SCHOOL PROTEST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 179, 30 July 1936, Page 10

SCHOOL PROTEST.

POLICE CRITICISED.

GIRL'S STATEMENT TAKEN

NO TEACHER PRESENT.

"I consider that a grave breach of privilege was committed on the part ot the. police when a girl attending our school signed a written statement at the request of a police officer without being in the presence of a teacher or the headmaster (Mr. .T. S. Doull)said Mr. 1? red Appleby, chairman of the Drurv School Committee, at their monthly meeting.

The secretary, Mr. <T. V. Salisbury, said the police' visit arose through an inquiry regarding broken insulators. The regulations provided, said the secretary, that the police must visit a school in mufti, and that children must not be interviewed except in the presence of the headmaster or bead teacher, preferably in his private room. After discussion the • committee expressed strong disapproval of the regulation governing police en try _ to schools and considered that such visits ought to be made in the children's homes with the parents present. The secretary stated that the interrogations lasted about one and a half days and that it was obvious that the headmaster could not be all that time in his private room, and that no blame rested on him. The committee unanimously passed a resolution, moved by Mr. Kdwards and seconded by Mr. Trvine. as _ follows:

-That 11)g Drury School Committee protest verv stronglv against the recent action of the police in interviewing children in schools." and decided to forward a copv of the protest to the Primary School Committees' Association.