THE TEACHER'S LOT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3100, 13 August 1913, Page 28

THE TEACHER'S LOT.

WELLINGTON, August 7. When introducing his Education Amendment Bill .Mr J. Vigor Brown made use of some figures, comparing the lot of the teacher with that of other civil servants. The figures were as follow : Railway Department. —1874 officers (first division)—79l (41 per cent.) over £2OO a year, 107 over £SOO, 13 over £SOO, 2 over £6OO. Post and Telegraph.-—3804 officers —922 (24 per cent.) over £2OO, 108 over £3OO, 46 over £409, 24 over £SOO. Public Works. —243 officers—los (43 per cent.) over £2OO, 45 over £3OO, 10 over £4OO, 2 over £SOO. Teachers. —4480 teachers—6l7 (14 per cent.) over £2OO. 100 over £3OO, 7 receiving £4OO (the maximum). Cadets in the Public Works Department (successive years).—£6s. £BO, £95, £llO. Cadets in the Poet and Telegraph Department.—£4o, £SO, £6O. £7O, £BO, £9O. Cadets in the Bank of New Zealand. — £SO, £6O, £BS, £IOO, £l2O, £135. Youths in Mines (Waihi Award). —£62, £7B, £93, £lO9, £124. Pupil teachers. —£25. £35, £45, £55. Minimum for a police constable. —£140, engine drivers £l7l 12s; firemen, £132 12e ; Waihi miners, £l7l 12s: telegraphists, £lB3 12s; average for teachers, £134 8s 8d ; average for women teachers, £132 Is lOd ; pupil teachers, £34 14s 4d : general teacher average (all classes), £IOB 4b 9d. Only one teacher in seven, said Mr Brown, was paid £2OO. one in 22 got £3OO, and one*in 147 received £4OO (after six years in the highest grade). Mr Brown declared that teaching was one of the worst paid occupations in this country.