TEACHERS' PENSIONS BILL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XIII, Issue 643, 23 June 1880, Page 3

TEACHERS' PENSIONS BILL.

(To the Editor.')

Sir,—" Retired Teacher," in your Saturday's issue, rather amused me, and very clearly shows the check and awdacity some people have in laying claims upon the Government or people that might bo foolish enough to pension him and his like during the remainder of their lives. Because he was a teacher for a few years, he calls the teachers " a silent, patient, plodding, suffering arm of the public service." Their snfirering must be very great indeed ; but I would ask him if they are not fairly (in many cases extravagantly) paid for their suffering ? He does not even mention the suffering of other callings, which shows 'his selfishness. Does he not think that the plodding ploughman and miner are as much entitled to ease and comfort in their old age as the teachers P Indeed, why not make every, one alike ? Everyone is playing a part in the great drama of life, and I consider have equal claims. The Pension Act apparently haß taken his fancy, and he does not forget to take credit for having put the thin end of the wedge in a few years ago. He never forgets to remind us of his own achievements, at the same time he neglected to show whether the retired or dismissed teacher was entitled to the amount they had deposited, which, I take to be, the amount of knowledge they had imparted to the scholars under their charge. He ought to have given the number he had turned out that were able to go and earn their bread by the learniug he had imparted to them. Again, he complains of couutry teachers being unable Jo lay past a little for rainy days; He does not mention that he did all he could to ■accomplish that end ; but he remembered to tell us how easy it was to run a teacher down by simply offending one of some immaculate body. Thiß I look upon as a perfect insult to any Committee. Does he mean to say that injustice- was done him or. other teachers who were capable of fulfilling the duties they had undertaken to perform ? I presume he is one that would prefer Committees , to overlook Both duties and character; in .short, to let 'people do as they like. It is all. very .well for " Retired Teacher " to talk, in your columns about the great blessinga of a sound education being imparted to the children, while he has utterly failed to prove that he has imparted those blessings. - He simply, in his own way, claims a pension, and wishes no enquiry. In short, I was astonished at his very moderate request, and fully expected a railway pass added, that would extend to his heirs after him, which would mean 1 more taxation to be drawn from the bone and sinew of the country, as if we had not enough of that already. The concluding portion of his letter, where he speaks of the modesty of teachers, even to the extent thai they cannol help themselves, is amusing. It must be very great ; but he again tells us that there is no such delicacy about him — a statement which all will look upon as truthful,— l am, &c, Sandy M'Aipine.