ALLEGATIONS REFUTED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18770, 29 July 1935, Page 11

ALLEGATIONS REFUTED

PAYMENTS TO TEACHERS STATEMENT BY WOMAN MINISTER IN REPLY (Pur Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, this day. The Hon. S. G. Smith, Minister of Education, to-day replied to a published report from Auckland that. a. delegate to the Dominion conference of Women s Institutes alleged that her husband had received only £22 10s a. year for his services, and* that- on his death she had had to accept £l3 7s per annum for the same work; that she. was supporting two children; and that she had an assistant who received no salary. The. Minister said that the lady ami /icr husband had been assistant and head teacher at a grade 111 A school. Both were uneertifieated. The husband’s ?alaw was £252 10s and his wife’s £l6O, reduced later to £144. A free house was provided. In February, 1927, the seliool fell to grade IL., and the head teacher’s salary had to be maintained for five years, failing his transfer to another grade lIIA school. He died in November, 1931. The widow reopened the school in tho same month, and at her own request was allowed to conduct (lie .school for the month which remained before tho end of tho school year. Tho assistant mentioned in the, report was her own daughter, ail untrained girl, aged 17 years, in respect or whom permission was given to help during the few weeks prior to the end of the school year. No suggestion of payment, to the daughter was made,. by the mother. A fully qualified' certificated teacher was appointed at the beginning of the following school year, and front February, 1932, the widow was appointed head teacher. The salary which she received was £176, with a free house. Her appointment at the minimum was in accordance with the usual policy with all new appointments. Her appointment as heart teacher represented a special concession to an old servant who had taught as an assistant together with her husband.