TEACHER THRASHED

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 271, 21 November 1935, Page 3

TEACHER THRASHED

ANGRY FATHER’S ACT

“SORRY HE HAD TO DO IT”

The story of a parent who, enrag- ] ed because a teacher had punished | his son, went to the school, took off his coat, and administered a thrash- | ring to the teacher, was told in the Magistrate’s Court in New Plymouth, whe'n Edward Leslie Hughes, a farmer, was fined £1 for assaulting Hariy Hylton Tills, a teacher at the Oakura School, a few days back. Detailing the results of his inquiries, Senior-Sergeant E. T. C. Turner said Tills had said he found the boy, who was aged 10, to be stubborn, and through this stubbornness he had been sometimes difficult to handle. Several times he had spoken to Hughes about the boy. Tills had asked the boy a question, and the boy refused to answei. He called him out and told him to hold out his hand, intending to give him one cut with the strap. The boy refused, and said his hand was sore. When told to put out his other hand he said that also was sore. The boy said to Tills that he would “give him a hiding.” Tills caught hold of his hands, and could see no signs oi soreness. He strapped him on the wrist with a leather strap and then strapped him twice round the legs, and the boy went back to his seat apparently quite calm. Knocked Down Twice. Next day, went on the seniorsergeant, Hughes came to the school to get the boy's books, and the teacher endeavoured to explain. Hughes said he would carry out what his boy had said he would do. He took his coat off and rushed at complainant, hitting him on the shoulder with his fist. He knocked Tills down on to his desk twice, and struck him on the ear. After a time Hughes stopped knocking Tills about, and left him lying on the desk. There were no children present at the time. Hughes put his coat on, and when Tills recovered he gave Hughes the remainder of the boy’s books. Hughes said he was sorry he had to do it. He was “riled” over the boy's thrashing and lost his temper. Mr. A. A. Bennett, counsel for Hughes, said Hughes considered^that the punishment that had been inflicted on his boy was excessive and unnecessary in its degree. Over-punishment Alleged. The child had arrived home crying bitterly, and so had his sister, who was in the next room at the school, Mr. Burnett said. He had been in-

structed that this teacher had been over-punishing these and other children. There, had been other complaints previously . The child had become frightened of the teacher, and could not do justice to his work. He had been taken away and was attending another school. “It is ridiculous for a little boy of 10 years to say he would give Tills a thrashing, said Mr. Bennett.

The Magistrate, in imposing the fine, said it was impossible to overlook the fact that Hughes had taken the law into his own hands.