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471. The Chairman.] Through the school not being a mixed or combined one you suffer materially in your salary ?—Yes ; at the end of the year I have to send up all my First Standard girls, and I loss them in my average. G. Wilmott', Headmaster of Waiotahi School, examined. Mr. Wilmot: Ido not know that I have very much to add to the evidence that has already been tendered. Although I highly appreciate the scale that is suggested, I never have agreed with, nor can I agree with, the increases by one. From 1868 to 1877 in Victoria we had similar increases by one, and they were perfect nuisances. In 1877 it was altered, and we were paid by fixed salary and a bonus on passes. In 1888 they established in New South Wales a classification of schools into ten classes, and I have never met any scale so easily worked as that of New South Wales. The lowest salary was £108 and the highest £400. From 20 to 30, the salary would be £132; from 40 to 50, £180; 100 to 200, £228; and so on. The work is the same, but the system of payment very much easier. I think that in the payment by jumps of one there will be a feeling of dishonesty. I have been teaching for forty-seven years, and I think that there would be that feeling, that suggestion about it, and consequently I think it would be far better to classify the schools into classes—six or eight classes—and pay according to those classes. In looking over the suggested scheme, it is apparent to me that the schools from 19 to 35 and thence up to 75 will claim the great majority of teachers, and these want a higher salary in proportion than the teachers in town schools, for the country teachers have more expenses to meet. Take a man with a family in charge of a school of 34: nominally he has a salary of £148 put down to him, and if he has to pay £10 to a sewing-mistress it leaves him only £138. Of course, it states if he be married his wife may have preference, but if he is a single man there is the important point of £10 being taken from him. 472. Mr. Gilfedder.] What is the average attendance at your school at the present time?— It is very low now; ten years ago it was up to 100, now it is exactly 38. 473. What salary do you receive?— Thanks to the kindness of the Board, they have never interfered with the salary they gave me ten years ago—namely, £175. 474. Then, you are not paid according to your scale?—No ; I was here before that scale was drawn up. 475. The proposed scale will not mean any advance to you ?—No, it will not. 476. You say that, in your opinion, the increased payment by capitation on each one will not work satisfactorily ?—No; it would be a perfect nuisance. 477. That has been your experience?— Yes. 478. Do you consider that the present scale of staff and salary adopted by the Marlborough Board is satisfactory ?—No, Ido not. A man has to teach a school up to 54 unaided. 479. What do you consider the maximum number that a teacher can take, or should be allowed to teach, in a small country school? —I should say, up to 32. 480. Would you give a pupil-teacher after that ? —No. 481. What form would the assistance take ?—An assistant. 482. You stated that the teachers in country schools should be paid a comparatively higher salary than teachers doing the same class of work in town schools: are you aware that they get house allowance ?—Yes; in some cases they do, not in all. 483. If they have not a residence they get the allowance ? —Yes. 484. Do you consider that in the larger centres like Wellington first assistants should get house allowance ?—No. In a school of 900 the headmaster has a vast amount of responsibility, and the first assistant comparatively little; he has perhaps three or four classes, but you cannot pay the headmaster too highly. 485. Is it not a fact that the Fifth and Sixth Standards are taught by the first assistant, and not by the headmaster?— Only in cases where the school reaches 900. I was once in charge of a school of 900, and I found that my whole time was taken up in showing the junior teachers bow to do their work. 486. Mr. Davidson.] One of your strongest objections to this suggested scale is the fact that in case of a mistress being at the head of a school of 75 she would have a male as her assistant, a pupil-teacher who had served four years, and probably been one or two years in a training-college, -and that, whereas her salary might increase from £134 to £146, the salary of the assistant would only increase to £90?— Yes. 487. Mr. Hogben.] You prefer the system of going by grades instead of units ? —Yes. 488. On the grounds of a feeling of dishonesty ? —Yes. 489. Of course, teachers like to be free not only from the temptation, but from the suspicion of it ?—Yes, of course. 490. Do you think that there would be less temptation if you went from the small jump of salary for every increase of one in average attendance than if you went in big jumps—instead of making, say, ten small temptations, would you not make one big one ?—Yes. 491. Then, do you not think that a great number of teachers, young men and women whose moral character is still in the course of formation, would find a greater temptation if, instead of an increase of 3s. 4d. a month, they would get three or five times that by a big jump?— The second temptation would only happen once in ten. 492. Then, you think it preferable to have a big jump in salary than a gradual increase per unit ?—Yes, I do. 493. Do you not 'think that the difficulty would be overcome by making your average reckoning or average salary for a longer period of time, such as two years, instead of on one quarter?— Yes.