FLOGGING IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2180, 29 June 1886, Page 3

FLOGGING IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

to the Enrron. Sin,— l have repeatedly heard from children 'I have met going to and from school in this dUtriotthat it is not an unusual thing in one if not more of onr public, schools for the headmaster to flog girls twehe and fifteeu years of age, before'the whole school.' Now if this is so I think you will agree with mer that to we a man stand over utid pub/ licly*flog r a girl just "buddinfc into womanhood must be a very revolting spectacle, and the very last thing in the world to raise the tope and standing of the school. I don't suppose there are many fathuis worthy of the name in this colony who wfinld punmh a daughter ,o£ thas age. or even yavngw by flogging, *rid- if th«y did and their Tfeighbnurs beardof.it they would pronounce them brutes; arid-vvghtly so. ' Then, and I don't think there is one right thinking person but will agree with me, how much more brutal for a strong man, armed only with the brief authority ot a day school master, with a stick to flog a poor defenceless girl, Wore she not at school the whole community would with one voice cry, "Shame, the dastardly coward is not tit to be at large," and yet it is to such men as this we intrust the education of the rising generation. What sort of men will our boys make who have been familiarised with scenes of thiskind enacted by one whom they are supposed to look up to and respect ? Who can wonder if when they reach manhood and marry, they turn out wife- beaters! and if brought before a magistrate for this most debasing and unmanly offence, would the plea "I am guilty, but learnt from my master at school it was no shame to strike a girl or woman " help them ? I trow not. Yet it should mitigate the offeiuo under ordinary circumstances, for it was at school, and by their master all gallantry was blotted out of their nature, a quality we all admire I and extol boys so much for. It is evident the " Education Act " never contemplated punishment of this kind; it for "gross misconduct or incorrigible disobedience" empowers teachers to expel any -scholar, and the parents orguaidians to appeal to the committee if they feel themselves aggrieved. That is the punishment granted hy the Act the master is appointed under. The following quotation from one of our statutes will show our legislator do not look lightly on this kind of offence :—,: — , " When any person shall be charged with' an as«aillt jsndb»ttfery,ti|>on *njj male child* whosfi.«gMhall Snot '.exceed fourteen years' or upon any female," "any such of- t fender shall be liable to bo imprisoned in ■ any public gaol with or without hard/ labour, for any period not exceeding six months, or to pay i» fine with costs, notto excelra2o?l $ho will thinx qwiou*ly of wifbaaofuli effect such '•examples must have on our rising generation, must hope they will cease or the causes removed from a sphere of harm doing. ~l am,- yours, truly, PllO BOKO PUBLICO.

Mr John Knox has received instructions from the Official Assignee, in the insolvent estate of R. C. Greenwood, to sell at his mart, Hamilton; on Saturday npxt, lot No., 40, Cook-street, Hamilton East, containing one acre.