TEACHERS SALARIES COMMISSION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2467, 26 June 1901, Page 19

TEACHERS SALARIES COMMISSION.

WANGANUI, June 10.

The Teachers' Salaries Commission commenced its sittings to-day. The witnesses examined were Messrs G. S. Bridge (chairman of the Wanganui Education Board) and Dr Smyth (chief inspector). Mr Bridge was opposed altogether to the . proposed colonial 1 scale. In his opinion it was merely getting in the thin end of the wedge to centralise the control of schools, which, was most undesirable. The school boards were in a better position to judge as to the staffing and salaries of schools in their districts. Ha advocated a sliding scale from £5 to £3 10s capitation per head, which vroulil be much preferable to the fixed amount suggested by the proposed scale. Several teachers in the Wanganui education district would have their salaries reduced. He held that male teachers should receive higher salaries than females for the reason that it was necessary to induce youths to enter the service. MiBridge thought more funds should be given for building teachers' residences. Dr Smyth urged that a. sum of money should be set apart for training primary, and even secondary, school teachers. He was in favour of establishing one or more training colleges, where pupil teachers might be sent. Inspectors should have the power of recommending to the department that the status of a teacher should be lowered as well as raised, and lie thought it would be a very good thing if the boards had pov/er to transfer teachers. He was in favour of a colonial scale of salaries, but he had not considered the question of a graduated scale of capitation, and did nob know if it would solve the difficulty. While the commission was sitting it was announced that Mrs Bridge, wife of the first witness, had died, and the commission thereupon sdjourned as a mark of sym- i pa thy. The annual conference of the- Teacher.%' Institute was to hove opened here this evening, but ■nas adjourned on account of the death of Mrs Bridge, wife of the chairman of the Education Board. ' June 11. The Teachers' Salaries Commission concluded its Wanganui sittings to-day. Dr Smyth, chief inspector of schools, held that education boards should have power to transfer teacheis without refeience to school committees. He favoured a central department, and held hard and fast to a colonial scale of salaries. He did not consider the present system a national one when a different scale of salaries and staffing existed in different districts, and pupil teachers received different training. Mr Grant, a teacher with 18 years' experience, and president of the Pahnerston North branch of the New Zealand Teachers' Institute, said the dissatisfaction throughout the district was caused by the staffing and salaries. He favoured a central depart-.

ment for the control of troiiffers, appointments, and removals. He thought salanci should be paid on the actual number of children present on a day. The inspectors' cximinations for the higher standards showed tha-t women teachers were not zo good as males. He considered it was not r> national system when in every district the fctandaids differed. Mr Aitken, president of the Wanga-^H branch of the Teachers' Institute, wa3 alro in favour of a colonial scale of salaries. There would never be satisfaction until teachers were practically civil servants, and he thought the reserves should be nationalised and the income used for both primary and secondary schools. He thought thera should be a Normal School of Training for pupil teachers. WELLINGTON, June 17. The Teachers' Salaries Commission sat to-> day, and heard the evidence of Mr Watson, 8.A. , head master of the Te Aro School, who presented a report drawn up by the Teachers' Inbt : tute, which laid great stress on the necessity for the adequate" staffing of schools and tuiiicient payment of teachers.