ALLEGED MALICE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 4, 30 September 1918, Page 6

ALLEGED MALICE

By Telegraph—Press Association Dannevlrke, September 28. An unusual case of alleged malice came before Mr. Dyer, S.M., on Tuesday, when Harry Coventry, headmaster, of the Stato School at Teßchunga, proceeded against T. W. Stnnfield, now chairman of the School Committee, claiming £100 damages. Ho alleged that Stanfield, at tfce school picnic in March last, remarked of 'plaintiff: "Look at the old German.."

The evidence showed that plaintiff was born in Essex, England, and educated there, and partly at Riga, in Russia. Plaintiff said: "I have never bebn in German.} , ." Soon after taking over tho headmastership at To Rcliunga- rumours got into circulation that plaintiff was a German. Tho children attending school alleged that ho drew frequent comparisons between the Germans and the British, to tho detriment of the latter, and that he spoke of the school flag as "your flag," instead df "our flag. From his remarks they considered him a German. On one occasion ho allegedly told the scholars that German submarines were better than the British, and thn boys met after school, held a meeting, and decided to ask their parents' permission to duck the master in v, creek running through tho school grounds. This, however, did not eventuate. Defendant alleged Chat what ho did kny wns that plaintiff "looked a bit like a German." The Magistrate, in view of the conflict of testimony concerning the actual words used, gave judgment for defendant with VZ guineas costs, stating that plaintiff apparently only had himself to blame for rumours which got into circulation. Ho was undoubtedly British, and possibly loyal, but the impression he liad conveyed to the children, was that he was either a German or had German sympathies,