I made a formal complaint to TVNZ and the Broadcasting Standards Authority after Chrisine Rankin claimed on national television that "child abuse is a Maori problem and it's time Maori faced up to it. The complaint was not upheld on the grounds that "not many people would have been offended by the comments". This one's for you Christine, and all the other know it all's who claim to "represent abused kids" - while exploiting the system for their own profit, it's time people faced up to THIS:From the Native School Teachers Log Books, this one from Karioi Native School, for the WAI262 report, 2000. All Log Books held at the National Archives:
After a large amount of forbearance I have to resort to the ‘stick’ in earnest. Fred Rameka and Richard Mau on being ‘stood out’ for talking, played and laughed and generally made a ‘good joke’ of it. I gave them each 2 sharp strokes…
B Hawkins, 18 February 1898
Te Pohi a new boy came to school. He was inclined to be impudent & one day I told him to go into the cupboard for doing what he had been told not to do. He was sulky & refused so obstinately that it was necessary to cane him. Since then on Nov 4th (1899) Paora was caned for disobedience.
Agnes Grant, c November 1899
On 5th April (1900) I was obliged to cane Taupiri again for deliberate disobedience
& sulkiness.
On Wednesday 4th July (1900) I caned Taupiri for sulking & she has since been very amiable. Agnes Grant.
On April 16th (1900) Riwaru a very small boy who had only been a short time at school refused to go into the cupboard when I told him to go. He had no idea of obedience in school & I thought the stick would be less lightly to frighten him than the cupboard & so gave it instead. Agnes Grant, c April 1900
On Feb 13th (1901) I caned Iwi for impudent & deliberate
disobedience…On Feb 22nd (1901) I was obliged to cane Iwi again for insubordination. She has been better since.
Agnes Grant, c February 1901
In the case of the little girl who is partly a negress I have to my regret been obliged to make an entire exception to my usual methods of management. I have tried with the this child special kindness, special rewards, speaking to her alone, laughing at her, putting her in the corner, giving her impositions, keeping her in till nearly dark, shutting her up alone, expelling her for a week & caning her, & the last seems to be the only thing which really appeals to her & makes her try to do better.
Agnes Grant, c December 1902
Both Matenga and Te Aonui preferred the cane to the strap & we decided that in future I should try if one hit was sufficient & only give more when it proved quite necessary. I explained to them that my reason for caning on the calf of the leg was that I had heard of the bones of the hand being injured by caning. Grant 1902
I had much trouble with carelessness in pen & ink writing & Arthur & Waru were punished for this offence: the result was a marked improvement in their written work.
Agnes Grant, c April 1904
I also had to give Ema the strap. Ema is the child with negro blood who has always been such a difficult child to manage. Agnes Grant, c July 1903
Punished Sam French (4 cuts in back) for scratching a desk with a piece of glass also 2 cuts his sister for doing same.
D Hamilton, 9 July 1895
Gave Hone 5 on each hand with strap, for his absence yesterday.
W Leach, 31 August 1903
Okoha 1900–1904 (BAAA 1003/2k) William Hemi received corporal punishment for using bad language, followed by disobedience & defiance leading to a ‘scene’.
Bertha Baigent, 24 October 1900
Punished Willie Walker & Edwin Hemi for want of application. Both these boys are bright & intelligent but have become somewhat lazy over their work & do not use their brains sufficiently.
Bertha Baigent, 14 March 1901
Gave Rowney, W Waha & M A Murray a hand each for running away from school in the afternoon to eat peaches.
Teacher, 19 March 1890
Gave Tutere a good cut across the back for rank disobedience.
Teacher, 11 November 1890
Marella Rider asserts she was caned but that is not correct. The cane came in contact with her because of her various movements.
Alexander Mackenzie, 23 November 1897
The Committee wish only English to be spoken in school and playground.
Alexander Mackenzie, 1 July 1899
Papawai 1898–1903 (BAAA 1003/4a)
Percy Tilson recd 4 strokes of the cane for idleness.
P H Clemance, 10 February 1898
Basil Burch for coming to school with extremely dirty hands received 2 strokes with the cane. P H Clemance, 5 June 1899
Have expelled Edward Noble for impertinence. I left the room for a minute & when I returned I found him calling out to the teacher Miss Porter and would not be quiet. I boxed his head & he was then impudent to me & when told to be quiet refused & I then said that I would punish him more. He said he would like to see me try. I expected if I hit him again he would hit me so I told him to leave the school. The expulsion is of course subject to Committee consent.
Alfred Walsh, 6 June 1901 (pencil note by Harry Kirk in log book with comment dangerous practise above reference to boxing pupil’s head)
Hine, Mango, Ane and Miriana for persistent telling, copying, and trifling, each received one stripe on shoulders.
A Wilson, 21 June 1900
Ane and Powhiri caned on shoulders for persistent trifling.
A Wilson, 7 August 1900
Powhiri, for persistent talking, caned on shoulders.
A Wilson, 13 August 1900
Te Oke I light stroke with the cane for persistent disobedience. She is only about 8 years old.
A Wilson, 27 August 1900
Had to cane Tiini Wetere for persistent telling.
Ane Wiremu kept in for persistent telling, refused to answer for the space of half an hour – one stripe on each hand. After an interval still refused to answer or to hold out hand – caned on shoulders. Then made answer.
A Wilson, 20 September 1900
Caned Ngaha, Hautana, Tumate and Whati also Honai during morning
school for persistent whispering. A Wilson, 25 October 1900
In afternoon Hine Tarawhiti, being offended because her little sister was not allowed to sit next to her, declined to work. After a considerable interval I spoke to her and she declined to answer, finally answered insolently. Caned her across shoulders and sent a note to her mother asking her to come over. Father is unfortunately away. After sobbing a lot she left her seat declaring she would take her sister away. I had to give her two more cuts before she
would return to her seat.
A Wilson, 21 May 1901
On Thursday Sept 15th (1900) I caned Paora Matenga for sulks. I had been
having a great deal of trouble with sulks, so I caned him in front of the school in hopes the others would take a warning. It made a great impression
& all the girls wept aloud in sympathy for him. I find sulks very difficult to
deal with.
Agnes Grant, c September 1900
I have read several this morning, hundreds of incidents of child abuse by Pakeha teachers at Native Maori Schools from 1880 - 1930.
Today Maori are blaimed everywhere for abusing their children, they have had wonderful role models in the Pakeha have they not?!! I am incensed at the cruelty these stories record, and in the handwriting of the teachers who have done this!!
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