GIRL DISAPPEARS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 2 October 1924, Page 5

GIRL DISAPPEARS

QUESTION OF RELIGION. ALLEGATIONS AGAINST TEACHER (BY TELEGRAPH PREBP ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND, Oct 1. The Grammar Schools Board, after a .discussion in committee on the Martin case, resolved to hold an enquiry, which will be open to the press, into allegations made by parents of pupils that an assistant mistress at the Epsom Girls’ School has abused her position by influencing the religious views of one of her pupils, Margaret Martin. The enquiry will be held on Monday, and the principals in the case are to he requested to attend to give evidence. The teacher in question applied for and was granted two months’ leave of absence on account of ill-health, a medical certificate being forwarded with the application, “LEGALLY HELPLESS.” CASE OF AUCKLAND SCHOOL GIRL. Mr. V. H. Potter (Roskill) gave notice in the House on Tuesday of his intention to ask the Minister of Justice whether he would take into consideration the desirability of amending the Police Offences Act to make it an offence punishable by fine or imprisonment for any person or persons to harbour an infant against the wishes of the parent or parents. He added that nr the case of the Auckland schoolgirl, Miss Martin, who left home and absented herself from the Epsom Girls’ Grammar School and was secretly hidden from her mother and friends, no redress could be had by the mother owing to the absence of such a provision. It was reported that under her father’s will the girl referred to would inherit considerable wealth.