TEACHER V. PARENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 424, 15 August 1908, Page 4

TEACHER V. PARENT.

Alleged Threatening Behaviour.

At the Magistrate’s Court at Napier on Monday, W. G. Martin, headmaster of the Port Ahuriri School, brought an action for alleged threatening and insulting behaviour against Joseph O’Connell, and asked that the defendant be bound over to keep the peace. The complainant stated that O’Connell had caused repeated trouble with his children. His son had brought a note one afternoon, asking leave to be excused from drill, and this had been refused. The boy went away without leave, and was punished for it the next day. The boy then left the school at ii o’clock, and O’Connell came to his house and asked why his boy had been punished. Pie said : “ Come out into the street and I’ll smash you.” Complainant said : “ How dare you come into ray premises and threaten me like this?” Mrs Martin then came up and O’Connell said : ‘‘Your wife did not hear me,” and further said, “You hound, if you thrash my boy I’ll thrash you.” O’Connell then went out on the street and said he would withdraw his children, Witness said he had better do so, as the children were injurious to the discipline of the'school. Witness considered he was in danger from an excitable man like O’Connell. The defendant denied the allegation of threatening behaviour, and said he had always treated Martin as a gentleman. His Worship (Mr W. G. Riddell) said the trouble could have been avoided by the defendant stating in his note what the boy was wanted for. Mr Martin had acted quite properly in the matter. It was the duty of a parent, if not prepared to allow a master to exercise proper discipline to take his child away to another school, or to teach his child himself. O’Connell’s conduct had been improper, but the information had been laid in such a way that the Court could not impose the penalty on the defendant which he deserved. Defendant should be bound over to keep the peace, but as his children had been removed to a different school the chance of his conduct being repeated was a very small one. Had the children not been removed, then it would have been a proper case for the Court to order the defendant to enter securities to keep the peace. Mr Donlan, who appeared for the complainant, said Mr Martin’s sole desire was to prevent an insult to his profession. His Worship said the information as it was laid must be dismissed, but no costs would be allowed.