CANE OR DETENTION.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 114, 19 June 1914, Page 9

CANE OR DETENTION.

A COLLEGE BOY'S WISH.

Press Association,

WELLINGTON,. June 18. An incident at the Wellington College on Monday brings under public notice a peculiar system by which corporal punishment may be inflicted on pupils by a senior pupil, termed a prefect. A complaint wad made yesterday to a representative of the "Evening Post," and an enquiry was made to-day. The headmaster of Wellington College, Mr J. P. Firth, said the circumstances were as follow:

"On Monday last while footballers were training in the gymnasium the pupil who was punished was seen by a prefect to be smoking at the entrance to the gymnasium. The boy admitted the offence, and the prefect told him that severe punishment must follow. The boy begged to be punished corporally instead of having detention on Saturday morning. The prefect finally allowed him to take corporal punish -

ment instead of one of the three Saturday mornings' detentions, and gave him ten cuts on the hand. The boy afterwards fainted, but shortly recovered and said he was none the worse, and attended school as usual that day, and is still attending school. It may be explained that no pupil need take corporal punishment from a prefect. Such punishment can only be given with the pupil's own consent, as was the case in this instance. In fact, it appears that the prefect only consented to administer corporal punishment at the urgent request of the pupil. The prefect has sinee 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 not have administered corporal punishment.