TEACHERS' SALARIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15828, 29 July 1913, Page 8

TEACHERS' SALARIES.

LAC'K OF INDUCEMENT. (Fnou Ooii Own Cobresfondent.) WANGANUI, July 28. ; The question of tcachers' salaries evoked considerable discussion at tli.e annual meeting of the la.ra.naki District I'eacheis' institute, held at Stratford, consequent upon the rccoipt of two letters from the Duncdin and Suburban Head Masters' Association. 'ihe second referred to the great disappointment of the teaching profession that the Minister of Education had stated his intention not to introduce any legislation this season; also, it was with the greatest surprise tnat the association learnt of the t statement of the Minister that matters were' gomg along satisfactorily in his department. The urgent need for increased salary wu6 evidenced; the letter stated, in the difficulty every education board was labouring under in filling vacancies with certilicated teachers. The instability of tcachers' salaries, as based on average was continually in evidence. Tho inipossibilty under present conditions of bettering their positions after years of service was a deplorable discouragement to large _ numbers of teachers, and in this 'connection tho payment .of many teachers reminded one of tho wages in sweated industries. Mr Tompler moved: " That in any scheme submitted to the Government by the New Zealand Educational Institute, it should bo provided that tile salaries paid to the cadets of the service $iall not be lower ■ than those paid to cadets of similar standing in other branches of the Government service." Tho mover considered it timo the primary, 'school teachers should make their voice heard. The attitude of the teachers in the pa6t had been too apologetic, begging for things; thev had the right to demand. The institute had made requests where it should have mado ito demands. Mr Templer spoke sarcastically of the lip honour paid to the profession. The latest sample of this, he said, came from the Hon. James A'llen, who had declared that there wiis no more important work in the State than the teaching of the children, yet they had to take second placo to things o£ less importance. The salaries paid to those just entering the profession amounted to a scandal. Cadets in the railway service started at £65, and the salaries rose by yearly increment of £15 to £130. What inducement was there for the teachers to encourage bright boys and girls to go in for a profession with its first salary of £25 a year, in yoarly increase of £5, and a stiff examination to pass every yoar on pain of dismissal. Mr Tyrer, while in sympathy with the spirit of tho motion, considered it would meet with a rebuff. It. would be absurd for any member of Parliament to ask that tho vote bo ir.crrasrd by £26,000. and yet how far would £25,000 go towards removing all t'hc disabilities of the teachers? There worn many inequalities that needed levelling up. Sir Tempter, replying, said the teachers should not bo called upon to consider the question of State finance. No other branches ,of the public service seemed to care, but 'demanded better conditions, and generally got them. Unless they oould get boys and g-rls into the profession it must die out, or in time consist only of men and women who failed in other walks of lifc._ The motion was carried without dissent.

It was then resolved that the institute was strongly .of opinion that. the improvement of teachers salaries shoilld be taken in hand during this session of Parliament.