STOKE ORPHANAGE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10120, 23 August 1900, Page 2

STOKE ORPHANAGE.

(From Our Parliamentary Special.) ' (By Telegraph.) WELLINGTON, August 23. Tho reverse of mercy was brought in t>y Mr Hutcheson'a question about thia institution. Ho asked the Premier if 1m is aware that-it has beoil alleged — (1) That tho commonest form of punishment at the Stoke Industrial School was flogging on tho naked body with supplejacks; (2) that the boys were loaded with heavy chains," and*,fian^_ fined in cells; (3) that a boy named Rogers, aged 14, in mortal fear of threatened punishment, and in a state of perfect nudity, ran off into the bush, where ho died ; (4) that Ms skeleton waa discovered six months later, and interred in the school grounds? If aifii davits can be produced swearing to the tiuth of these statements, will the Premier cause further inquiries to be made, notwithstanding ■ that these occurrences took place more than.- five years ago? Mr Hall-Jones said that— (l) The evidence at the inquiry established that the supplejack was sometimes used; (2) on this point he referred him to evidence; (3) the boy Rogers was bathing on the 26th of October, 1890, with other boys in • charge at the time of some of the Brothers, that the other boys threatened to duck him, that he got frightened, and bolted naked, as ho was, into tho bush, that tho other boys called to him, also the two Brothers assuring him he would not be ducked, that he eluded pursuit in the bnsh, that 6trong efforts were made to find him, but 'without success, that on the March 15th following his body was found, and that there was an inquest. He added that the -jury found an open verdict on the .cause of death, but expressed their opinion that he had broken his neck by a fall, the appearances leading to that conclusion. Mr Hall-Jones read the evidence of several witnesses, including that of Constable Ingram, who had taken part in the search for the boy. There was nothing, he concluded, to bear out the assertion to which Mr Hutohesou had referred, that the boy had been terrified to his flight by any threat of punißhment on the part of the authorities. The poor boy's death wa#tho unfortunate and unexpected sequel to an incident .common enough in school life. Ho added that the evidence showed that soon after the boy got away, a heavy fog came on. The fourth partof the question the Minister answered by saying that there is in the school grounds a properly-constituted public cemetery, aud that the body was buried there in the ordinary way.

Our Colonial cousins say thai we New Zealanders "blow" too much. But haven't wo something to "blow" about? Look at our climate, our creeks, and Bprings, our wonderland of lake scenery, our forests, our unrivalled bay scenery, and a happy, contented, and. healthy people inhabiting our isles. Onr men away in South Africa are noted for their fine soldierly ppearanoe, and the ■way they stand the tear and wear of an arduous campaign. We have other points we can "blow" about, and among them is Sykes* Cura Cough. All Chomists and Storekeepers,