PUNISHMENT BY PREFECT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 25, 19 June 1914, Page 5

PUNISHMENT BY PREFECT.

A COLLEGE BOY MINTS AFTER • CANING. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. ' An incident at Wellington College on Monday brings under public notice., a peculiar system by which corporal punwliment may be inflicted on, pupils by a senior pupil (termed a prefect). A complaint was made yesterday to a representative of the Evening Post, and an' enquiry was made to-day. The headmaster of the Wellington College, Mr J. P. Firth, said the cir- * cumstances were as follows: "On Monda_ last,, while the footballers were tailjj ing in the gymnasium, the pupil who ' was pimished was seen by a prefect'tj ■be smoking at the entrance to the gymnasium". The boy.admitted the offence, and the prefect told, him tlhat seven punishment must follow. The iboy gcd to be pi nished 'corporally i*tead of having detention on Saturday mom- : ing. The prefect finally allowed him to - taice corporal punishment instead of one of the >lhree Saturday morningrf detentions, and gave him ten cute on the hand. The boy afterwards fainted, but shortly recovered, and said he was none Dne worse. He attended school a* usual thai day, and is still attend- . mg school. It may be explained that no pupil need tukc corporal punishment from a prefect. Suca punishment can only bo given with the pupil's own consent, as was the case in Ibis instance; a- fact, it appears that the prefect only consented to administer corporal punish..' ir.ent at the uigent request of to* • pupil, The prefect has since expressed ' regret that lie consented to administer corporal .punishment. He did not know " that the boy had a weak heart. M ' he had knowrthat, he would certain!* not have administered corporal punish.