SCHOOL TEACHER AND PUPIL.

(Before Mr H. Eyro-Kenny, S.M.) THURSDAY, OCT. 22.

CHARGE OF ASSAULT DISMISSED. A sitting of the Magistrate's Court was told at Metueka yesterday. Elizabeth Alexander was cnarged on the information of Mrs George Grooby, with assaulting the latter's son, a pupil at the Rocky River school, taught by the defendant. Mr Hayes appeared for the informant, and Messrs C. J. Harley and Easton for the defendant. The evidence for the prosecution was to the effect that the defendant had punished the child, a boy of 11, by striking him across the spine with the pole of a map. . . Dr Deck said that, in his opinion, the spine was not a proper place on which to administer punishment. The Education by-laws were put in, which prohibit any punishment except with a strap. . It came out during the evidence for the defence that the pupils had been in a defiant spirit, and that this particular pupU had mocked the teacher, who thereupon punished him in the manner complained of. The teach-yr stated that she had not seen th» by-law referred to. Mr Harley contended that tha Education Board by-law could not affect anybody's rights in a criminal proceeding, and the Magistrate upheld the contention Th 3 Magistrate also decided that th"re had been sufficient cause for the punishment, and that the punishment under the circumstances was reasonable The information was dismissed, with costs.