COUNTRY SCHOOL TROUBLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 138, 12 June 1911, Page 6

COUNTRY SCHOOL TROUBLE.

TEACHER V. COMMITTEE CHAIR MAN. AN. ACTION FOR LIBEL. The libel action .in which William Masson, a school teacher, seeks to recover from William Richardson, chairman of the Maungatapere School Committee, the sum of £501 as damages, was continued before Mr. Justice Edwards and a jury of twelve at the Auckland Supreme Court this morning. George S. B. Morrison, a member of the Maunga.napere School Committee, under cross-e:_-min__ion, denied that he had informed Mr. Lamb, representing the Teachers' Institute, in the presence of Masson, that the statement prepared by the latter as to the incident of assault by Richardson, was .substantially correct." Witness said Richardson merely put his hand on Masson's arm, and, though that -was all he said, he was subpoenaed by the Teachers' Institute to grve evidence against defendant at the Whangarei Court. Witness was one wlio subscribed to pay defendant's fine, and was treated as a hostile witness at the hearing of the case. James T. G. Cox, .Inspector under the Auckland Education Board, said ho conducted an inquiry into certain allegations at the Maunga-hapero school in September of last year. It was reported to him thai Masson had made a threat ■to Miss Hor_t_nrarn to the effect, "If you take up an attitude hostile to mc if have twelve charges to bring up against yon." Masson denied making such <i tlireajt, and readUy added, "I told her that as she was a lady, unless she was hostile to mc, T would shield her all I could. - ' The witness said an inaccurate register, toy error or otherwise, was generally regarded as falsification. 'At the inquiry Masson denied that he was frequently late in attending the school. The marking of two pupils present in the afternoon when they were Absent could arise from carelessness, and the seriousness of snch a mistake would depend on whether the staffing or the teacher's salary was affected. Uri this case there ■was no effect. Replying to Mr. Reed, the witness staled that as trie -result of his ej-smina-tion of the school in June, 1010, he found general efficiency to prevail, and, iin consequpnee, Masson got increased marks and was promoted. Frederick Barber, a settler 'living-near the school at Maungatapere, and "with •whom Miss Horneman boarded, gave evidence in reference to the latter making n eompfiirnt to him respecting a threat made to lwr by Masson just prior to the inquiry held 'by Mr. Cox. When Masson was asked for an explanation, he denied the threat. Be also denied in the course of the ino/uiry that he had 1 'been frequently late at school. 1 ' Mr. Earl i What was plaintiff's reputation in the district? —It was a bad reputation. His Won&f Wh|it was his reputation apart from the with the School Committee?—-! don't understand. His Honor. You're not so stupid as you pretend. Did he have any reputation, except tluvt in connection with quarrels with the Committee?— No. nothing distinct from the school troubles. His Honor: That is the reputation that lias been manufactured hy them r and is not evidence. The witness knows nothing about plaintiffs general reputation, and the reputation made by others is not admissible as evidence. (Proceeding.)