill, vice Crawley, transferred; Geo. A. Hansard, bead teacher, Katea, vioo Rcnz, left tho scrvioo; Janet S. Oliver, metres?, Mraigatua, vice Dale, transferred: Thomas Paterson. second .assistant, Port Chalmers, vico M'Kcnzio, left tlm Dcrvice: Lot; A. P. AYhinam, third assistant, iSrnington, vico Cameron, left tho servicc; and "ffni. Ronton, fourth assistant, Normal School, vice Balsillc, resigned.

TKACBEHS' SAURIES. Tlio Secretary (Mr P. G. Piyde) read (ho fcV.owins report by Inspector Goyen with to the proposals cf the Arthur Street and Ivaikorai School Committees lo dispense with a pupil leaclior and add the salary of £35 (o (ho salary of (lie nab second assistant: — " Tlie supply of male tcnchers to fill the positions available 011 the siafis of the primary schools ig at present inadequate." Thus wroto the Rova! Commission appointed to draw hd a colonial scale of staffs and salaries: and then, in opnosition to the logic of its dictum, it proceeded to recommend a scale cf salaries that, instead of Mucins' capable young men to enier (lie service, actually tends to drive from it those already in it. The scale of staffs is certainly superior to the old one; but it is numerically weak for the additional work recently imposed upon the schools, and its reduction by the adoption of devices (e) and (i) of the regulations (devices viuwarfliv of a greatdepartment) will certainly impair the efficiency of the teaching of the classes in which pupil teachers are tor the most part employed. I do not, however, hesitate to say that we should face this result rather than underpay our teachers, for nothing worthy is done without enthusiasm, and it us unreasonable to expect enthusiasm from underpaid men. Under the unforlunato eircumstanccs, I am compelled, though reluctantly, to endorse the recommendations of the Kaikorai and Arthur Street Committees and the Educational Institute. Tlio Secretary also submitted a list of teachers whoso salaries will be riduced after the Ist January next iu terms of memo, from the department read at the previous day's meeting of the board. This showed that tlio reductions would be as follow:—

Four of £50, one of £45, ono of £40, one of £55, ono of £20, ono o( £10, ono ot £7 10s, one of £7, ono of £6 15s, amd 60 others varying from £5 to 2s. Mr Mitchell said that lie would movo that the recommendations of tho Kajkorai aud Arthur Street School Committees (published yesterday) he given effect to. As to tiie general subject, thoy could discuss that separately. Tho Secretary suggostixl that it would be who to send the report to the Minister. Mr Borrie said at the present time they were ehort of teachers, and there was a proposition to rcducc tho number of pupil teachcrs. Mr Mitchell said it waa a question of whether they vers going to reduce the number of those who entered tho profession or tho number of those who were in it. Mr Borrie: We are only doing it as a temporary measure to induce the department to increase the salaries of tho teacher.:.

Mr Marshall said lhoso teachers had entered the eervico at a larger salary, and they would bo doing an injustice if they rcdncod those salaries, Mr Fergus thought it was simply scandalous that some of thess teachers wore brought down from ££5 to £80 a. year in little far-away country districts. How could ft man or woman livo and pay board, and what inducement was there to remain in the service? It would be a disgraceful thing for the hoard to sit still and allow this sort of thing without uttorir.g a protest. Was thero any ether department i" the civil service where a similar state of thing? existed? The people ivlio swept out the Govornment office.? in Wellington were more thought of and better treated than tho=o who attended (o tho education of the children of the province. If thoy treated teachers as they were doing they would have none remaining in tho service. He Mould suggest that thoy send along tho report to the Minister, and that they should at the same lime protest against the cutting down of salaries of tcncher.", especially—The Chairman: Writ? vour motion out.

Mr Fergus, concluding, eaid what the board thought in the meantime was that these people wore inadequately paid. The Chairman: f. don't think wo can protest too strongly against this. Mr Mitchell: I am perfectly certain wo shall havo to deal with cases as they crop tip. I havo moved a motion in accordance with tho act, and I wish it to be put. The Chairman: That, the applications of these schools be agreed to, and that a copy of the inspector's report be forwarded to thc> Minister? Mr Marshall said ho woidd move—"Thattho recommendation of tiio Educational Institute [published yesterday] be. given effect to," but this failed to find a seconder. Mr Mitchell's motion was then carried, with the following addition, moved by tho Hon. Mr Fergus That this board desires to protest against, the manner in which tho salaries of the teachers are proposed to be decreased, and considers that tho present scarcity of (<\iel::rs will bo acccutuatcd by such proposed reduction." GENEKAL. The seal of the board was affixed to tho transfer of tho late school site at Tahiltika to Randolph D. Dick. Accounts amounting to £6312 19s Sd wcro passed for payment. The next meeting of the board will bo held on November 26, at 9.50 a.m.