TEACHERS’ SALARIES

Southland Times, Issue 19394, 7 November 1924, Page 9

TEACHERS’ SALARIES

INCREASES APPROVED BY CABINET. BIG ANNUAL TOTAL INVOLVED. (Our Parliameptary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, November 6. In view of the fact that certain improvements were to be made in the salaries’ scales for the Public Service and the Post and Telegraph Department, the Minister of Education last week proposed to Cabinet that the teachers should receive similar consideration. After a careful investigation of the whole position, the Gvernment has approved of an increase to the salaries of primary, secondary and technical school teachers, amounting in the aggregate to £60,000 per annum. In the Public Service the Post and Telegraph Department and Education Department, there is no general restoration of what w r as known as “the salary cut.” The improvements in the scales of all three services take the form of adjustments where these are necessary. Certain increases are given in some grades of salary, but not in all. In the teaching services the improvements will in general be in the following directions:— For primary school teachers the annual increments, instead of being £lO as formerly, will in future be £l5; the married allowance will be raised by £lO, and married head teachers will in no case receive less than £5O house allowance. The salaries for certain country schools will be increased in order to induce good teachers to take up these positions, and to retain them longer than at present. This object will be further provided for by granting a greater number and in some cases higher values of remote allowances to teachers stationed in difficult localities. The number of grade 2 positions available, chiefly for women teachers, will also be increased by about 100. For secondary school teachers some increases will be given to women teachers where the salaries are at present relatively lower. There will also be an improvement in the lowest or class “D” positions. The married allowance will be increased by £lO and the annual increments will be not less than £l5. For technical school teachers similar improvements will be provided. As in the case of the Public Service, the scale increase will not in general be given to those whose salaries are at present over £450 per annum.