NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, 28 September 1918, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

WAS HE A GERMAN? INTERESTING SCHOOL CASE DANNEVIRKE this day. An unusual case of alleged malice •••as before Mr Dyer S.M., on Tuesday, ■/.her. Harry Coventry headmaster of .-he state school at. TcrchAnga, proceeded against T. W. Stanfield, now chairman of the school committee, claiming £IOO damages. He alleged that Stanfield at the school picnic in March last remarked of the plaintiff “Look at the old German.” The evidence given showed the plaintiff was born in Essex. England, and there and partly in Riga, in 'Russia. He had never been in Germany. Soon after taking over the headmastership at Terehanga, rumours' got into circulation that he was a German. Children attending the school alleged he drew freq'uent comparisons between the Germans and the British, to the detriment of the latter. He spoke of the school flag as “your flag” instead of “our flag," and from his remarks they considered him a German. On one occasion he allegedly told the scholars German submarines were better than the British and the boys met after school, held a meeting and decided to ask their parents’ permission to duck the master in the creek running through the school grounds. This, however, did not eventuate. ! Defendant alleged what he did. say | was that plaintiff: “looked a bit like | a German.” The magistrate, in view, of the conflict of testimony c/onccrninjr }the j actual words used, gave judgment for | defendant, with 12 guineas costs, stat- | mg the plaintiff apparently had hirni self to blame for the rumours which , got into circulation He was undoubt. - 1 cdly English and possibly loyal, but | the impression he had conveyed to the. '• children was that he was either a j German or had German sympathy. FATAL TRAM ACCIDENT. AUCKLAND, this day. I Virginia Smith, aged 35, wife of a j soldier on active service, in crossing j Victoria Street last night, was struck by a tram, being dragged twenty ; yards down the bill, she was dreadi fully mutilated, and was killed prob--1 ably instantly.