CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IN SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11040, 18 April 1899, Page 5

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IN SCHOOLS.

• —■ A TEACHER ASSAULTED. [BY telegraph,—press ASSOCIATION'.] Dunedin, Monday. At Milton to-day H. Marryatt, an accountant, was charged with assaulting Andrew Parlane, a teacher in the Milton District High School. One of Marryatt's girls was attending the school, and her father had more than once told Parlane not to punish her, but to inform him. Parlane struck her on the hand with a strap for chattering. Defendant meeting him in the street, spoke about the matter, and eventually drew out and struck Parlane. Defendant subsequently waited on Parlane, and told him he bore him no malice, but, in response to a lawyer's letter, refused to apologise. Mr. Hawkins, S.M., spoke very strongly against corporal punishment in schools, and urged the Education Board to mako its regulations more clear. He said corporal punishment was being abandoned in everything but extreme cases of criminal conduct, and it seemed strange that it si mild be considered necessary to apply it in any form to children. Tlie assault "was inexcusable, but he thought it was not a case to bo pressed. He imposed a fine of 10s. and cost* 7s, but declined to give professional costs, as he thought complainant ought to have accepted the man's band when offered.