Legislator's Pin Honey, £40: Had Teacher's Salary, £60

Southland Times, Issue 14798, 15 November 1900, Page 2

Legislator's Pin Honey, £40 : Had Teacher's Salary, £60

'• FINE WORDS BUTTER NO PARSNIPS." [By Telegraph.] Christohitrch, Nov. 14. At the meeting of the North Canterbury Education Board Mr Perryman moved, in accordance with notice, "That having inview the wonderful liberality of the Government at the last session of Parliament in raising the honorarium of all members of both Houses of Parliament, theroby sotting an example to all public bodies in Nev. Zealand to be liberal in the administration of law, the 5 per cent, reductions on teachers' and staff salaries, the 5 per cent, reductions on incidentals to all district school committees, as well as on the travelling expenses of members of this Board recently made and still in force, be henceforth discontinued." He said he had no intention of dwelling on the political aspect, but would briefly show that "what was sauce for the goose was sauce for the gander." While they, as a board, owing to lack of funds, had been obliged as administrators of the law to reduce the salaries of teachers and to save money in every possible way, the Government had been spending in laviihly in all directions. He had had to sit on two reduction committees during the past ten years and did not want to sit on another. The newspaper press had publicly stated that the Government had been "making hay while the sun shone " : he would nay the Government had feathered their own nests with feathers plucked from tht; lean pillows of under-paid teachers'. He asked if it was fair that teachers in full charge of country schools shguld only receive £60 per annum, while the(rovernment had been adding thousands of pounds to their own salaries. It would not surprise him in the least if the whole of the teachera and civil servants in New Zealand demanded in a monster petition a rise in their salaries. Mr Hardy, M.H.R., in seconding the motion, pro forma, said he did not think Mr Perryman could be serious in putting it before the Board. As long as he (the speaker) and Mr Buddo were members of the Board and of the House of Representatives they would do their best in the matter in the House. The present Government and former ones had dealt liberally wiih education, and he knew that in future it would continue to be dealt with liberally. He felt sure that Mr Perryman, who was the oldest member of the Board, would see hi? way to withdraw the motion. Mrßenniesaid that Mr Perryman had evidently overlooked the fact that the Government had increased the capitation grant. Mr Scott said every member was anxious to raise the salaries of teachers, if it were possible. It had been a very painful thing to do, but the arguments in favour of reduction were overwhelming and nothing else could be done. The Government was not to blame for the reduction ; but. natural causes in the district had brought it about. Mr Buddo said Mr Hardy and himself had done their best in the House to obtain the increase in capitation grants. Whether the £40 vote to members of the House of Representatives was right or not vas not a question to be discussed at thu Board. Mr T. S. Weston (chairman) said he was sorry that political or party matters had been introduced iuto the business of the Board, and he could not help thinking that party feeling had entered iax,o the drafting of the resolution. Regarding the merits of the case he thought the Government intended to consider the lower grade teachers in the distribution of the vote : the Board had no means of increasing salaries. Mr Pcrryman was scarcely fair in imputing the reduction to the Government; there was not on the Board's list a teacher in charge of a country school getting only £00 per year. One, later, had been set down at that ligure at an aided school, but that question was not settled yet. He thought Mr Perryman should withdraw his motion. Leave having been given the motion was withdrawn.