INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL INQUIRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2010, 1 September 1892, Page 32

INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL INQUIRY.

The departmental inquiry into the charges recently preferred against the management of the Industrial School, Caversham, was opened on Thursday morning, 'before the" Under-secretary of the Education department (the Rev. W. J. Habens), in the justices' room of the City Police Court. Mr Fraser appeared on behalf of the complainant, and Mr Solomon and Mr Hanlon on behalf of the officials of the institution. Mr Fraser, in the course of his opening remarks, said that in his opinion there was a a strong prima facie case against Mr iiugn Titchener, the teacher at the institution, of his having been guilty of indecent conduct towards one or more of the children. One girl charged him with what practically was the most serious of offences of that character, and when he (Mr Fraser) came to inquire into the matter lie found that the police were already investigating a charge brought by another girl. That girls evidence confirmed the evidence of the other, ana there were still further cases. Finding this to be the case, he deemed it to be his duty to press for an inquiry, so as to have the matter thoroughly sifted. The duty, so far as he was concerned, was by no means a pleasant one, and he wished it had fallen into other hands ; but a3 a professional man he was determined, now that he had undertaken it, to see it out thoroughly. As to the evidence about to be given, he would say this : that it was a matter of great regret that the institution was controlled by tho Titchener family — one the master, Mrs Titchener the matron, and the son a teacher. It was only right he should say, with regard to tho character of the witnesses, that they belonged to the criminal class ; but, unrortunately, it was from that class mainly that the inmates of the institution wore recounted, and on that ground he submitted that the evidence should not in this case be too heavily discounted. He could not say what evidence would be forthcoming from the institution itself, because he had had no opportunity of making proper inquiries. These charges had been open now for a month, and during the whole of that time Mr Titchener had retained charge of the institution, a course of conduct which he thought was, to say the least of it, unfortunate for every one. It was more than likely that the children had a strong affection for him, and a strong sympathy for him in the trouble that had overtaken him, so that it was more than likely that a suggestion or a word would prevent evidence being given by them against the man charged. The speaker had protested from the very first against Mr Titchener being allowed to retain his position while these charges were hanging over him. He should have asked voluntarily to be relieved from his position. As a matter of fact, however, he had endeavoured to use that position to defeat the ends of justice. He (Mr Fraser) charged him with deliberately attempting to stifle evidence. As a proof of this he would read the following letter written by Mr Titchener :— " Industrial School, " Caversham, August 9, 1892. "My dear Mrs , I quite forgot, when Polly was leaving, to tell her that there is some more wages due to her from myself, also from Mrs . Shall I forward the money to her, or shall I place it to her credit in the bank? "I so deeply regret that anything should ever have occurred to cause pain to you or I, or anyone connected with us. Let me sincerely ask you never to permit the matter to be mentioned again. I have during the whole of my life endeavoured to do some little good, and earn for myself a good name. I have always looked with pride on you and your brothers and sisters, and I hope I shall be spared to see the two remaining ones provided for. But, dear Mrs , I have a few bitter enemies, who would gladly see you and yours do everything you could to ruiu me and mine. Should anyone ever write to you or Mary, or your brothers, asking you or any of you to assist them to ruin me and mine, refube to have anything to do with them. I don't know that anyone will, but I fear my enemies, although I have done no wrong. May I ask you to restrain Mary from ever referring to the painful subject again, and should I ever feel called upon to ask Mary to defend me or mine from terrible injury I hope she will not hesitate to do so. " Mary parted with' us all on very happy terms, and may we ever continue to remain so. Poor Mrs Titchener is about breaking up, and I am so anxious that her few remaining days may be spent in peace. If 4 can at any time be of any service to you or your family I shall only be too pleased to be at your service. " Kindly remember me to your brothers and sisters, and believe me to remain— Yours faithfully, E. Titchener. Manager." Mr Solomon asked Mr Habeus what was the exact scope of the inquiry. Mr Habens: Tho principal thing I have to inquire into is this— Are Mr Titchener and his son deserving of the confidence the Government have reposed in them? lam not here to consider any particular cases. . Mr Fraser, continuing, said the letter which had been read was written to the sister of a girl who was an inmate of the institution at the time when one of the offences was said to have been committed and who herself was making similar charges against Hugh Titchener. It had been written to one in whom Mr Titchener had sufficient confidence to rely that she would carry out his wishes. If these charges were false, this would surely not be the letter that a man in his position would write to a family numbering amongst its members one who was, according to him, deliberately concocting a charge of attempted rape against his son. The letter was a most improper one, but he (counsel) could take the view that it was written while the writer was under a great mental strain, and he could ask that whatever allowance could be made should be made, but he was bound to say that he felt very strongly that there was grave probability of the children in the institution having been tampered with. He was not goingto pose a<? an advocate ; he should endeavour to bring out all the facts, and trusted that in such a matter as this that Mr Habens would assist him in doing so ; and Mr Solomon would, of course, do the best he could for his clients. The first witness called was a former inmate of the institution, a married woman, who was now living apart from her husband, and who admitted that bhe was of light reputation. She was now 21 years of a ,c, and went into the institution when she was 15. About three months afterwards she was put out to service, and the night before she left Hugh Titchener called her into the office, and committed an offence upon her. She was told not to say anything about this, and did not do so. She had been convicted four times for different offences, and it was while undergoing imprisonment that she told the mother of one of the girls (also a prisoner) how her daughter had been treated in a similar manner by Hughie Titchener. In cross-examination, the witness acknowledged that she had made a charge of rape against two men, which had been investigated by the police without any proceedings being instituted, and that she had had improper relations with several lads on the Flat before she was admitted to the institution. , The- mother of the child referred to by la3t witness was next examined by Mr Fraser, and in the course of her evidence stated that when she was first told of what had occurred to her daughter she did not believe it, and called her informant a liar. But her daughter had since given her such proof that she could no longer disbelieve, and at once tried to see Mr Titchener. She failed to see him in town, and as she did not want to go to the school, had him sent for. Mr Titchener visited her house, and appeared to be in great distress. He offered to place L2O in the Post Office Savings Bank for the child's benefit if nothing more came of the matter, but witness said she would not consent to such a course for two twenties. After that he went away, remarking that she would gain nothing by making such enormous demands upon him. Witness had visited the school for the purpose of seeing Hugh Titchener, and if she had done so she would have "torn out his windpipe." She acknowledged to having served five years of a heavy sentence for larceny and to haviug been convicted and sentenced on other occasions ; but her worst enemy could say nothing against her moral character, and it was certainly untrue that she desired to make money out of Mr Titchenor. The daughter of the last witness, who was next called, narrated with great circumstantiality of detail the occurrence of several assaults alleged to have beep committed upon hey by Hugh Tifcchener,

In cross-examination by Mr Hanlon witness admitted that Mrs Clifford, with whom she had been boarded oiit, had hammered her and made her go her tea for telling lies. On one occasion she was punished unjustly. She could not remember what it was she said when she was punished on other occasions. When Master Hugh assaulted hor the first time tho boys in the playground could have seen through the windows. She did not call out nor complain to him, because she was frightened. She was crying, and the girls saw so when she went out among them. 1 his occurred early in 1891. Tho same thing happened to her the day after the picnic this year, bhe toM two of the girls on that occasion. Altogether it happened seven or eight times. On the Friday before she left the school she did not know whether Master Hugh shut the door or not. He was in the room with hor for about 10 minutes. Theotherchildrenwerehavingtheirreadiug lesson at the time, with no one to hear them. She did not cry. ' On the 30th July she told her mother for the first time. She had seen her mother on previous occasions after the insults. She did not tell her mother earlier becauso sho was frightened to. She had told the girls that she could get a ladies' companion from lier stepbrother Dave because she was his pet. He also had insulted.her. She always confided in two of the other inmates, who were her chums. To Mr Habens : The way she came to tell her mother at last was that her mother asked her whether she liked the school, and she replied that she did for all excepting one thing. Her mother asked her what that ono thing was, and she said she would not tell. Her mother then said that she would find out, and then witness told her. To Mr Fraser: When Mr Titchener said that witness had ruined him he asked when this wicked thing began, to which she replied ever since she had been in the Third and Fourth Standards. She had never said that she was sorry for what she had said.

To Mr Solomon : It was the day after she told h.er mother that she saw Mr Titchener. She never spoke about it to Mr Titchener at the school. She never told another inmate that she could take Master Hugh to court. The document on which this and other statements was made by the girl referred to and two others was here shown to witness, and Mr Fraser remarked that it was drawn up in the handwriting of Mr Titchener. He (Mr Fraser) would havo something to say about that afterwards. To Mr Solomon : Witness further said that the reason why she did not tell Mr Titchener about what Master Hugh had done was that she thought he would not believe her. Mrs Gibb and Mrs Christie were kind to her, but she did not tell them either. On the conclusion of the evidence of this witness, the inquiry was adjourned till 10 o'clock next morning.