BREACH OF THE PEACE AT THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5173, 15 June 1878, Page 5

BREACH OF THE PEACE AT THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

THE BAILIFFS OF THE IMPROVEMENT COMMISSIONERS AGAIN IN POSSESSION.

Tiie disgraceful proceedings which have lately taken place in connection with the Auckland College and Grammar School were fitly capped yesterday, when a posse of men, under the direction of the Mayor, broke down the doors, assaulted and dragged out the man who was in charge, somewhat seriously injuring him, and again placed the building in charge of the bailiffs of the Improvement Commissioners, who prevented ingress into the building. We suppose that people out of Auckland will hardly believe that the principal persons in the local bodies which have taken part in the painful proceedings of the past week or two are gentlemen of the v*ry highest position in this locality. The Judge of the Supreme Court is one of the Grammar School Governors (unfortunately he has been absent), the Chief Judge of the Native Lands Court is one of the Improvement Commissioners ; another Judge of the same Court is a Governor of the Grammar School, the Mayor is a Governor of the Grammar School and an Improvement Commissioner, while other members of these two bodies, which have caused breaches of the peace where such should never occur, are magistrates and members of Parliament. The injury which has been dene to the school is something incalculable. Every parent who has a boy at that school must feel humiliated, and the moral effect upon the boys themselves must be detrimental. We venture to say that the impulse of every parent, when his boy came home the other day, and told him that bailiffs were in possession of the building, and were hanging about the classrooms, was to tell him not to go bach again. The (irauimar School has no monopoly in Auckland, and the inclinatioa with parents will now be not to send their sons to it. How cau they be expected to make progress with their studies amidst such scenes ? How can our Grammar School compete with Southern edueatioual institutions under the disadvantages which have lately surrounded it ? Then, it is surely au object with the Governors of the Grammar School to attract pupils from othar parts of the colony. As we stated in yesterday's paper, on Friday uight Mr. Macrae had rid the building of the posse oE bailiffs placed in possession by the Improvement Commissioners. Uur own opinion is, that Mr. Macrae ought uot to have locked out the bailiffs ; he ought to have been quite above interfering in the matter ; he should have left this performance to the Secretary of the Board. The* two discounted bailiffs appeared on the scene early yesterday morning, accompanied by a gang of four extra hands, and armed with two sledge hammers and a formidable axe. Evidently mischief was brewing, but they had not tho moral courage to attack the building until they were authorised by his Worship the Mayor. To the consternation of some and the gratification of many who enjoyed the fun, the bailiffs, directed by the Mayor, notwithstanding the remonstrances of Mr. Macrae and the other teachers, proceeded to break dovn the door of the front entrance. The only occupant of the building was an old man, who is usually employed cleaning up the school. This feeble old fellow was considered dangerous by the brave posse, and they proceeded to buudle hira out bodily. He made a faint resistance, and was brutally pulled about and struck. Iu fact, his leg was almost broken by being jammed in the doorway. The scholars assembled outside ; and they, who were first enjoying the fun, became enraged at this treatment of the eld man, and one of them went to the rescue, and after plauting a well-directed blow on the face of the principal assailant, he liberated the old man only to draw on himself the wrath of the incensed bailiff. The other boys were with the greatest difficulty restrained by their teachers from joining in the fray, and creating one of the most disgraceful scenes that has ever occurred in a colonial public school; but they were finally pacified, their enemies disappearing into the interior. Mr. Macrae then called the boys together, and formally dismissed them from school duties.

So ended the episode of yesterday, but who is to blame for it, is a question which will be generally asked, and which will hare to be auswered. Our reporter visited the scene yesterday. The head bailiff wa3 at rirat reticent, but soon thawed, and in a burst of confidence, he said he had himself broken the door. He said he could have done so on the previous evening, but he did not like to take the responsibility until he consulted his employers ; but he was now quite sure that Mr. Brett aud Mr. O'ilorke would back him up in what he had done.

There will, probably, be some summons cases over yesterday's affray, so that, in addition to the other indignities the highest scholastic institution in the province has suffered, it will have the additional disadvantage of being dragged through the mire of the Police Court, in Chancery Lane, in the shape of plaints for assault lodged by the bailiffs against the scholars, and by the old care-taker against the bailiffs, and we may even have hia Worship the Mayor before the Court. We do not understand why the police did not interfere yesterday to keep the peace. Their barracks are close by, and it was their duty to prevent violeuce, by whomsoever perpetrated.