Fix this text
Education
Fix this textPAST PRESENT FUTURE
Fix this textJournal of the N.S.W. Teachers’ Federation
Fix this textRegistered at the General Poet Office, Sydney, for transmission by port as a newspaper.
Fix this textVol. 39.—N0. 5.
Fix this textAPRIL 30, 1958
Fix this textPrice: Threepence.
Fix this textA.T.F.’s 130,000 PETITION PRESENTED
Fix this textCase for Aid Now Before Federal House
Fix this textThe Australian Teachers'
Fix this textFederation's petition to the
Fix this textCommonwealth Pari iam e n t
Fix this textseeking Federal aid for educa-
Fix this texttion was received by Dr. H. V.
Fix this textEvatt, Leader of the Opposi-
Fix this texttion, in his rooms at the
Fix this textCommonwealth Bank Building,
Fix this textMartin Place, Sydney, on April
Fix this text10. More than 130,000 people
Fix this textin the various States signed
Fix this textthe petition, which asks for
Fix this text"immediate action to ensure
Fix this textthat sufficient funds are avail-
Fix this textable to each State to provide
Fix this textadequate public education
Fix this textfacilities for its children and
Fix this textpeople."
Fix this textThe petition states that;
Fix this text• Public education needs
Fix this textthroughout Australia are criti-
Fix this textcally urgent;
Fix this text• The States are not able to
Fix this textcope with the provision of ade-
Fix this textquate education facilities for
Fix this textrapidly-increasing school enrol-
Fix this textments;
Fix this text• One major factor in the
Fix this textcrisis is the impact of the Com-
Fix this textmonwealth Government’s migra-
Fix this texttion policy;
Fix this text• This desperate situation
Fix this textcalls for generous assistance and
Fix this textco-operation by the Common-
Fix this textwealth Government;
Fix this text• The Commonwealth Gov-
Fix this texternment should make grants to
Fix this textthe States of sufficient magnitude
Fix this textto enable the States to meet in
Fix this textfull their education require-
Fix this textments.
Fix this textN.S.W. Asked to Present
Fix this textPetition
Fix this textThe petition was decided on by
Fix this textthe 1957 A.T.F. Annual Conference
Fix this textwhich declared that relief of the
Fix this textcritical state of education through-
Fix this textout Australia “must be the direct
Fix this textresponsibility of the Commonwealth
Fix this textGovernment in that one major fac-
Fix this texttor in the crisis is the impact of its
Fix this textmigration policy.”
Fix this textThe 1958 A.T.F. Conference ask-
Fix this texted the N.S.W. Teachers’ Federation
Fix this textto arrange for the submission of the
Fix this textpetition to the Federal Parliament.
Fix this textThe Federation asked the Prime
Fix this textMinister to receive it. However, Mr.
Fix this textMenzies declined, and Dr. Evatt was
Fix this textthen asked.
Fix this textWith Dr. Evatt when he received
Fix this textthe petition were Senator Ashley,
Fix this textSenator Amour, Mr. D. J. Curtin,
Fix this textMr. F. E. Stewart, Mr. E. J. Harri-
Fix this textson and Mr. D. Minogue, M.H.Rs.
Fix this textFederation representatives were
Fix this textMr. D. A. Taylor, President, N.S.W.
Fix this textTeachers’ Federation and Vice-Presi-
Fix this textdent, Australian Teachers’ Federa-
Fix this texttion; Mr. W. D. Dobell, Secretary,
Fix this textAustralian Teachers’ Federation; and
Fix this textthe following members of the N.S.W.
Fix this textTeachers’ Federation: Mr. S. P. Lewis,
Fix this textDeputy President, Miss E. W. Mat-
Fix this texttick, Senior Vice-President, Mr. H.
Fix this textS. Norington, General Secretary, Mr.
Fix this textR. D. Thomas, Vice-President, Mr.
Fix this textI. G. Lancaster, Deputy Assistant
Fix this textGeneral Secretary.
Fix this text130, 000 Signatures;
Fix this text12 Volumes
Fix this textThe 130,000 signatures to the peti-
Fix this texttion were bound in 12 volumes
Fix this textwhich were wheeled from Federation
Fix this textHouse down Martin Place in a trol-
Fix this textley.
Fix this textDr. Evatt, in receiving the peti-
Fix this texttion, said there was no doubt there
Fix this textwas a crisis in education.
Fix this textThe Murray report simply dealt
Fix this textwith that at one end of the scale.
Fix this textIt must be obvious that they could
Fix this textnot make great improvements at
Fix this textthat end unless the foundations in
Fix this textthe primary and secondary courses
Fix this textin all the States were firm and well
Fix this textbuilt. He could not see any way in
Fix this textwhich the Commonwealth could
Fix this textescape responsibility in connection
Fix this textwith education.
Fix this text“It is a national question and not
Fix this textmerely to be treated as a question
Fix this textfor the States,” Dr. Evatt said.
Fix this textFederal Parliament'
Fix this textAsked to Act
Fix this textMr. Taylor, in asking Dr. Evatt
Fix this textto receive the petition, said the peti-
Fix this textThe petition was received by
Fix this textthe House of Representatives on
Fix this textApril 23. It is expected that it
Fix this textwill be debated in the House
Fix this textduring the first week in May.
Fix this texttion asked that the Federal Parlia-
Fix this textment take immediate action to en-
Fix this textsure that sufficient funds were avail-
Fix this textable to each State to provide ade-
Fix this textquate public education facilities for
Fix this textthe children and people.
Fix this text“Since the war,” Mr. Taylor said,
Fix this text“the States of the Commonwealth
Fix this texthave had to make as much provision
Fix this textagain in building, in supply of teach-
Fix this texters and equipment, as was done in
Fix this textthe previous 160 years. They have
Fix this texthad to do as much in the years since
Fix this textthe war as was done in the previous
Fix this text160 years, for the school enrolments
Fix this texthave doubled and at this particular
Fix this textstage the position has reached a
Fix this textcrisis because the increased school
Fix this textpopulation is being felt at the sec-
Fix this textondary l^vel.
Fix this text“In this State alone, within the
Fix this textnext three years there will be 32,000
Fix this textadditional secondary children, and
Fix this textwhen you think of 32,000 secondary
Fix this textchildren in terms of buildings and
Fix this textschools and teachers and equipment,
Fix this textthat is an enormous task that has
Fix this textbeen set the Government of this
Fix this textState. I want to say to you people,
Fix this textbelonging to a party that has al-
Fix this textways been very interested in educa-
Fix this texttion (and some of you know just
Fix this textwhat our public school system has
Fix this textachieved in this State), that stan-
Fix this textdards are going to. fall as a result
Fix this textbecause at the secondary level we
Fix this texthave not the buildings, we have not
Fix this textthe teachers. There is a dilution of
Fix this textour high school staff that must ulti-
Fix this textmately result in the falling of stan-
Fix this textdards. We have not the teachers col-
Fix this textleges to train teachers. Our own Min-
Fix this textister for Education promised two
Fix this textadditional Teachers’ Colleges months
Fix this textago —nothing has been done and
Fix this textnothing will be done because there
Fix this textare no funds.
Fix this textConditions Are Nation-wide
Fix this text“This position is common through-
Fix this textout Australia and in some States it
Fix this textcould be worse. Do you realise that
Fix this textin four of the mainland States the
Fix this textschool leaving age is still only 14,
Fix this textwith thousands of children still leav-
Fix this texting school at 14? The only reason
Fix this textgiven at a conference in Western
Fix this textAustralia recently by the Director of
Fix this textEducation of that State was that they
Fix this textcould not afford to raise the age. In
Fix this textVictoria last year seven thousand
Fix this textchildren left school at 14 —turned out
Fix this textinto a highly complex society where
Fix this texttraining is essential before their edu-
Fix this textcation potential could have even
Fix this textbeen assessed.”
Fix this textDr. Evatt: “New South Wales and
Fix this textTasmania are the exceptions?”
Fix this textMr. Taylor: “Yes, and the reason is
Fix this textthat they cannot provide the teach-
Fix this texters and funds.
Fix this text“Then again, in two other States
Fix this textthere is no kindergarten education
Fix this text—Queensland and Western Austra-
Fix this textlia. Recently the Commonweath
Fix this textGovernment had the Murray Report
Fix this texttabled, and if the Murray Report is
Fix this textread critically with any knowledge
Fix this textof the educational set-up in this
Fix this textcountry, it is as much a criticism of
Fix this textprimary and secondary education as
Fix this textof tertiary education.”
Fix this textDr. Evatt: “Yes, that is correct.
Fix this textThe huge gap that was already exist-
Fix this texting would be increased by the im-
Fix this textplementation of this report. We fav-
Fix this textour the broad principles of it but
Fix this textare aware that primary and second-
Fix this textary education is going to be faced
Fix this textwith decreased standards because of
Fix this textit and that the question has to be
Fix this textconsidered as a whole.”
Fix this text(Continued next page)
Fix this textDR. EVATT RECEIVES THE PETITION. From left to right: Mr. H. S. Norington, General Secretary; Miss
Fix this textE. W. Mattick, Senior Vice-President; Mr. W. D. Dobell, Secretary, Australian Teachers’ Federation; Mr. D. A.
Fix this textTaylor, President; Senator Ashley; Mr. D. J. Curtin, M. H.R.; Dr. Evatt; Senator Amour; Mr. D. Minogue,
Fix this textM.H.R.; Mr. E. J. Harrison, M.H.R.
Fix this textPLEA FOR EARLIER
Fix this textPAYMENT OF TEACHERS’
Fix this textTAX REFUNDS
Fix this textA request that teachers’ taxation
Fix this textrefunds be expedited was submitted
Fix this textlast month to the Deputy Commis-
Fix this textsioner of Taxation.
Fix this textIn forwarding the request the General
Fix this textSecretary said the Education Department was
Fix this textunable to issue group certificates in time
Fix this textfor teachers to make early lodgment of
Fix this textreturns. Therefore, through no fault of
Fix this texttheir own, they were compelled to lodge
Fix this textlate returns and wait many months before
Fix this textreceiving their refunds.
Fix this text“In view of these facts the Federation
Fix this textwould be grateful if you would give favour-
Fix this textable consideration to adopting special
Fix this textmeasures to see that teachers’ taxation
Fix this textreturns are dealt with as soon as possible
Fix this textafter receipt,” Mr. Norington said.
Fix this text“As their returns will probably all be
Fix this textreceived about the same time, there should
Fix this textbe little difficulty in sorting them out for
Fix this textexpeditious handling by the taxation
Fix this textofficers.”
Fix this textThe Deputy Commissioner of Taxation,
Fix this texthowever, replies: “It is not practicable to
Fix this textaccede to the request, as the Taxation
Fix this textDepartment’s program involves the issue of
Fix this textapproximately 1,000,000 refunds each year
Fix this textwithin the shortest possible time.”
Fix this textIt's easy and takes two shakes of a lamb's tail!
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http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-646955239
N.S.W. Teachers' Federation & New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. (1919). Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation Retrieved May 31, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-646955239
N.S.W. Teachers' Federation and New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation Sydney: The Federation, 1919. Web. 31 May 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-646955239>
N.S.W. Teachers' Federation & New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. 1919, Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation The Federation, Sydney viewed 31 May 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-646955239
{{Citation
| author1=N.S.W. Teachers' Federation.
| author2=New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation.
| title=Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation.
| year=1919
| section=volumes.
| issn=0013-1156
| issue=Vol. 39 No. 5 (30 Apr 1958)
| location=Sydney
| publisher=The Federation
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-646955239
| id=nla.obj-646955239
| access-date=31 May 2025
| via=Trove
}}
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