Controversial school principal Dale Butler has been rapped by education chiefs for his treatment of three students caught stealing. They described his action as "mediaeval''.

But last night Mr. Butler defended his actions, saying the punishment was a last resort.

He also said he would be faced with a moral dilemma if elected an PLP MP -- and that he would not be able to support the party line calling for the banning of corporal punishment.

The Northlands Primary School head is standing as a PLP candidate in the Warwick East constituency in the next election.

Political supporters are believed to have been embarrassed by the beating he dished out to the three students.

Mr. Butler hit the headlines last week after he administered the strapping in front of the rest of the school in a morning assembly.

And while the Education Act's Code of Conduct does not stipulate where punishments should be meted out, The Royal Gazette has learned that education chiefs have condemned the fact that the beatings did not take place behind closed doors.

The Chief Education Officer Joseph Christopher contacted Mr. Butler and expressed his concern at the manner in which the three boys were disciplined.

Mr. Butler spoke of the dilemma he now faced.

"Because I haven't been elected and the PLP does not pay my salary my first responsibility is to my school,'' he said.

"But if I was elected I would be faced with a moral dilemma. I will not be carrying the banner one way or the other but when the party wants to discuss it I will make my feelings known.

"The Chief Education Officer did call me and say that he thought it was a mediaeval type of action but realised that I didn't break any rules.'' Opposition MPs have repeatedly expressed their disapproval of corporal punishment.

But yesterday PLP Leader Jennifer Smith refused to comment on speculation that Mr. Butler's actions had caused a rift in the party.

"Our views are well known and articulated in writing,'' she said.

"We are against the use of corporal punishment and that is the party stance.

But I will not be drawn into a discussion on what a principal did legally under the current act.'' A spokesman for the party added: "From a political standpoint the retention of corporal punishment was discussed in the House of Assembly last year and I am sure I am right in saying that the PLP called for the act to be amended to remove corporal punishment.

"But there isn't a stance on corporal punishment and it's not a case of toeing the party line.

"People are looking at the fact that this punishment was carried out in front of the whole school but we don't have a policy on an individual principal's behaviour and I can't really comment on the circumstances of this case.'' Newly appointed Education Minister Tim Smith also condemned the fact that the beatings were witnessed by the whole school.

And he also said that Mr. Dale's stance on corporal punishment illustrated a split within the PLP ranks over the issue.

"Philosophically I support corporal punishment and certainly Mr. Butler carried out the punishment within the guidelines of the code of conduct,'' he said.

"We delegate the responsibility of carrying out discipline to each principal and I rely on them to exercise their good judgment and discretion. I think Mr.

Butler did that in this case.

"Having said that, the code of conduct is silent on discipline being carried out in an assembly.

"But I believe in praise in public and discipline in private and, when I was at school, if anyone was getting caned it was done in private. That is my view and also the view of the Chief Education Officer.

"Politically I think we are talking about a serious issue here -- the care of our children -- and this shows a severe gorge between the view of the leadership and the view of Mr. Butler.'' But Northlands PTA president Leonard Santucci defended Mr. Butler's actions.

"I don't have a problem with it -- spanking is a form of guidance and the children's behaviour was destructive,'' he said.