SCHOOLMASTER’S APPEAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 47, 20 February 1912, Page 8

SCHOOLMASTER’S APPEAL.

REMARKABLE ALLEGATIONS. (For Frosa Association.) Palmerston, February 18. The hearing of the appeal of Thomas Stagpoole,' headmaster of the Linton school, 'against his dismissal by the Wanganui Education Board, was continued on Saturday before Mr Kerr. S.M., and Messrs R. McNah and E. L. Broad. Mr R. D. Stewart appeared for appellant, and Mr F. Pirani for the Board. The case was opened at Wanganui on the previous week, and the whole of Saturday was taken up with healing the evidence of appellant, who claimed that when ho took over the school the discipline was very bad, and that many oi the children were in bad health owing to the school building being insanitary and in bad repair. He was ,given notice of dismissal after being at the school six months. Witness made 'some remarkable allegations against Inspector Stewart, inspector for the Board, stating that he had visit ad the school and assaulted, during the three days ho was there, eighteen out of the twenty-two children under Ids (Stagpoole’s) charge. He had, it was alleged, placed chalk in their months, picked them up from the seats by their hair, and dragged thorn about and made faces at them. Further, be bad advised Stagpoole to Hog them every day. It was also .alleged that he had grossly insulted Mrs Stagpools at lunch in her house by throwing a fork at her,

In cross-examination by Mr Pirani, it- was revealed that the charges against Mr Stewart had been forwarded to tho Minister for Education, and Mr Pirani endeavoured ffo show that they were not formulated until after Stagpoolc had received information that complaints bad been lodged against him as teacher. Mr Pirani maintained that Stagpoole had been

under flic delusion that Stewart had \ bated the school with the object of injuring him, and that when ho found complaints had been lodged against him ho hud trumped up the charges to shield himself. Tho cross-examination was not completed when the Court rose for the day. It is expected that the hearing of the case will take nearly the whole of next week. Palmerston, February 19. The case in which the Teachers’ Institute is appealing against the dismissal of Mr Stagpoolc, of tho Linton school, was continued this morning. , Mr Stewart, in opening, drew attention to the fact that the witness Swanger, .secretary of the Education Board, had on two occasions left the Court on Saturday and held two lengthy conversations with Miss Molloy, a witness who had been ordered out ,of Court. His Worship stated it was highly improper If Swanger alluded to th.e evidence. Otherwise it did not matter. Mr Pirani stated that Dir Swanger made absolutely no mention of tho evidence. Ho protested against the insinuation. He -said it was time these , things wore stopped. ITis Worship stated that these personal recriminations must cease. Mr Pirani stated that there had been a persistent attempt to drag Miss Molloy’s name into the case. The-cross-examination of Mr Stagpoole (was proceeded with.