§ Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Minister of Education whether her attention has been called to the case of a child eight years of age recently hit with a rubber instrument and injured by a headmaster; and whether she will consider issuing instructions to all schools under her jurisdiction to the effect that all forms of whipping, flogging and hitting or other forms of corporal punishment on small children are liable to be treated as bodily assault and action taken in the courts for any infringement.
§ Miss WilkinsonI have seen the newspaper reports of this case. The school in question is not one which falls within my jurisdiction. With regard to the second part of the Question, there is no evidence that the schools under my jurisdiction require any such instructions as those suggested.