PROMOTION OF TEACHERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2913, 12 January 1910, Page 12

PROMOTION OF TEACHERS.

LEGISLATION WANTED.

WELLINGTON, January 6. At the New Zealand Educational Institute's Conference Mr Newton (Auckland! moved —"That it be an instruction to the iscoiaing executive, to make every possible effort to secure by legislation a promotion scheme for teasbers." The mover remarked that promotion schemes were in operation in several districts, but with & natural system of education and a national BQaAe of salaries it. was inccaasi'steni to preservo a local system of promotion of teachers.

Mr : Menzies (South Canterbury), who seconded, remarked that he recognised that no promotion scheme would be complete unless it w»& a national one.. Mr L. F. De Berry (Grey) remarked that small education districts could! not work a promotion scheme, because the schools were uniformly small, and no chance of promotion ws.s available., _Mr Foster (Wellington) stated that, Ms district had agreed to Await the result of the Auckland experiment. It. had not been made clear where the failure had occurred in the Auckland scheme. Mr Davidson,(Dunedin) etaied that the working of promotion schemes in the big cities created a barrier against all those who were in the small districts •elsewhere. Such an arrangement was decidedly unjust to the enthusiastic teacherswho went into the back-blocks in small education districts, and sooner or later publics opinion ivould demand a more equitable arrangement. Perhaps if there were only, four education districts corresponding to the university areas promotion schemes could be better worked.

Mr Cousins (Auckland} stated that the Auckland Board, in drawing up its schema of promotion, had the assistance of a member ••who had been a teacher and inspector. Complaints were heard from teachers who did not think they were placed high enough, but this wws natural, and' tha list was being revised from time to timeIndividual members of the board had get themselves apart from the friends o£ the candidate, and consistently sent forward! for selection by the School Committee.the name highest on the list. Thus- any mistake was a mistake of judgment on the part of the inspectors in arranging;, the order of the list. The Auckland. Board! deserved all honour for sacrificing its; personal interests to benefit the teachers,, thus killing for ever that patronage which had! been the disgrace of the service in the past. —(Applause. ) The motion w»s unanimously agreed tth