696 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



inquire as to the feasibility or otherwise of adopting such a 

 scheme as may benefit the people as a whole in such a way 

 that sickness and old age may be met without anxiety. As a 

 people we recognise the great advantages of one scheme of 

 taxing, the one authority in government. 



The State exists ostensibly for the same ends as did the 

 trade guilds, and there should be no greater difficulty in 

 formulating a mutual and general pension scheme for the 

 benefit of every citizen than in formulating a general scheme 

 of taxation which implies an equity of payment in return for 

 an equity of protection. For my own part, I do not see the 

 slightest difficulty in the way, for if you concede the possibility 

 of arranging an equitable scheme of taxation, the like principle 

 is involved in arranging for an equitable scheme to provide for 

 participation in sick benefits and in pension benefits at a time 

 of life when, through physical infirmity of any kind whatever, 

 citizens are unable to maintain themselves bv phvsical and 

 mental labour. 



Twenty-two years ago I was one of a deputation of 

 teachers to my respected friend the Hon. Mr. Eolleston, 

 M.H.R., who was then Superintendent of the Province of 

 Canterbury. The object of the deputation was to establish 

 a pension scheme for teachers. As secretary, and having 

 made a study of the question, I proposed a scheme which 

 provided that every teacher in the public schools should 

 from the time of entry as a pupil-teacher be required to 

 pay a certain percentage of his salary into a fund, to be 

 known as the " Teachers' Benefit and Superannuation 

 Fund." Should a teacher die before the age when a retiring- 

 allowance became necessary his widow — if he was a married 

 man — was to receive certain benefits as long as she lived 

 or remained single. Although favourably received by Mr. 

 Eolleston, the time was not favourable, as provincialism itself 

 was on the point of extinction, and nothing was done ; but 

 from that time till the present I have many times urged the 

 adoption of a scheme such as would be of use to teachers 

 in case of sickness or of compulsory retirement from duty. 

 In my annual report to the Education Board in December, 

 1888, occurs the following: "Before closing my report, I 

 desire to bring under the notice of the Board a subject 

 which closely concerns the welfare of teachers and the 

 success of education. The Board is aware that the large 

 majority of teachers are in charge of schools, or occupy 

 positions, from which the income obtained is none too large 

 to sustain a family in comfort and provide a death contin- 

 gency in the way of life assurance. Very few, I fear, among 

 the teachers in the smaller schools are able to make any pro- 

 vision for coming old age. Within the past three years two sad 



