THE REPORTED FLOGGING CASE.
An enquiry into the charge that a boy was flogged at Te Aro School because ho wont unprovided with proper books was held by the School Committee on Friday afternoon. Mr T. Ralph presided, and there were also present Messrs J. Collins, Gill, Marshall, Richards, * Evans, Flyger and Foster.
Mrs Eades, the mother of tho boy, sakl he wont to school without his books because she could not afford to get them. The teacher had told him to bring the books. On this particular day the teacher, Miss Firth, asked him if he bad got them, he told her his mother could not afford to get them, and she told him to stand out of his seat in order that he might go to the head-master (Mr Watson), and be caned. He would not stand out> and she beat him over tho legs. When witness got home that morning she found him crying at the gate, and he told her that the teacher beat him because he had not got any books. The boy had not been to school since. She was keeping him away because ho had not got any books. She bought two books second-hand off another boy named Bell, and her son took those books with him. He was not punished for disobedience in not standing out when ordered. She examined his legs, and found weals on them, which had been made by a cane. Sho had always found her boy to be truthful. Mr Van Staveren asked her why the children were not at school, and sho told him because they had no books and no boots.
