UNFAIR POSITION.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20231, 15 February 1934, Page 5

UNFAIR POSITION.

Abuse of Rationing Scheme Alleged. CASE FOR SCHOOL TEACHERS. Allegations that the new rationing scheme, by which teachers were appointed to relieving positions at various schools for periods of twelve months at a salary of £6O a year, was being abused were made at the meeting of delegates to the Canterbury School Committees’ Association last evening. It was stated that at nearly every school permanent positions, usually worth from £2OO to £250 a 3'ear, were being filled in this manner. The question was raised by Mr F. Norrie (North Beach) who said that his school, a Grade 5 school, was entitled to seven teachers. They had five permanent teachers, and the other two were working under the new scheme. Mr L.-J. Wilkins said that Fendalton was in a similar position. There were fourteen teachers on the staff and six of them were holding “relieving” positions, which should be filled by permanent teachers. It was fair neither to the pupils nor the teachers that this should be the position. “There are one hundred permanent positions being filled by rationed teachers, that I know of,” said Mr Norrie. “Yet Mr Forbes and Mr Coates can spend £6OOO on a tangi at Waitangi,” said Mr J. Radcliffe. On the motion of Mr Radcliffe a motion was carried strongly deploring the use of the new scheme so that positions that should be permanent were filled by temporary teachers at salaries of £6O a year. It was decided to forward this resolution to the Dominion Federation of School Committee Associations with the request that it be brought to the attention of the Minister for Education.