MR GEORGE STAINES AND NEWTON EAST SCHOOL.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 273, 19 November 1887, Page 3

MR GEORGE STAINES AND NEWTON EAST SCHOOL.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Jn your Table Talk of last evening, you stated that the people's champion, ondit, has not yetheard the lastof thegallant rescue of Newton East School. You, sir, are evidently well and promptly posted up in facts. By the same day's post I received a letter as follows :—" Sir, —I am directed by the Committee of the Newton School district to request a public apology from you for interfering with the management of the Newton East School on the 14th inst. Kindly let me hear from you on or before 4 o'clock p.m. on Monday next, the 21st inst., and so prevent the matter being placed in the hands of a solictor. I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant, S. Brooking, Secretary." Now, sir, having acted as you so graphically described in Stak of Tuesday last by rushing in when screams were heard from inside the school building so loudly as to convey the impression that the child from whom they proceeded " was being murdered," I fail to see that I have done aught which can be construed as having wilfully disturbed any school, as you imply, unless, as you alsp suggest, that according to the Dotheby Hall principal, my appearance, and not the screams, disturbed tho school. I am at a further loss to understand the purport of Mr Brooking's demands. It is not my intention to comply with this arrogance, prompted, I am informed, by the Committee's reading of your quotation of Section 96, Education Act of 1877, as I consider and am also advised time I was fully justified in my action, hearing a youngster scream out loudly in a manner which would convey the impression he was being murdered. In doing this I feel confident that what I was prompted to do by manly instincts on tho impulse of the moment can never be construed into wilfully disturbing any school, or upbraiding, insulting, or abusing any teacher in the presence or hearing of the pupils in school. If I had done so I should be indeed penitent, seeing as how, according to your report, the little ono cried out before he was hurt, which, I now realise, was very wrong of him to do. —1 am, etc., Geokge Stainjss.