17

1.—13b

22. Mr. Buddo.] How would it affect teachers who have special qualifications for mechanics, science, and woodwork?—lf certain teachers were graded for one kind of position they would be placed, say, in Grade A. You would have to grade all such teachers in the same Grade A, and not, in grading, take into account any of those special characteristics that might fit a teacher for a particular school, thus compelling a Board to appoint a teacher for a country school who was really fitted for a town school, or vice versa. 23. Hon. Mr. Fowlds.] Can you give us the average salaries of teachers under the present system as compared with the average proposed in the Bill, for men and women?— The average salary of all teachers in all New Zealand schools (excepting Grade 0) under the present scale is £149 'is. 7d. ; by the Bill the salaries of these teachers will be increased to an average of £160 16s. 5d., an increase averaging £11 12s. 10d. There will be added 723 new teachers, and all teachers, new and old, will receive on an average a salary of £155 17s. 4d. Thursday, 6th August, 1908. George Hogbjsn, Inspector-General of Schools, examination continued. (No. 1.) Mr. /Lor/ben (in answer to questions on Clause 13): This clause was simply carrying out the same idea as clause 11, which defined "Maoris" as including half-castes and more than halfcastes. The effect of that was. to place PJuropeans and Maoris exactly on the same footing as far as attendance was concerned. Clause 14 was to remove an omission in the principal Act, which did not give any definition of a technical school. Local bodies had power to subsidise technical schools and secondary schools, but in one case, owing to the want of a definition, it was found that an intended gnnt of £400 could not be given. Referring to clause 15, Mr. Hogben said that associated classes were held in various parts of the Dominion, and with one exception these classes had been formed by associations consisting of people who were admitted by payment of an annual subscription of ss. or upwards. These associations were established for the purpose of promoting technical instruction, and they joined with the Education Board, or'other controlling authority, in forming classes. It was probable that they were in order in so doing, but some doubt had been raised as to the legal position. The clause was inserted to bring the law into accord with the practice. Clause 16 was an amendment of the previous Act, and was really one giving power to the controlling authority to carry on the classes. If the promoters of associated classes withdrew, the Act gave the Department no power to pay capitation on the classes, even if continued as special classes. The clause gave the controlling authority power to continue the classes as special classes. If it found it impossible to carry the classes on, it could close them the next day; but it could receive the capitation that had already accrued. In regard to clause 17, it was found that the inducement for earning on advanced classes for technical instruction was hardly sufficient. The number of pupils in the advanced classes was small, and the capitation was small. It was thought that the capitation would be enough for all'classes taken together if the Board could draw upon the capitation in the more elementary classes to meet the higher cost of the advanced classes. There was some doubt, however, as to whether it was really sufficient. Some of the elementary classes undoubtedly had much more money than they needed. The only way to adjust it was to give the elementary classes no more than they required, and to devote an additional amount to the advanced classes. On clause 18 the principal Act required that all information be sent with the application for recognition of a class. It required that information as to the qualifications of the instructor be sent, also that the programme and everything else necessary for the carrying-on of the class be forwarded each year. By the present Bill if such information accompanied the application for recognition, that would be sufficient. 1. Mr. Buddo. Some little difficulty has been experienced in receiving the grants. I want to know if the clause is likely to do away with that. Teachers are kept waiting for their salaries three months. Is this owing to any difficulty in getting the Audit Department to recognise that the claims are due?--This has been one of the causes of delay. But meanwhile the Boards might have got a very considerable portion of the capitation as interim payments, if they had applied for it, as they had been informed they might. Mr. Hogben, referring to clause 19, said it made the law more definite; it did not alter the intention of the principal Act. Mr. Hogben, examined by Mr. Buddo on clause 10, the consideration of which had been postponed : The capitation paid to secondary schools for free pupils under the present Act is from £4 to £10 15s. There will be a slight increase in the amounts payable to the better-endowed schools, and a large increase to the poorly endowed schools. Rangiora comes under paragraph (d) because its income is not over £5 per head of the roll. The deficiency below £5 is £4 14s. 2d. Nine-tenths of that is £4 4s. 9d. The school will receive capitation at the rate of £8 plus £4 4s. 9d., or, altogether, £12 4s. 9d. per pupil. It now receives £10 15s. per pupil. The income from endowments being ss. 10d. a head, its total income per head will be £12 10s. 7d. per pupil. 2. Mr. J. Allen.] What do you estimate the increase at by this alteration?—£l,9oo. Mr. Hogben (in answer to questions on the First Schedule by Mr. Allen): To limit Grade 4 to an average attendance of seventy-five would be to increase the cost by £3,625. To make Grade 5 76-90 would mean an increased cost of £14,200 more, and Grade 6a at 91-150 would increase the cost still further by £1,300; altogether these three changes would increase the cost by £19,125. To put Grade VIIIa at 281-300 would upset the whole scheme. From 200 every increment of 50 pupils would give another assistant. It would be much better, no doubt, to make 3—l. 13b.