Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation

Call Number
Nef 331.8809944 EDU
Created/Published
Sydney : The Federation, 1919-2021
Issue
Vol. 41 No. 04 (13 Apr 1960)
Images
8
View Catalogue

Contents

Education Journal of the Teachers' Federation 1
SYDNEY MEETING SUPPORTS MARGINS CLAIM 1
Real Wages Lowest for 13 Years, Says A.C.T.U. 1
PART-TIME SCHOOL PATROL OFFICERS: PREMIER'S STATEMENT 1
SWASTIKAS AND HATRED SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY 1
Editorial THE NATIONAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE 1
MARGINS: LARGE AND ENTHUSIASTIC METROPOLITAN MEETING 1
LABOUR COUNCIL WINS £1¾m. IN WORKERS' COMPENSATION FOR UNIONISTS 1
Elect Your Delegates to the National Education Conference 2
Margins Meetings: Correspondence with Board 2
SEWING MACHINES FOR NEEDLEWORK 2
UNIVERSITY DEGREES AND PRIMARY PROMOTION 2
DEAR OH DEAR, WHAT A STRANGE SITUATION! 2
DISTRIBUTION OF DEPARTMENTAL HANDBOOK 2
PROTEST AGAINST SOUTH AFRICAN SHOOTINGS 2
SPACELESS SPACE-AGE STAFFROOM 2
Premier’s Statement on Pensions Amendments 3
DISCUSSION SOUGHT WITH PREMIER ON UNSUCCESSFUL STUDENTS 3
PROMOTIONS LISTS: DISCUSSION WITH PREMIER SOUGHT 3
S.A.'s MODERN-PLAN TEACHERS' COLLEGE 3
Breakaway Move: Federation’s Appeal to Members 3
PROPOSED TEACHERS' COLLEGE AT RATHMINES 3
Education 4
A MATTER OF IMPORTANCE 4
STUDENTS' ALLOWANCES 4
REMOVE THE PADLOCK, OPEN THE DOOR! 4
The President Writes: GREAT EFFORT’S SUCCESS NEEDS HELP OF ALL MEMBERS 4
RETIRING VICTORIAN DIRECTOR ON TEACHERTRAINING ACHIEVEMENTS 4
From Far and Near 4
MR. MAYOR HAD HIS DOUBTS 4
Are Lecturers in Education Over-educated? 5
HANDWRITING STYLES 5
Introducing the Victorian Cursive Script 5
THE CASE FOR DEPENDANTS' ALLOWANCES FOR TEACHERS 5
A Resume of the Federation Case for an Education Commission 6
Advertising 6
MR. TAYLOR AT DUBBO 6
EDUCATION-1903 6
HOMES FOR TEACHERS: REPLIES TO APPEALS 6
GESTURE OF GOODWILL AND FRIENDSHIP: TEACHERS' CLUB'S INVITATION TO VISITORS 6
REDUCING CLASSLOADS: PREMIER'S REPLY IN HOUSE 6
The History and Problems of the “White-collar” Workers 7
TELEPHONE RENTALS "COSTLY PROBLEM" 7
EXPERIMENTS IN EDUCATIONAL T.V. 7
ARTARMON PUBLIC SCHOOL JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS, MAY 28-JUNE 5 7
Advertising 8
SECONDARY TEACHERS ASSOCIATION BALLOT 8
TEACHERS' FEDERATION ASSOCIATE (Retired Teachers) 8
AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL IN OUR SCHOOLS 8
The Teachers’ Club 8
2,000 TONS OF GOLD 8
FEDERATION CONTRIBUTIONS 8
HEADMASTERS 8
DEPUTY HEADMASTERS’ ASSOCIATION 8
Advertising 8

Text

Education  

Journal of the Teachers' Federation  

Registered at the General Post Office. Sydney, for transmission by post as newspaper.  

Vol. 41. No.  

APRIL 13, 1960  

Price: Threepence.  

SYDNEY MEETING SUPPORTS MARGINS CLAIM  

How the vote went: show of hands when the motion was put.  

Real Wages Lowest for  

13 Years, Says A.C.T.U.  

There is deliberate misrepre-  

sentation and distortion of the  

true position in the suggestion  

that the recent increases in money  

wages are the basic cause of in-  

flation or rising prices, the  

A.C.T.U. Executive says in  

resolution.  

“The truth is that price manipula-  

tion is used deliberately to create  

higher profit margin thereby reduc-  

mg tile real wages of the Australian  

workers”, the resolution continues.  

“We emphasise that to correct this situa-  

tion in the economy there should be effective  

control of prices and profits, and that  

incomes of entrepreneurs and others should  

be controlled in the same way as workers’  

wages.  

Economy Can Absorb Wage  

Increases  

"The Commonwealth Arbitration Com-  

mission in its judgment recognised that the  

economy could absorb increased wages, as  

illustrated in the following two passages of  

the judgment:  

“Considering those aggregate profits and  

bearing in mind the other material which is  

before us, we feel that the position of com-  

panies is such that they are able to bear  

increases in award wages.  

"We are aware that in the past, in-  

creases in wages have led to increases in  

prices, and we believe that in some cases  

increases in wages have been used as an  

excuse for increased prices when these could  

have been avoided.  

Real Wages Lowest for  

13 Years  

“We declare’’, the A.C.T.U. Executive’s  

resolution said, “that, notwithstanding the  

meagre allowances granted by the Com  

mission, award wages of the Australian  

workers are lower in real terms today than  

they were in 1947, despite the considerable  

increase in productivity since that period.  

“We therefore demand the re-institution of  

quarterly adjustments to maintain real value  

of the wage, and that both the basic wage  

and margins advance in proper relation to  

the increases in productivity of the work  

force, so that the wages paid shall be the  

highest that the full resources of the Aus  

tralian community fully employed can  

provide.  

“The Executive, therefore, calls upon all  

sections of the Australian community to rally  

behind the fight of the Australian workers  

to secure their full and proper share of the  

fruits of their work.”  

PART-TIME SCHOOL  

PATROL OFFICERS:  

PREMIER'S STATEMENT  

To assist in solving the problem of  

traffic control at school crossings, the  

Federation has for some years pro  

posed the employment of suitable  

persons on part-time basis.  

This proposal has been made in view of  

Police Department assurances that sufficient  

police were not available to supervise all  

school crossings.  

The request for creation of an auxiliary  

body within the Police Department to  

undertake part-time school patrol duties was  

again submitted to the Premier early this  

year.  

Mr. Heffron has replied that the matter  

was considered some years ago, and although  

it was felt that in principle the scheme had  

much to commend it, financial and other  

difficulties had prevented its implementa  

tion.  

“I shall keep your representations in  

mind, however, and communicate with you  

if there are any further developments”, Mr.  

Heffron said.  

SWASTIKAS AND HATRED  

SHOULD NOT  

BE TAKEN LIGHTLY  

In report to the A.C.T.U.  

Executive’s last meeting Mr. Monk,  

the President of the A.C.T.U., said  

he did not treat lightly the events in  

Germany, other parts of Europe,  

England and Australia aimed at re  

viving hatred of the Jews and the  

painting of swastikas on public build  

ings and houses of worship.  

Mr. Monk said it was all very well for  

some well-meaning people in the Australian  

community to endeavour to establish that  

the anti-Jewish propaganda and painting of  

swastikas was due to the imagination of  

hooligans.  

This was precisely how Hitler started his  

campaign, Mr. Monk said. It was treated as  

joke.  

“Eventually we were involved in political  

parties in Germany, the Chamberlain  

appeasement policy and ultimately World  

War 2.”  

The trade union movement in Australia  

would be watchful of developments and  

would endeavour to use its influence both  

internationally and nationally to prevent  

repetition of the sordid events associated with  

the last World War program and the horrors  

of German concentration camps, with the  

resulting loss of millions of lives.  

The A.C.T.U. Executive endorsed Mr.  

Monk’s statement.  

Editorial  

THE NATIONAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE  

APRIL 21 this year sees the 80th  

anniversary of the passing of the  

Public Instruction Act. May 21 this  

year will see an important event  

whose object will be further to ad  

vance and to extend what was pro  

vided by the Act.  

On those foundations we have built  

up State-wide system of primary,  

secondary and technical education,  

bringing educational opportunity to  

every child, even those in the most  

remote parts of the State.  

But, with all our efforts, the edu  

cational services planned by the Pub  

lic Instruction Act have not develop-  

ed to the extent fully to meet the re  

quirements of modern society. In  

addition, there is serious shortage  

of teachers, accommodation has not  

overtaken the huge enrolments of  

post-war years, and equipment is  

insufficient.  

The fundamental remedy is that  

more of the nation’s increasing  

wealth must be spent on education.  

Large-scale emergency grants by the  

Commonwealth, and nation-wide  

inquiry into the needs of education  

are essential.  

So the National Education Confer  

ence has been called for May 21 by  

the Federal parents and citizens’  

and teachers’ organisations. It will  

probably be the largest national con  

ference in Australian history, and  

delegates will come from every State.  

To make the conference complete  

success no effort should be spared to  

see that every possible parents’, citi  

zens’ and teachers’ organisation is  

represented. That is why the appeal  

has been made on page to all  

Federation associations and members:  

“Elect your representatives to the  

National Education Conference.”  

MARGINS: LARGE AND  

ENTHUSIASTIC  

METROPOLITAN MEETING  

large and enthusiastic meeting of metropolitan  

members, held in the Lower Town Hall, Sydney, on March  

31, endorsed the action of the Federation Council in  

rejecting the Public Service Board's offer of February 29  

concerning marginal increases to teachers' salaries. The  

meeting requested the Public Service Board to increase  

existing margins by at least 28 per cent and to make the  

increases retrospective to December last year.  

(December would approxi  

mate the date of the Federal  

Court’s decision concerning mar  

gins in the metal trades, which  

was November 27.)  

The meeting asked the Federation  

to request the Premier to receive, as  

matter of urgency, deputation to  

seek his support for the Federation’s  

claim.  

The meeting called on:  

• The Federation Council to con  

sider further forms of action, includ  

ing “the holding of further meeting  

of this character, if necessary”;  

• Each school staff to hold meet  

ing within fortnight to consider the  

resolution and forward suggestions  

for action to the General Secretary.  

Meeting Protest  

The President, Mr. Taylor, said the  

meeting had been called as protest  

against the refusal of the Public  

Service Board to adjust teachers’  

margins in accordance with the judg  

ment of the highest arbitration  

tribunal.  

Mr. Taylor said professional people  

should share in the prosperity and  

productivity of this country, but infla  

tion was continuing to destroy the  

purchasing power of their salaries.  

Loud applause greeted the Presi  

dent’s statement that teachers should  

get retrospectivity back to the day  

when the Court made its decision.  

“All the Board needs to do is to  

make simple mathematical opera  

tion—to take 28 per cent of your  

margin and add it on to your salary.  

Any sixth-grade child could do it”,  

Mr. Taylor said.  

“We will continue until we achieve  

satisfactory conclusion of this issue”,  

Mr. Taylor said, to applause.  

Government Should Intervene  

Mr. E. J. Nicholls, Deputy General  

Secretary and Secretary of the Federa  

tion Salaries Committee, said the  

Board’s delay in granting teachers  

satisfactory margins was causing  

extreme discontent and bitterness in  

the Public Service.  

Mr. Nicholls said the amounts  

offered by the Board fell far short of  

what had been given to Common  

wealth public servants and Victorian  

teachers. Victorian primary teachers  

had been given marginal increases  

of from £55 to £322; N.S.W. primary  

teachers were being offered increases  

of from £6O to £2OO. Victorian sec  

ondary (graduate) teachers had re  

ceived increases of from £125 to £380.  

N.S.W. graduate teachers had been  

offered increases of from £7O to £280.  

“The position is one in which the  

Government should be prepared to  

intervene and see that salary justice  

is not denied to teachers”, Mr.  

Nicholls said.  

Meeting's Support for Claim  

loud cry of “Yes” from every  

where in the hall answered ques  

tion by Mr. S. P. Lewis, Deputy Presi  

dent: “The motion says we should  

reject the Board's offer. Do you  

agree with that?”  

similar response followed fur  

ther question: “Do you think we  

should request the Board to increase  

existing salary margins by at least 28  

per cent?”  

“I suggest that you are putting  

your case this afternoon, and it is not  

just proposal of few people in  

the Federation”, Mr. Lewis said.  

“We are all affected by rising prices.  

In 1947 little more than head  

master’s salary for the year would  

have bought house. Today it would  

take two years’ salary. To get fair  

board in hotel today would cost 12  

guineas. In 1947 it would have cost  

£3 or less.”  

"Phony" Argument  

Mr. Lewis said the argument that  

increases in wages led to increases in  

prices was “phony” argument. The  

fact was that wages were always fol  

lowing prices.  

Increases had been gained in Vic  

toria because of the greater action  

there, Mr. Lewis said. Before the  

teachers adopted activities that some  

people said were “unprofessional”  

they were about the most shoddily  

treated among professional people.  

The motion was seconded by Miss  

E. W. Mattick, Senior Vice-President,  

and supported by Mr. W. A. Dutton  

and Mr. W. Myles.  

Suggested Amendment  

An amendment submitted but sub  

sequently withdrawn on the assur  

ance that the proposition would be  

referred to the Salaries Panel was  

that date be set on which the Pub  

lic Service Board be seen and in  

formed that they were not fulfilling  

their obligations to teachers;  

teachers’ meeting, to take place be  

tween 9.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m., be  

then held, this meeting to discuss  

concrete proposals and the imple  

mentation of action of more direct  

nature.  

• Correspondence with Board—  

page 2.  

LABOUR COUNCIL WINS  

£1¾m. IN WORKERS'  

COMPENSATION FOR  

UNIONISTS  

Eighteen applications for workers’  

compensation were referred to the  

Compensation Officer of the N.S.W.  

Labour Council (Mr. Ritchie) by the  

Federation in 1959.  

Of these, 14 were applications arising from  

injury by accident, three from industrial  

disease and one from death. Nine of the  

cases had not been completed by the end of  

the year.  

Five cases were won, giving total of  

£3,115 in compensation and £745 in medical  

benefits. In each of the four other com  

pleted cases there was insufficient evidence  

to sustain the claim.  

The total number of cases dealt with by  

the Compensation Officer in 1959 was 3,428.  

The sum of £1,674,976 was recovered as com  

pensation and £80,851 as medical costs. Total  

benefits gained were £1,754,927.  

The Federation has expressed its apprecia  

tion to Mr. Ritchie for his work on behalf  

of Federation members.  

Cite

Citation options:
Work identifier

http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-702997614

APA citation

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 19, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-702997614

MLA citation

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. 19 May 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-702997614>

Harvard/Australian citation

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 19 May 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-702997614

Wikipedia citation

{{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. 41 No. 04 (13 Apr 1960)
  | location=Sydney
  | publisher=The Federation
  | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-702997614
  | id=nla.obj-702997614
  | access-date=19 May 2025
  | via=Trove
}}

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