PARLIAMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19276, 13 September 1924, Page 10

PARLIAMENT.

YESTERDAY’S PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

(Peb Ukited Press Association.) WELLINGTON, September 12. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. SECOND READINGS. The New Plymouth Borough Council Empowering Bill, tho New Plymouth Borough and New Plymouth Harbour Board Exchange Bill, the Auckland City and Auckland Museum Empowering Bill, and tho Wanganui-Rangitikci Electric Power Board Enabling Bill were read a second time. CHATTELS TRANSFER. The Chattels Transfer Bill, a technical measure, was reported from the Statutes Revision Committee with minor amendments, put through its final stages, and I passed. The .Council adjourned at 5.10 p.m, till 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday next.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tho House met at 2.30 p.m. CHRISTCHURCH NORTH SEAT. Mr LEE quoted from a newspaper paragraph which suggested that as the Government had done nothing towards the electrification of the Lyttelton Tunnel, Mr Isitt should resign his scut at Christchurch North as a protest that he should bo re-elected unopposed and so freed from any obligiv tion to support the Government. Ho gave notice of intention to ask whether tho Prime Minister would facilitate this course and so give Labour an opportunity of winning the seat. Mr MASSEY said that such a question should either not bo nut at all or it should be answered at once and not wait for notice. His opinion was that Mr Isitt could hold his scat a s long as ho desired to do so, and that Labour hadn’t a hope.— (Laughter.) ALL BLACKS" TOUR, Replying to Air Sykes, tho Hon. J. G. COATES said that complete arrangements had been made fen- the distribution of tho results of tho All Blnok football matches. CA WTO RON TRUST BILL. The Thomas Cawthron Trust Bill was received from the Legislative Oounoil and read a first time. THE ESTIMATES, The 1 House then went into Committee of Supply further to consider tho Estimates, the fir=t class taken being Education — £2,758,882. The Hon. A. T. NGATA asked for greater consideration in tho matter of upkeep of native schools. The MINISTER, said his difficulty was that many of the best schools were old .and in out-of-the-way places. Thev wore in constant need of repair, but it was always difficult to got competent workmen to go into the backblocks to repair them. Continuing. the Minister said "(he system of exchanges of teachers with Other parts of the Empire was working very well. Teachers who came to New Zealand and our teachers who went .away returned homo w’th a wider outlook and a better perspective. They were in consequence better teachers. “Members are asking the Education Department to subsidise tho family ‘moke" because we subsidise the trap in which the children drive to school,” said Mr Parr, replying to a suggestion that it was .only fair that an allowance should be given in the case of children who rode or cycled to school. Mr RANSOM pointed out that owing to tho clangorous nature of tho roads it was "beltor for the children to ho on a horse or a cycle than in a vehicle. Mr PARR recalled that ho used to ride to school with his little sister perched behind him. The upkeep of the old family mcke. he said, was not much. He thought a shilling a week would cover it, for a pony could get a pinking at the roadside. Mr LEE: Then; are poundkeepers about. Mr RANSOM; It is tho transport wo ■want subsidised. Mr PARR said the subject, had been one of continual complaints. The scheme of subsidising was originated by tho Hon. J. A. Hanan when, ho was Minister of Education, and it bad given the Education Department trouble ever since. There were about 15,000 _ or 15,000 children who rode to school. Children riding over three miles would bo in the majority. It would cost between £25.000 and £30,000 additional to subsidise the horse. In tho matter of .school classes he said ho thought a class of 40 was quite workable. Continuing, the Minister proceeded to give some particulars of tho correspondence system initiated by the Education Department. There were, he said, hundreds of children in New Zealand who could not possibly attend school for the reason that they were the children of settlers in out of the way backblock areas, the children of shephetds and the children of lighthousekeepers. The problem of giving them an education had been effectively solved by tho formation of correspondence classes. When these correspondence classes were first started there were about 20 pupils enrolled, but to-day there were over 500 children being taught by correspondence. He denied the suggestion that the Education epartment tried to avoid tho responsibility of providing schools by substituting this form of teaching which, he said, rvas essentially for a family practically cut off from civilisation. »The results were excellent. The chief inspector found in many cases that the children were making better progress than those at an ordinary school, and some of the pupils were far enough on to go to a high school. Mr HOLLAND, referring .to the Minister’s statement that the classes should not exceed 40 children, said that number was too large. He contended that women

teachers should be paid at the same rate as men for equal work. He moved a reduction o£ the total vote by £1 as an indication that women teachers should receive equal pay-to men for equal work.

Tho MINISTER, in reply, said ho was in receipt of representations on this subject from women teachers, and he had replied that those representations must come to him through the Educational Institute. In no part of the world, so far as he was aware, was there an education system under which women teachers received the same pay as men. He considered no women teachers in any country were so well paid as in New Zealand. There were 2(100 women teachers, most of whom wen; single without responsibilities, and were receiving salaries ranging from £5 to £0 weekly. Quite a number of single women in charge of infant schools received £IOO annually. To tiring their salaries up to the level of men would absorb another £IOO,OOO. Mr HOLLAND asked if tho Minister did not think women were doing equal work. Mr I’AIIU replied that that was not his contention, but that tho family responsibilities of the men should be recognised. It was a question whether it paid the State to encourage women teachers. It cost something like £BOO to train them, and then just, as they became useful teachers they got married or left for some purpose of their own, and that was an economic loss to tho State, Mr HOLLAND said that so far as the family aspect of the case was concerned he was prepared to Join wilh tho Minister to (ix a basic wage for teachers with the addition of a family allowance for botli men and women. The Hon. ,L A. HANAN said that on the abstract question of equal pay for equal work he did not see how it could be evaded, and he thought the Minister should recognise it. Tho discussion was still proceeding when thto House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr FRASER, continuing the discussion in committee on Mr Holland’s amendment, said he had found women teachers did not want to interfere with married men teachers’ allowance, but they insisted there should be equal pay for equal service, (.‘ormnenting on this, Mr Fraser said lie did not consider there could bo differentiation between men and women teachers in the matter of ability on account of sex. Mr "WRIGHT said he could not see how they could escape from recognising that the basic salary attaching to any certain position should be paid to whomsoever carried it out. This did not mean that married men should not get an additional allowance on account of family responsibilities. The MINISTER said Mr Holland had stated ho would make an allowance for married men, and now his motion ignored this allowance. Would Mr Holland consider say £IOO per annum a fair allowance to male teachers above the amount paid to women, because that was the effect of the present scale of pay. Single men teachers must receive something more than single women, as the former had to be cnabloo to make provision for establishing homes for themselves. Mr ISITT said Mr Holland’s proposal was not n practicable one. Mr MONTEITH thought a better system of differentiation ought to be produced as tho present one prejudiced the position of female teachers as compared with males. Mr SAVAGE said the question at issue could be settled at once if something like an endowment of motherhood were passed. Mr SMITH complained of the involved nature of the present scale of payment, which made it difficult for teachers to work out their salaries. The Minister had too much power to alter salaries. This power was now out of the hands of Parliament, which ought to control them. He supported the amendment. The MINISTER pointed out that the present scale was not unfair to permanent women teachers —about 1900 in number. Of these over 50 per cent, received from £250 to £3OO pur annum, and tho lowest paid—six per cent, of the total, received £IBO per annum, or £3 10s weekly. At 10.5 p.m. Mr Holland’s amendment was put to the vote and defeated by 29 votes to 27. Mr M’ILVRIDE urged the need for the erection of workshops at tho Napier Technical School. Mr M’KEEN contrasted the new school buildings erected in Auckland and Wellington, and contended that in designing future schools facilities should be provided for the latest additions to the curriculum. He moved an amendment that the total vote be reduced by £9 as an indication that the staffing of schools should be based on the average attendance. After a brief discussion the amendment was defeated by 32 votes to 20. Mr MURDOCH discussed the hardships of half-time schools, one of which was that they had to keep a horse or horses to enable them to travel from school to school. The State paid to carry children to school. It was therefore only logical that tha State should assist tho teacher to reach tho children. He moved to reduce the vote by £5 ns an indication that an allowance should bo made to half-time teachers for the purchase of equipment and the keeping of a horse or horses required for the execution of their duties. Tile MINISTER said this was tho first time the subject had been brought under Iris notice, 110 would be pleased to look into it. He wwuld probably refer it to the Council of Education. Mr MURDOCH stated that ho was satisfied to take the opinion of the House on tho voices, when the amendment was lost. At 0.15 the Education vote was passed. Tho Crown Law Office—£s2B3, and tho Justice Department—£l6,o6s, were passed practically without discussion. Tho Marino Department—£l2l,s44, was then discussed. Labour members stressed tho necessity for improved quarters for men on many of tho ships, and surprise was expressed that tho shipowners did not pay more attention to this department since the health of the men was a matter of great economic value. The voto was passed after a brief discussion, as was also the Pensions Department’s —£97,554. The House rose at 1.50 a.m. till 2.30 on Tuesday.