THE HARRISON CHARGES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3097, 21 May 1892, Page 2

THE HARRISON CHARGES.

MR HARRISON'S DEFENCE. (by tklkgraph—own correspondent). Auckland, Last Night. Tim Board of Education yesterday, in committee, further investigated the charges against Mr Harrison, headmaster of the Ueresford-street school. Mr Harrison made a lengthy statement to the elfect that since he had charge of the Beresford-sfreet school he had taken certain precautions with a view to the detection of objectionable practices on the part of boys, and that whenever he suspected boys of such practices ho took certain steps to satisfy himself on the subject, and frequently advised or warned lads of the risks they ran, this being a practice which he had observed for so many years, and which he claimed to have carried out as a duty. He did not, when the charges were first made, realise what he was really accused of, beine of the opinion that it was something very much more serious, and to this fact he attributed some inconsistency between his present explanation and the defence first set up. Dr. Haines was next called upon to give evidence, and he stated that he was of opinion that it was the duty of a schoolmaster occupying the position Mr Harrison did to act as Mr Harrison now said he acted. That boys in public schools were liable to adopt injurious habits, which it was the duty of the teacher to detect and check. There were, lie said, various methods of checking this practice, and the method adopted hy Mr Harrison was one method. J)r. Haines also spoke of the mental condition in .vhich Mr Harrison was at the previous enquiry, stating the fact that he was in si state of collapse, caused by the seriousness of the charge which he then supposed had been made against him. A number of witnesses, includiug teachers and boys attending the school, testified to Mr Harrison's high character and admirable conduct in conducting the school. Evidence is still being taken, and the enquiry will probably be closed to-morrow.