N.Z. TEACHERS’ INSTITUTE

Southland Times, Issue 23946, 12 October 1939, Page 9

N.Z. TEACHERS’ INSTITUTE

SOUTHLAND BRANCH — DOMINION PRESIDENT’S VISIT Arrangements for the visit to Southland of Mr D. Pryor, Dominion president of the New Zealand Teachers’ Institute, and Mr G. Ashbridge, secretary, were made at a meeting of the management committee of the Southland branch of the institute. The tentative programme provides for a meeting in Gore on the evening of Wednesday, October 18. Thursday is to be devoted to visits to schools in the Waimea district, a meeting at Lumsden at 1 p.m., a meeting at Winton at 4.30 p.m. and an evening meeting at Otautau. On the Friday visits are to be paid to schools in the Western District, followed by a meeting with the management committee at 6.30 p.m. and a general meeting of Southland teachers in Invercargill in the evening. If possible, the Southern District will be visited, but until more definite information about the details of the visit is obtained all arrangements are necessarily tentative. Among the correspondence from the central executive were letters dealing with the regulations governing the legal assistance fund. This matter is to be considered further during the visit of the Dominion president and secretary. It was stated that the protection of the interest of teachers going on active service was attracting a great deal of attention in institute circles throughout New Zealand. The arrangements so far made were examined and a sub-com-mittee report is to be submitted to the next meeting.

The management committee supported a proposal for an inquiry into the practicability of introducing a scheme to enable teachers to allocate part of their superannuation to wives or dependents. In England, it was stated, such a scheme was in operation. The scheme aimed at was the allocation of superannuation on an actuarial basis which, while making more adequate provision for dependents, would impose no additional burden on the fund. Anomalies in the comparative salaries of town and country teachers are still causing concern, according to a statement made at the meeting, and it is expected that teachers affected will use the opportunity of meeting with the main officers of the institute to state their opinions. Minor matters discussed included the synchronizing of school holidays throughout the various board districts. Warm appreciation was expressed of the courtesy and consideration shown to the management committee by the Southland Education Board and its officials. The meeting was attended by Mr A. P. McDonald (chairman), Misses Baird, Loudon, MacGregor and M. Doogin, and Messrs Hargest, Boroman, Bryant, Clapp. Cushen, Gazzard, Kennedy, Kinross, Kitto, Leckie, Lopdell, Pankhurst, E. R. Service and R. Watson.