E.—'2

14

It will be seen that these salaries are considerably higher under the new Act, although the large increase of comparatively junior teachers substituted for the pupilteachers will to a certain extent counteract the tendency to a rise in the general average salary of adults, as shown in a return. Under the same Act there was introduced the principle of annual increments to salaries, which operate in each grade until the maximum salary for the grade is reached. Status of Teachers in regard to Certificates. The numbers of certificated teachers and uncertificated teachers respectively employed in primary work in the several education districts will appear in Table V/ 2 a summary of which for the whole Dominion is given below, as at 31st December, in each of the years 1905 to 1909 inclusive :—

From the table it will be seen that the teachers employed in primary-school work in the Dominion at the end of 1909 numbered 261 more than in December, 1908. Of the total, 2,594 were fully certificated, while 1,021 or 28-2 per cent, of the whole, either possessed no recognized examination status or had not yet completed the necessary qualification. The corresponding percentage for 1908 was 26-9. A fairer idea of the proportion of certificated and uncertificated teachers could probably be obtained by omitting teachers in schools below Grade II (that is, with 15 or less in average attendance), only about a quarter of whom are certificated. If we do this for the year 1909 we get the following comparison with numbers previously reported : —

Primary Teachers in Public Schools with an average Attendance of Sixteen and Upwards, 1909.

1905. 1906. l!(07. l!)08. 1909. I 1. Certificated teachers, — Adults .. .. .. .. .. 2,460 Pupil-teachers .. .. .. .. 13 2,412 2,422 2,451 2,593 6 J 14 2 1 Total 2,473 2,418 2,436 2,453 2,594 .1. Uncertificated teachers, — («.) Holding partial qualifications, — (i.) Holders of licenses .. .. 270 (ii.) Others partially qualified .. .. 90 227 178 ! 99 134 142 167 68 264 Total of (a) .. .. .. \ 360 361 428 320 ! 545 266 635 332 (b.) Having no recognized examination status .. 320 689 Total number of uncertificated teachers 680 789 865 901 1,021 Total primary teachers .. .. 3,153 3,207 ; 3,301 3,354 3,615

1905. 1908. 1909. I. Certificated II. Uncertificated, — (a.) Partially qualified (b.) Without status .. 2,460 S29 163 492 2,411 2,524 213 272 29-1 353 — 507 625 Total 2,952 ! 2,952 ! 2,918 3,149 2,918 3,149 Percentages, — I. Certificated II. (a.) Partially qualified (b.) Without status .. _ 83-3 111 5-6 16-7 82-6 80-2 7-2 8-6 10-2 11-2 17-4 — 19-8 Total 100 100 100 100 100 100