THE POORLY-PAID TEACHER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8411, 27 April 1907, Page 5

THE POORLY-PAID TEACHER.

AN EFFORT AT IMPROVEMENT. "That 'this board supports the action of the Otago Board in bringing under the notice of the Minister of Education the clamant necessity of provision being made in the Teachei-s' Salaries Act, whereby 10 per cent, shall be added to the salaries of teachers occupying certain schools in such out-of-the-way places as have hitherto failed to attract qualified teachers, provided teachers ill such positions have certificates equal in grade to those in similar .schools nearer the centres of population." The above proposition was brought before the Wellington Education Board, on Thursday afternoon, by Mr A. H. Vile. In bringing forward his motion, Mr Vile quoted some interesting figures used by Mr Fraser when the matter was before the Otago Board. There were in New Zealand 1,450 schools .with an attendance of not more than fifty and an aggregate attendance of almost 40,000 children. In this group the highest salary was £165 and the average about £l3O. It had to be borne in mind what quality of teacher could be got for such a salary. Mr T. W. McDonald, in seconding the motion, said some peripatetic means should be found for improving the qualities of the poorly-paid teacher in out-of-the-way places. We expected everything from them, and gave them nothing in return. The chairman (Mr R. Lee) said the Otago Board had struck a sore point. The salaries offered to the teaching profession were not sufficient to induce the sharpest boys to become teachers. It would be a wise step to give more consideration to the country teacher, and if a larger salary would improve the quality the additional money would be well spent. The motion was carried.

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