PUPILS BARRED OVER DRUG FIND

Hamilton Boys High School has suspended 24 pupils from its hostel
after police found some of them smoking cannabis in the school grounds.

One of the pupils is alleged to have been selling cannabis to other
boys in the hostel.

He was the only one suspended from the school itself and his future
there is uncertain. The board of trustees will meet this week to
decide whether to expel him.

Principal Susan Hassall said she was confident all those involved had
been identified.

Investigations into cannabis use at the hostel, Argyle House, began
late on July 31 when police found some pupils smoking cannabis. They
reported the boys to school authorities.

Inquiries revealed that 24 of the 125 boys in the hostel were involved
in some way.

The boys, aged between 14 and 16, were suspended from the hostel and
sent home. All but seven have since been reinstated.

Two of the seven have withdrawn from the school.

Police are not taking any further action.

Mrs Hassall said she was bitterly disappointed with the pupils. "We
are proud of the record we have."

The school, one of Waikato's biggest with a roll of 1350, had a firm
policy against drug use, she said.