I.—lBa.

94

,A. EESKINE.

to section 67, relating to transfers: "(d.) In any case where an alteration of the grading of a position would result in the promotion of any teacher above another senior to him and equally efficient." (Note. —It is considered that when a school rises in grade automatic promotion of the present teacher or teachers should not be made if there are other teachers more entitled to promotion. This is to be subject to the proviso that no teacher be reduced in salary through the rearrangement of the staff.) Dismissal. —The Institute urges that subsection (1) of section 68 should be deleted. Manual Instructors. —The Institute suggests that instructors employed solely in the manual training of primary-school pupils should be classified as primary-school teachers for the purposes of salary. Inspectors. —The Institute is of opinion that in Part I of the Twelfth Schedule the line " Assistant Inspectors" should be struck out, and that the minimum salary for an Inspector should be £500, rising by annual increments to at least £650. Further, that there should be an Inspector for every fifty schools. Dental and Medical Treatment. -The Institute considers that section 131 is too drastic, and that provision should be made by the Public Health Department for free dental and medical treatment for the children of parents in poor circumstances. Subsidies on Local Contributions. —The Institute heartily welcomes the provision in the Bill for subsidizing local contributions, believing that this will lead to a greatly increased appreciation of the value of education, and would recommend a further provision that local governing bodies be permitted to make grants to primary schools. The Institute recommends that the limit in proviso (c) of section 155 be £350 instead of £250. Superannuation. —The Institute requests that the Superannuation Act be amended so that retiring-allowances be calculated on the three best years of service, and that house allowances be taken into consideration in the computation. Probationers. —The Institute recommends that in order to hasten the date when column 6 of Part I of the Sixth Schedule will be operative the number of probationers be considerably increased ; and that, with a view of making the teaching profession more attractive to young people, the salaries of probationers and allowances of training-college students be materially increased. Staffs and Salaries. —Whilst fully recognizing the honest effort of the Minister to improve the rate of teachers' salaries, the Institute regrets that the Minister has not fully realized the inadequacy of the present scale, and provided a more liberal scale of salaries in the new Education Bill. The Institute views with keen disappointment the fact that the old basis for the computation of salaries has been retained, whereas teachers unanimously desire a scheme of salary and promotion based on efficiency and service. The improved staffing for schools of 321-330 and 451-480 in average attendance is noted with appreciation, but, on the other hand, it is necessary to draw attention to a decrease in staff proposed for schools of over 600. Even with the improvements noted the scale of staffing is still inferior to those of other countries, as shown in the following table : AVERAGE NUMBER Of PUPILS PER TEACHER. London County Council .. i .. .. 40-0 England (Board schools) .. .. .. 332 Wales (Board schools) .. .. . . 29-4 Scotland .. .. .. .. .. 37-7 New York State .. .. .. .. 26-3 Switzerland .. .. .. .. 42-7 Switzerland (Canton of Geneva) .. .. 25-0 United States .. .. .. 25-0 New Zealand .. .. .. .. .. 47-6 Before leaving the matter of staffing, the Institute recommends that when a school has had for any four successive quarters an attendance above the maximum of its grade the additional staff should be provided without further delay. The Institute strongly urges upon Parliament that the minimum salary for a trained and certificated teacher should be £130 a year, and the maximum not less than £450. The. following reasons are urged in support of the claim for the minimum named : (1.) The scarcity of teachers, particularly male teachers. The supply at the price offering is not equal to the demand. (2.) Most of those concerned are engaged in small country schools ; and pupils in those schools have as much right to the services of efficient teachers as those in larger centres. The inefficient rural school is a very real detriment to life in remote districts. (3.) The commencing salary proposed in the Bill is not sufficient to induce either parents or candidates to make the sacrifices that are demanded by the lean years of training. (4.) The expenses of living in country districts are much greater than in towns, and this tends to check the supply of applicants. (5.) Even with the proposed scale amended as asked for the salary of many teachers would be less than the wages of journeymen in trades, letter-carriers, railway porters, policemen, &c. The Institute recommends that the schedule for separate boys' schools should be made to apply to separate girls' and separate infants' schools.