TEACHER HARASSED.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 December 1924, Page 8

TEACHER HARASSED.

THREATENED BY PARENTS COURT PROTECTION SOUGHT. DIFFICULTY IN BACK BLOCKS. An example of the antagonism with which teachers of back-country aehools arc said frequently to meet wm provided in court at Te Kuiti. The teacher concerned was R. B. Ebert, master at Aratoro, a remote bush settlement iwx miles from Kopaki. Albert John Scott was charged with .using insulting language to Ebert, and an application was made to have him bound over to keep the peace. 'Complainant related that Scott had called at his house at night and threatened and abused him, alleging that he had unjustly punished his eon. Scott had threatened his life, and vowed his intention to have him kicked out of the district and to thrash him before, he went.

The police sergeant who appeared for complainant stated that Ebert had been almost driven out of Aratoro, where some of the parents did all they could to harass him. The bush hands got drunk, and Ebert did not know what might happen.

in the cour.se of the evidence it was stated that a letter of reproof had been written to the teacher 'by the School committee without hearing him or investigating the facte. The magistrate observed that the teacher evidently had a position of no little difficulty and danger. It was wonderful that he managed to maintain any discipline at the school. There was no doubt that Scott should be bound over, but a technical deficiency in the information necessitated decision being reserved.

In another case Annie Wallace, for threatening behaviour to Ebert, was fined X’2 and costs.