TROUBLE AT TE KARAKA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3510, 29 April 1912, Page 2

TROUBLE AT TE KARAKA.

SCHOOL-TEACHER AND PARENT. ANGRY - WORDS. USED. j The sequel to a violent incident ] which occurred in the To Kanaka school in. March, was hoard in the i Magistrate’s Court before Mr W. A. ( Barton, 5.M.,, on Saturday, when ! Katherine King, school teacher (Mr Barnard, instructed by he Hawke’s Bay Education Board) proceeded ag- j ainst Emily Clayton (Mr Blair). Dofondant pleaded not guilty to all three charges, which were as follow: (1) That she did upbraid the teacher in the hearing of the assembled school (under section 168 of the Education Act); (2) that she trespassed on the school property ; (3) that she usod insulting language to tho complainant. The last-mentioned charge was laid under the Justices of the Peace Act, with a view to, having defendant bound over by surety to keep / the peace. It was agreed that tho i three charges should be heard, together. _ • 1 Mr Buranard, in opening, said that the cases were brought for the pur pose of having the authority of tho school upheld and lie did not desire to press for a penaly ol a severe nature. During the morning interval on Friday March 1 defendant burst j into the class-room without knocking, and approached Miss King, using violent language/’ and offering to smack the teachers’ face. When requested to leave the room, defendant twice refused to do so. Defendant then became more excited, and said she would not let “a thing, like her” (meaning Miss King) strike her children, and that her children would not be taught “by a nig like her.” The, pupils heard some or this language, and three of them would be called to give evidence. On tbe point i*r f o whether it might be 1 rid ‘hat Hie -.’bool »vas ( not assembled, counsel laid some stress, holding that, although it was an interval the children were, within tho meaning of the Act, assembled. This was shown by section 143, subsection b, which provided that a school should be open for five days of each week, for at least four hours a day, two hours in tho morning and two in the afternoon. The children were under discipline, only they happened to he having a spell in the open air instead of learning something. Mr Burnard read several letters leading up to the case, and referring to aii inquiry by tho school committee. He handed tho letters in. Mr. R. J- Sefton, Headmaster of Te Karaka School, said that complainant was a relieving teacher at tho school. Tho school hours were from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a quarter of an hour interval in the morning and an hour for lunch. During the interval, the teachers were on duty. No teacher could leave the premises between 9 and 12 without leave and the children were under discipline during the interval. To Mr. Blair: Defendant’s children were granted special permission to go homo during the interval. During the interval on March Ist, witness went to his house for some composition papers. Witness got a letter from complainant on February 29th, stating that Miss King had treated her children harshly. He did not replv. Occasionally parents came to see him during school hours. To Mr. Burnard: He had received complaints from no parents regarding Miss King. , . ~ . Katherine" King, complainant, said that during the morning interval after 10.30 a.m., on March Ist, defendant rushed into the school, her face livid with rage, and asked if witness took a delight'in strapping her children. Witness said that _ they would bo strapped every day if they deserved it, and defendant said she would take them away. Witness told her it was the l>est thing she could do. whereupon defendant got past herself with temper, exclaiming: “How dare you touch mv Edna.”- Witness told her to leave the room, and she said, “Indeed, I won’t for a thing like you.” Defendant said she would not leave the room, and proceeded to abuse witness, threatening to slap her face. Witness left the room, and went into tho headmaster’s room, shutting the door, ancl so preventing defendant from entering. A number of children were in the porch and several in front of the room, all within hearing of what had been said. To Mr. Blair: Witness said she did not think she punished Edna Clayton nearly every day. Mr. Sefton told witness that he had received a letter from defendant, complaining about her treatement of the Clayton children. She punished Edna Clayton shortly before the interval on March Ist, "but not severely. The punishment was for failing to prepare a lesson when told to do so. She told the committee that slio strapped the child, because she (the child) would not learn her lessons. She struck the child on the hand, with a leather strap. Just as she treated the other children. She did not remember shaking Edna Clayton. , When defendant entered the room, witness shut the door, and the eonversation took place near this door. She was perfectly certain that defendant threatened to smack lici face. She did not remhember havin'l' punished tho hoy Clayton up to tins elate, but might have done so. After the interval in question, she struck the bov Clayton on the legs very lightly, "for being inattentive. She was not now afraid that defendant would do her physical bodily harm. ~ , ~ Hinemoa Rru said she was a pupil at the Te Karaka School, and remembered Mrs Clayton coming to the school on March Ist. Defendant rushed in to Miss King’s room and the latter closed the door. Irom the porch she could hear Mrs Clayton speaking angrily. Herbert Stevenson, another pupil, said that when Miss King was leaving the rooms, he was on the doorstep and heard defendant say, “I won’t have my children strapped by a little pig like you.” . Harold Powell, also a pupil, said that defendant said to Miss Kins', “You’re a rotten little pig; I’ll smack your fade.” ' , .. To Mr Blair: He hoard those words' from a boy who heard them used. Miss Pickling, teacher, said. that, when she was teaching at Te Karaka school, she received complaints from Mrs Clayton about her children, onco about the punishment they received. She onco; gave a merit prize to Edna Clayton. She had found it necessary •several times to punish this child, using the strap onco. Mr. Sefton, recalled, said he had received complaints from Mrs Clayton about the manner in which pupil teachers had treated the children Clayton. ' His Worship adjourned the case until 11.30 a.m. to-day. Mr. Blair intimated that he would movo for a dismissal.