THE TWO SNEEZES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1134, 23 May 1911, Page 4

THE TWO SNEEZES.

AND TIIE SEQUEL. The iiev. A. Thomson, of (ho Pefono School Committee, was scon, yesterday by a Dominion reporter with reference to tlic recent caw of corporal punishment at l'ctonc, and I Ik; principle involved in ft parent approaching a School Conimil.too before complaining to tho headmaster. The offence, Mr. Thomson considers, waa a trivial one. The boys wero being ma,relied down to the beach by tho assist-ant-master concerned, when lie happened to snooze. One of the boys also snceawl, and one meozo was so like tho other that the assistant took oil'enco at what lie thought was an iipitation—whether it was one or not M.r. Thomson could not eay— singled the boy out and gave him two cuts with tho rane. That is what tlio parent complained of—that the punishment was excessive. For a healthy boy that was not excessive punishment, or anything like it, said tho speaker, yet it happened that this boy, though a sturdy little fellow in appearance, hod had a good dial of sickness. Mr. Thomson did not think that oven in his ease tho two cuts would have done any harm. Mr. Foster, the headmaster, had issued regulations'to his assistants ordering that no r-sholnr was to receive moro than four from an assistant—that was tho maximum. If the offence warranted any more, the case was to bs referred to him. That was fair enough in all conscience. Ho did not. think this e-aso would ever have been brought forward but for certain circumstances that were not gonerally known to the public. As it was, tho committee exonerated Mr. Foster and hid assistant from all blame, and it would bo wiso if tho matter wero allowed to rest there.