THE SCHOOL CASE.

Northern Advocate, 21 September 1910, Page 3

THE SCHOOL CASE.

DISTURBANCE PROVED.

DEFENDANT PINED.

Continuing his evidence in Vie Maungatapere school case, yesterday, George Morrison said, in reply to "Mr Steadman, that he accompanied Mr Richardson to the ground at that gentleman's request, the matter having been referred to Mr Richardson by the committee. A resolution had been passed by the committee to the effect that Mr Richardson should wait upon Mr Masson with regard to the privileges boys. The notice posted on the was the result of a resolution pased by the committee, andlhe information it contained was first placed before Mr Masson, but as he ignored it the notice was put up. Bert Greenwood, a pupil attending the Maungatapere school, said that on a certain day, in the school ground he saw Mr Richardson take a step forward and clutch Mr Masson on the arm. He did not see Mr Masson shove Mr Richardson when he was pulling up the pegs of the tennis court. This concluded the case for the plaintiff.

The defendant said that on Jiroe 6th he went to the school. On the Saturday previous one of witness' boys had purchased a football, and on the Monday following wiiiess had some business which took him to tlie school ground. He found two pegs on the tennis court which were dangerous to the children. The next day tiie teacher said that the boys would not play football on the ground as long as lie was teacher. Witness called at the school 'and told Mr Masson that he had come to speak to him about giving the boys the use of <he ground for football. Mr Morrison said to Masson that he had heard that the latter had refused to allow the boys to play football on the ground, to which Masson replied that whoever said that spoke falsely. Witness toi.cacl Masson on the arm, telling him to he careful, for it was witness who had made that statement. The touch was on the left arm, and was only heavy enough to attract 'attention. No threat was made, nor was abusive language used. Masson had been told a year before by witness that he was not to spend any money on a tenuis court in the place wnere he laid one down. Another piece of ground had been pointed out and Masson sa:d, "What about the work I have done on the old ground?" and that he had put in .three solid clays' work. The place witness had pointed out as suitable was more so than that selected by the headmaster. Witness complained of the treatment one of his boys had besn subjected to by the teacher at school. The boy had fallen into some watfiv and his-clothes being wet he was refused permission to go home and change, but was forced to stand before a log fire and dry himself till his legs were blistered. Mr Messon was written to on the subject and replied that the boy's clothes had been dried in the usual way.

Elsie Horniman, the assistant teacher at the school at Maungatapere, aiso gave evidence. She saw or heard nothing which disturbed the work of the school on June 6. Mr Masson had sometimes made very disrespectful remarks about the committee. Tennis had never been played on the grounds since witness had be-?p at the school by any of the school children, as c ar as witness knew. oMr Masson did not show any signs upon his return to che school after meeting Messrs Richardson and Morrison of having been assaulted. Mr Masson had frequentlybeen absent from the school before 10 o'clock in the morning. The headmaster had said that the committee were an ignorant lot, and told witness that she was taking up an attitude against him, which was not so. He had said that witness should stand up for the teachers, and she gave him to un dertsand that she would stand up fo." what was right. Witnoss saw the no tice on the door. Mr Masson made a remark about the spelling , and critiete • ed the notice to witness and the chil.- ,- ren, commenting upon the ignorance of the parents. Witness had nevfi.* heard parents so spoken of in front of children before, and did not think it right.

" Reginald Skelton, a member of the committee, who helped to lay down tlic court, said that the committee h;vl voted £1 towards laying down the court, but no place had been fixed for it. Mr Masson was told of the vote, find ha immediately selected a piece of Sound and commenced laying the irt down. Witness told Mr Masson viiat some the committee objected to the place he* had selected and witness himself now thought it would be better elsewhere, but he had raised no objection at the time. In his opinion the tennis court should be outside the play ground, and the committee in insisting on this were only doing their duty to the children and to the district.

By Mr Steadman: The absence ot an order as expressed' by resolu-