An Assault Case.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIV, Issue 7494, 18 April 1899, Page 4

An Assault Case.

(by telegraph.) Det>"Ed:i.", April 17. At Milton tJ-day H. M. iJarryatt, accountant, was charged with assaulting Andrew Parlane, teacher in the Milton District High School. One of Marryatt's girls wa3 attending the school, and her f ither had more than once told Parlane not to punish her, but to inform him. Parlane strnck her on the hand with a atrap for chattering. Defendant, meeting him in the street, spoke abont the matter and eventually drew oat 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 -Boarl to make its regulations more clear. He said corporal punishment was being abandoned in everything but the extremest cases of criminal conduct, and it seemed strange it should be considered necessary to apply it in any form to children. The assault was inexcusable, bat he thought it was not a case to be pressed- He imposed a fine of 103 and costs 7s, but declined to give professional costs, as he thought the complainant ought to have accepted the man's hand when offered.