POWERS OF A PREFECT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15639, 19 June 1914, Page 8

POWERS OF A PREFECT

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT.

GIVEN AT ' BOY'S REQUEST.

[BY TELEGRAPH.— ASSOCUTIOr.j Wellikgtos, Thursday. As incident which occurred at Wellington College on Monday brings under tho public notice the system by which corporal punishment may be inflicted on pupils by a prefect. Complaint having been made, a reporter saw tho headmaster of the college, Mr. J. P. Firth, who said the circumstances were as .follows :— On Mon;day fast, while footballers were training iii the gymnasium, the pupil who was

punished was aeftt by a prefect to be smoking at the entrance to the gymnasium. The boy admitted the offence and tho prefect, told" him that severe

punishment Tzdnsfe follow. The boy begged to be, punished corporally instead, of having detention on Saturday morning, and too prefect finally allowed him to take corporal punishment instead of one of three Saturday morning detentions, and gave him ten cuts on the hand. The boy afterwards fainted, but shortly re-

covered and said he was none the worse. He attended school as usual that day, and is etill doing so." • Mr. ''Firth added that no pupil need take corporal punishment from a prefect. Such punishment could only be given with the- pupil's own consent, as was the case in this instance in fact, it appeared that the prefect only consented to administer corporal punishment at the urgent request of the pupil. The prefect had since expressed regret that he consented to administer corporal punishment. He did not know that the boy had a weak heart. If he had known that he would certainly, have refused to punish in the manner indicated.