ACCIDENTS TO PUPILS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20548, 25 October 1928, Page 17

ACCIDENTS TO PUPILS.

LIABILITY OF SCHOOL BOARDS. PASSED ON TO DEPARTMENT'. (Special to Daily Times.) AUCKLAND, October 24. The question of the liability of school boards in cases of accidents to pupils was raised at the meeting of the Auckland Grammar School Board, A letter from an insurance company addressed to the principal of the Epsom Girls’ Grammar School directed notice to the liability of school boards, institutions, and the proprietors of schools in respect of an accident to a pupil where negligence on the part of the board or proprietor was shown. The company stated that it did not consider that members of boards or the ’ proprietors of schools were aware of the grave liability involved. In a legal opinion secured by the board a case at the Ashburton High School was quoted. The Board of. Governors was sued for damages in respect of a pirpil who was injured by an explosion which occurred during a lesson in chemistry. Judgment was given for. plaintiff, but in a subsequent appeal it was held that under the. provisions of the scheme of control the control of the board over its teachers was not such as to make the board liable for the negligence of the teachers. The scheme of control at Ashburton was the same as in Auckland. The opinion concluded: “ We cannot conceive any circumstances in which individual members of the board could be held liable so long as the board and the members of the staff carry out their duties satisfactorily!” Mr King: That is so long as we keep playgrounds in repair and attend to other such matters. Professor Thomas: I think we should take the view that now that the Government has taken control in so many ways we are just agents of the Education Department, and the department is liable. The board has written stating that it considers the respofasibility falls on the department.