TEACHERS SUED

Hokitika Guardian, 3 September 1930, Page 3

TEACHERS SUED

. allege d'ass Ault and ‘. sLANDEit. ";'V , •;'• STRATFORD,’ September 1. ’ Arthur HE,. Amess,’. principal oF the Stratford Technical High School, ancl Winifred Knight, a teaelieji at the school, were defendants in a case .at Court to-day of great interest to parents and teachers. Velma Cuff, a pupil at the school claimed £2O for alleged assault consisting of the searching of her person and £2O for alleged slander, consist:ng of Amess’s remark to Miss Knight, “These girls are under suspicion of having stolen money from,, the .cloak room; search them thoroughly,!,’,. The fact were that .money,.was reported missing, and' by ..a..process ;o,f. elimination plaintiff and <.tu;o othergirls were found- to liaye . had .an op-' portiinity of taking,The money.. They, were taken.to the prinicpal’.s. office andthere searched- by; Miss Knight, mt ~-the. principal’s orders. 'Nothing was.;found on them to implicate . them in - the, theft. The principal asked' the thi'egirls if they would like him to. announce to the whole .school; that they had been found' innocent, blit they preferred him not to make such a statement. ■ In evidence, Amess denied using the words alleged. He suggested that a search would be in the best interests of all concerned ,and none of the girls objected. Counsel for defendants contended that the search was justified as the schoolmaster stood in loco parentis, but opposing counsel contended that the matter was not covered by the powers delegated by a parent. Decision wivs.reserved; ,