Alleged Influence

NZ Truth, Issue 984, 4 October 1924, Page 6

Alleged Influence

Disappearance i From Mother's Home

Margaret Martin, aged 17% years, is the child of Protestant parents, and is a prefect of the Epsom Grammar School, . Auckland. She has leanings towards the Catholic religion, as a consequence (so her, mother says) of "a personal influence and attachment which have arisen m connection with her school life." Recently she disappeared from the home of her mother (a, widow) and for several days could not be located, her mother (it is said) being utterly m the dark as to her whereabouts and the cause of her disappearance. Later, it was found that she was being carefully looked after m the home of a Catholic family. Negotiations were opened on the question of her returning' to her mother, j and m these negotiations the head Of the Catholic Church m Auckland, Bishop Cleary, participated. On Monday last it was announced that the girl had returned to her mother. "Truth" is publishing these facts — as far as it knows tthemm — m goovl faith, with desire to be accurate and fair/ and certainly with no wish to inflniiae sectarian or sectional spirit, or to hurt . any private feelings. On the evidence available at time of writing 1 , the case splits into three parts: (1) The -alleged influencing ivt the Epsom Grammar School, m the first place without the mother's knowledge; (2) the disappearance, the circumstances and mystery of it, and the leaving of the mother apparently m complete ignorance as to her child; (3) the negotiations, m which the Catholic Church officially participated. As to No. 1 and No. '2, the identity of the persons behind the scenes is not clearly known. As to the alleged in T fluencing m school, it is said that the girl's religious inclination was affected by her close intimacy with a form mistress. On this subject the Epsom Grammar School Board has\ already met once, and it then passed the following resolution: "That the Board, after,- interviewing the mother, Mrs. D. G. Martin, and hearing one of the form mistresses, finds it impossible to connect the Epsom Girls' Grammar School m any way with the disappearance of Miss Martin." Nothing is said m this resolution as to whether there is any connection . between anyone m the Grammar School and the girl's religious.; change. : At time of writing it seems that the Board is to meet again to consider the subject. Mr, H. P. Richmond, Mrs. Martin's legal adviser, covers points 1 and 2 with the statement: "My client's cause of complaint is not against a change of faith if that had come to her daughter at the proper time and on clear and reasoned judgment. Her complaint is' against what she believes to have been the influencing of a schoolgirl's mind, at first without' her mother's knowledge and later m direct opposition to her expressed wishes. A further cause of complaint is against those who kept secret from the mother her daughter's whereabouts, causing her the most , .intense and wearing anxiety." j So far as is known, points numbers 1 and 2 concern .the actions of individuals; but it is clear that the Bishop came into, No. 3 (the negotiations). What led up to. these official negotia-,, tions? "Truth's". rep,, states that after the search had proceeded resultlessly,.., the police received a let-ter-'from the girl, - and the mother received a letter, m which Miss Martin hoped that further search for her would not be prosecuted, and that she, was quite happy m "spiritual tranquility." Afterwards was held a conference, wMch is . stated to have taken place at the residence of Bishop Cleiry. Among those; present were the Bishop; Mrs. Martin (along with .Mr,. 11. P. Richmond and a personal friend, Mr; Wesley Spragg) ; and the girl (who was represented by a Catholic counsel, Mr. Robt. McVeagh).: Concerning what happened at this conference, Mr. Richmond states: "Mrs. Martin was quite willing to allow her daughter complete freedom of religious thought, including even attendance at the Roman Catholic Church if she so desired. Only two conditions were insisted on. The first was that her daughter should for twelve months completely sever herself , from the personal influence and attachment which had arisen m connection with her schopl life. This influence Mrs. Martin had grave reasons to believe was a powerful one, and she considered that her daughter could not possibly return to 'a normal state of mind while it persisted. The second was that her daughter should not seek the instruction necessary before entering: the Roman Catholic, Church until" she had been at least a month with her mother. These conditions were recommended to the daughter as proper by Bishop Cleary." : These conditions of temporary severance from personal and religious influences were not acceptable to the girl when the conference was held, as the "could not then see her way to accept any conditions restricting her intimate friendship with the lady to whose influence the mother objects." But, as stated, above, she later returned to her mother — on what conditions (if any) is not known. In concluding his statement, Mr. Richmond says of Mrs. Martin : "My client's judgment is. clear and unprejudiced, and she is most anxious that no injustice, should be done. For this reason she has desired me to correct any impression that Dr. Cleary and Mr. McVeagh did not at the conference recommend Mrs. Martin's conditions as entirely fair and proper." The teacher who is alleged to have "abused her position by influencing the religious views of one of her pupils" has applied for and been granted two months' leave of absence on account of ill-health, a medical certificate - being forwarded with the application. The Grammar Schools' Board inquiry, which will be open to the Press, will commence on Monday.