TEACHERS' RAILWAY CONCESSIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 57

TEACHER S' RAILWAY CONCESSIONS.

THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S ACTION. PROTEST BY THF. EDUCATION BOARD. ■ The Education Beard was advised by the Education D-epartrnsnc a few we*ks since that it was propossd to immediately withdraw the privileges that hav<» been enjoyed! by teachers for some \oars past in tho matrsr of travelling by »ail. The board, while acknowledging- th,->r the d©pa.rtmeint had some justification for >ta action, thought the piopcsal soir.owhat too dorastio in its nature, and a=k< d that the wricd during which teachers nn^ht travel to training clashes be extended for a little while, so that it might have an opportunity of considering the position. At last week's meeting of the Education Board the following telegram, dated Septamber 25, from the Assistant Inspector"pnoral of Schools, was read: " Conieessiona of fre.-> i-ailwiv tickets to teachera extended? to 31st December next — W. .7. Andebson." Mr Scott thereupon moved — "That this board strongly protests against the deportment s action in depriving country teachers of facilities for attending classes in" the centres by stopping teh issue of free railway passes, and considers that any abuses that exist can be removed by fresh ■'egulations controlled by tlv> board." Mr Scott said that he thought it would be a great I mistake if the issue of passes were stopped, for they to tome extent compensated the teacher for the inconvenience he had to suffer by residence in ths country. He _ thought that the boar-ds should act together in this matter and raise a 6tronsj protest against the withdrawal of the privi* Leg-p. Mr Israel said he hoped the board would speak with no unci-rtaLn voice concerning this matter The beard was trying to tjet the bast possible teachers into the country, and its hand-s were mufh strengthened by the granting of these privileges to teachers. It encouraged the-m to go into the country. Mr Fras-er.. in seconding tho motion, expresf 9d very strong opinions, stating -that he was quite opposed to the withdrawal of the free railway paasos. If this wae a result of retrenchment he thought 't was a mistaken policy. He thought that the board should control the issus of th© certificates on whi,oh passrs were granted, and that fresh regulations should bs drafted. Mr Mitchell said that there was a good deal to be, said on the other side. According to reliable information tnat had been .-uppiied hi.n, the system which 'had j been in vogue for jears had been much abu-prl. The passes, granted ostensibly to teachers to enab'e- them to attend training classes every Saturday in the principal centres, were used by some merely for the , purposes of a regular week-end trip into ' town — which, of course, was contrary to | the spirit of the regulations. He thought j that the board should take the whole matter into its consideration, and that regulalations should be framed enabling the board to control the issua of passes, and see that teachers used them as, it was intended ch-ey should be u<ied. Tho board) should cnJca\oui' in <?\ery wa.y to eliminate- tie possibility of abuoe of the system. Mr Fk-ming agreed that the system was much abu-cd. Teachers who received tJiis privilege should b~ .compelled to make proper uvj of their tickets. Mr Borrie ■said that teachers all over the Dominion, by abusing the privileges urnnt/xl them, had brought this action of tlie- department on thcmselvee. Tho Chairman, while agreeing that there had Keen abuses, said that h« thought the action proposed by the department somewhat too drastic. Many teachers had used the tickets properly, and attended the classes regularly, and it was not fair that these should be punuJicd for the misdemeanours of the few. The board should respectfully submit to the Minister that it should bo allowed to exeicise its own discretion in tho matter of is-suing tic-ket'-. The motion was unanimously carried.