THE FLOGGING CASE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4440, 12 June 1875, Page 2

THE FLOGGING CASE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sir,—Having been present in the court at the bearing of what I suppose will now be called, in the penny-a-lining cant of the day, “the great flogging case,” or “ the notorious flogging casf,” or some other such rot as that, I have a very decided opinion indeed as to the way the whole thing originated and the serious consequences that will ensue from it. The mischief will not by any means stop with the unfortunate young man who was pilloried, if not with the purpose, certainly with the result of pandering to what I take the liberty of calling a maudlin sentimentality. Every school in Wellington, and every boy attending any of them will, in my opinion, be injured by this case. The gentleman who appeared for the prosecution, in his indignantly eloquent address in summing up to the Bench, referred to the method of moral government used by the great Doctor Arnold, of Rugby. Now, will you permit me to draw his notice and that of the public, old and young, parents and pupils, to the following passage, illustrative of the opinions and the practice of that famous schoolmaster as to the merits of expulsion and of “ thrashing,” each in its way. I quote from Tom Brown’s Schooldays,” chapter 9“ As they go out of tire Doctor’s study they meet at the door old Holmes, a sturdy cheery prmposter of another house, who goes in to the Doctor; and five minutes afterwards the master of their form, a late arrival and a model young master, knocks at the Doctor’s study door. ‘Come in ;’ and as he enters the Doctor goes on to Holmes—’ You see I do not know anything of the cane officially, and it I take anv notice of it at all I must publicly expel the boy. I don’t wish to do that, tor I think there is some good in him. There’s nothing for it but a good sound thrashing.' He paused to shake hands with the master, which Holmes does also, and then prepares to leave. ‘I understand ; good night, sir.’ ‘Good night. Holmes; and remember,’ added the Doctor, emphasing the words,. ‘ a good sound thrashing before the whole house.’ “ The door closed on Holmes ; and the doctor, in answer to the puzzled look of his lieutenant, explained shortly, ‘A gross case of bullying. Wharton, the head of the house, is a veiy good fellow, but slight aud weak, and severe physical pain is the only way to deal with such a case ; so I have asked Holmes to take it up. He is very careful and trustworthy, and has plenty of strength. We must have it here it we are to keep order at all.’ “Now [goes on the writer of the book] I don’t want any wiseacres to read this hook ; but if they should, of course they will prick up their long [sic] ears, and howl, or rather bray at the above story. Very good, X don’t object; but what I have to add for you boys is this, that Holmes called a levy of his house after breakfast next morning, and made them a speech on the case of bullying in question, and then gave the bully a ' good sound thrashing and that years afterwards, that boy sought out Holmes, and thanked him, saying it had been the kindest act which had ever been done upon him and the turning point in his character; and a very good fellow he became and a credit to the school." Now, sir, this is clearly, from the writer’s last words, no fictitious ease, but a genuine bit of the quality of Arnold of Rugby. By all means let us copy the healthy, downright method used by Arnold of abolishing youthful blackguardism, not with rosewater lotions and sensational plasters, hut with the vigorous application of “ severe physical pain,” and “ a good sound thrashing " to the hide of the embryo larrikin. Let us have no more of such maudlin sensa-tiou-mongering farces as that enacted in the Resident Magistrate’s Court on the XOth instant. I feel the Bench, with the best intentions, made aseriousmistake, and at most should have censured the young man What mischief will not this precedent do in all the schools in this province ?—I am, &c.. Hater of Humbug. TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW' ZEALAND TIMES. Sir,— As, from the unfortunate position in which I was placed yesterday, I was not allowed to make any comments upon evidence given, or in defence of my conduct, I venture to trespass upon your columns for that purpose. As the evidence showed, Mr. Mowbray, the head master of Thorndon school, was not able, on account of illness, to attend to his usual duties; in consequence, the charge of the 200 hoys in attendanoo there devolved upon me. Every one acquainted with school routine knows that it the least indecision is shown, on the part of an assistant master, in the absence of the head master, the school would immediately present a scene of the utmost confusion. Now the boy Johns, as was shown, had been for some time deliberately trying to get “sent out.” When a hoy is “ sent out ” ho is supposed to go and stand in a particular part of the schoolroom, and there wait until the master gives him his punishment, which for trivial offences consists of ether one, or at most two strokes with the cane upon the hand. When I went to the boy Johns, to administer the usual punishment, ho refused to hold out his hand ; this left me the only alternative of caning him upon the hack. I did so, released him, and he went to his place muttering insolently. Here a second .outbreak of insolence took place, which I felt it my duty to punish more severely than the first. Upon his then attempting to leave the school, I brought him back, and caned him a third time; after which he threatened to throw an ink-pot at my head. This last offence I let go unpunished. Could such insubordination and defiant insolence bo allowed in the presence of two hundred children to pass without severe measures? The counsel for the prosecutor attempted to show that I lost my temper on account of some remark of the boy’s upon my personal appearance. This was not the ’ case, as I was not aware of the fact till I heard it from the boy’s own mouth in court. Dr. Diver was of opinion that three dozen blows were given. This I emphatically deny. Fifteen, or an average of five for eacli offence, would he the outside number. Lastly, was the hoy really hurt? It seems that in only one place, and that upon the shoulder-blade, was the skin even scratched. However, ten minutes after school was dismissed I found the boy in the schoolroom, and had some difficulty in getting him out. For quite twenty minutes after this he, in company with another fractious boy, was heading a small riot for the purpose of disturbing a private class which I am in the habit of holding each afternoon. These are the simple facts of the ease, and I leave the public to judge for themselves.—l am, &c.. John Pilkinoton. Thomdon School, June 11.