Retiring Allowances for Teachers.

Southland Times, Issue 11750, 1 June 1891, Page 3

Retiring Allowances for Teachers.

On Saturday afternoon the Hon. J. G. Ward, Postmaster-General, was interviewed by •deputation from the Southland Teachers' Institute, consisting of Messrs Smyth (president), Clarke (vice-president), Strack (secretary), and Von Tunzelmann. Mr Strack, having introduced the deputation, said that the teachers of Southland had been agitating for yean for a retiring allowance, and he believed they had been unsuccessful because their scheme waa on wrong lines, inasmuch as they were asking for Government aid. Now, however the Institute had formulated a scheme that he thought would commend itself alike to the teachers and the Government, as they intended t? provide their own retiring allowances. It was proposed — (I) Scheme to be compulsory for all teachers on attaining the age of 21 years ; (II) management to De entrusted to the Government In' aurance Department ; Education Boards to deduct monthly the teachers' contributions ; (HI) retiring allowance fund to be made up as follows : — (a) entrance fee, ranging from LI to LlOj according to age ; (b) monthly contributions varying according to age and toerade of allowance chosen by the teacher; (TV) that there be two grades of retiring allowance — viz., LSO and L7O per year ; payable in monthly instalments ; <V) the entrance fee and monthly contribution to be fixed by the Government Actuary; (VI) that retirement be compulsory, for females, at the age of 55, and for males at the age of 60 years ; teachers, however, to be allowed to retire on allowance at the ages of 51 and 35 years respectively, provided they have contributed for thirty years to the fnnd ; (VII) no teacher to be allowed a retiring allowance until he or she has been ten years teaching in New Zealand Government schools ; (VLLI) in the event of any teacher dying or wishing to retire from the service before age of retirement, a sum of money equal to his total contributions, with compound interest, to be paid to bis assigns or to him.

Mr Smyth said the retiring allowances for teachers were now assuming a practical shape in many of the colonies. The salaries paid to teachers generally were not sufficient to allow each to provide adequately for old age, bat by combination they could soon capitalise each a fund as would render assistance to aIL He drew attention to the fact that teachers asked for no subsidy ; they simply aaked the Government to take charge of the fond and manage the scheme. He hoped tbe Minister would support his colleague the Minister of Education should he introduce a measure embodying such a scheme in Parliament.

Mr Von Tunzelman gave an account of the working of superannuation schemes in Europe and elsewhere and instanced the case of the British Government lately assisting the teachers of Ireland by banding over to them a handsome sum as the nucleus of a superannuation fund. The New Zealand Government could not be expected to do likewise but he trusted the present Ministry would l«nd a helping hand to those desiring to help themselves. Mr Clark added that he was convinced the time for pensions had gone, and he would not be one to agitate for their revival. He was prepared to join his fellow teachers in providing for the time when they would be incapacitated for active duty and he hoped the Postmaster-General would use his influence in the Ministry and support a measure that would prove a boon to so large a body as the teaching profession. Mr Ward, in reply, stated that he was glad of having had the opportunity of meeting the deputation and hearing their views. Representations had been made on the same question before and he assured them that he would be happy to assist in bringing about a practical scheme. The proposal now made would he thought commend itself to the House and the Minister of Education, especially as the teachers were assisting themselves. He mentioned that in the new CivU Service Bill the retiring age is fixed at 65, subject to qualification, and in the same measure there is a further provision that

every officer in the service of the State must insure bis life. The Minister promised to lay the Institute's views before the Minister of Education and if on investigation the plan was found a workable one to do his beat to further it. The deputation, having thanked Mr Ward for bis courtesy, withdrew.