TEACHER ALLEGES LIBEL

Northern Advocate, 23 May 1929, Page 6

TEACHER ALLEGES LIBEL

CLAIM FOR £SOO DAMAGES CASE PROM MOTUKARAKA. ~V~ . . . . STARTLING ALLEGATION*. (Special to '‘Northern Advocate.”) AUCKLAND, This Day. Startling charges against the charatter of Laurence Tapping Donaldson, formerly headmaster of the Alotukaraka School, allegedly made .by Leonard Samuel Darrell, chairman of the school committee, formed the basis of a remarkable libel action commenced in the Supreme Court before Mr .Justice Kennedy .and a jury yesterday. Damages claimed totalled £SOO. , Motukaraka is a little country village situated .on the northern shore of the Hokianga Harbour, opposite Rawcue. The principal institutions are the school, which for eight ■ years up to last month was presided over by Donaldson, and the dairy factory, of which Barrel 1 is manager.

The basis of the action was a- letter allegedly published by Bar roll on or about September 10, 1928, I to the secretary of the Auckland Education Board containing the following words: “I have to report that .Mr Donaldson, head teacher, has on various oc-

fusions interfered in an improper manner with the clothing and persons of my two daughters, Owen dole no and Muriel.”

“Among those things which the law of England and Now Zealand Ivolds sacred is a man’s right >t6 his pt/perty, liberty and reputation,” declared counsel, in opening the case for the plaintiff. A man's fair name must he jealously guarded, for if a man, by no fault of his own, lost his name and reputation, no wealth could regain it, and ho would bo the object of the scorn, ridicule and contempt of hi? fellows.

“Having stuck his knife into Don aldson,” assorted counsel, “instead of withdrawing it and endeavouring to heal the wound, he pushes it ;in further and gives it an extra 1 twist. Therefore Donaldson came before'the jury so that he could lift his ..'head once more and look his fellow citizens in the face.” . PLAINTIFF IN THE BOX.

Laurence Topping Donaldson stated he had been headmaster of the Motukaraka School from October, 1920. There had been two women teachers engaged at the institution during the latter part of 1928. He was uncertificated on taking up the appointment at Alotukaraka, as he left for the war in 1914, when still a pupil teacher, returning in 1918, He accepted a temporary job at the school, but the appointment was subsequently made permanent.

Air George Harding was chairman of the school committee until, 1928, Barrell being a member for a couple of years from .192?), and was elected chairman last year. “In July, 1927, I ex/polled one of the senior girls, Ivy Beazlsy. She returned to the school that day and heatedly proclaimed, “Now that you have expelled mo and have no more control over me, I am going to tell you what I think of you and your rotten olid school,’ ”

“I simply took her by the shoulders and ran her outside, ’’ added,Donaldson. “On returning from the Christmas vacation, I hoard rumours against myself, and wrote to the mothers of the two girls concerned, but I received no replies. Later I heart that a constable was investigating the affair and a detective interviewed me, but I heard nothing from the police.” At the householders’ meeting, Mr Barrel], who presided, was challenged by Air Harding to make his charges in public, but Barrell said ho would please himself. THREATS OF VIOLENCE.

j Incidents that, occurred between Bar- • roll and himself were reflated by Don- | aldson. On one occasion Bareli sent | otic of the children to school domandjing that a neighbour’s child should be leaned. As he had ignored the request j Barrel! visited his lodgings the follow- | ing morning, and heatedly threatened I witness with violence and Court, proceedings if he did not perform, his duty. .Shortly afterwards he had caned one of Barrell’s girls and he was subjected to abuse and threats of a thrashing. Later a violent altercation | took place at a meeting in the Settlers’ Hall, and the chairman had to intervene. Further trouble arose over the condition of the conveniences at the school, and he was accused of writing j to the Education Board over the head of ihe committee, and as a result a j committee made some investigations. | Under cross-examination, he denied j ; that the girl Be-azley had accused him j jot tickling a girl's logs. He admitted j | having offered to allow this girl to ; return under a promise of good he- j haviour to enable her to sit for pro- I ficiency. Eight girls out of ?0 had I made accusations of improper conduct j against him at the inquiry, ; Prior to this a complaint by Air i Roisterer concerning an allegation of j indecent exposure had' 'been investi- ! gated by the committee, and he hi.d I been completely exonerated. Anoth >r j girl who had made a charge against l him had told the committee of inquiry j she had been frightened into do.ng so j by the girl Beazlcy. He emphatically j denied all charges of handling girls i improperly. 1