TEACHERS' SALARIES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2030, 17 August 1920, Page 3

TEACHERS' SALARIES.

THE RECENT INCREASE. METHOD OF APPORTIONING. Press Association. WELLINGTON, August 16. The Minister of Education (Hon. ('. ,T. Parr) had an interview to-day with the.executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute regarding increases in salary to be given to teachers. The Minister informed representatives of, the institute that Cabinet had accepted proposals made by him, which would result in a quarter of a million pounds per annum being added to the emoluments of primary school teachers. He desired to have the views of the institute, as representing the teaching profession, as to the best and fairest method of distributing this money. There were two ways. The first was to adopt a fiat rate of increase, as was being done in other branches of the Public Service, and the second Vas to adopt, as was done iii 1019, a system of making increments to present salaries according to the efficiency of the teachers as shown in the grading list. He had examined the first method, and serious difficulties were at once disclosed. There were at least 400 teach-' ers in positions commanding higher salaries than their classifications warranted. Obviously because.of this there were 400 other teachers of higher efficiency being kept out *of these jobs and getting salaries lower than their classifications warranted. These anomalies were largely due to nine different boards of education making appointments and promotions, and each seeking to work in a watertight compartment. Such an anomalous state of things existed in no other branch of the Civil Service. The Minister said he would have to consider this problem and rectify these injustices as soon as possible, but it could not be done in a day. He would have to ask education boards to remedy this state of affairs; otherwise he would have to ask Parliament for a more drastic solution to prevent further anomalies of this kind. Education boards might be asked in future to make promotions on, the basis of classification. In the meantime it was clear that a flat increase as proposed in other branches of the Civil Service would only accentuate the injustice of the present position. Mr Parr said that he had come to the*conclusion that the fairest method.

as a general rule, would Tie to make increases according to the graded eftieieney of the teacher, as had been done last year. There must, however, lie some special consideration Cor country schools, in order to induce more 1 highly - qualified men and women to take these positions. Representatives of tlie Institute (Messrs J. K. Purchas, Parkinson, and Ifaslam) agreed with the Minister that the flat rate scheme would not be acceptable to the general body of teachers. The system adopted last, year of recognising the/ classification of the teacher, rather than the average attendance at tlie school, had the approval of the executive. Without binding themselves to details, they expressed the opinion that the Minister's proposals in this direction would meet with the approval of the profession.