THE EDUCATION QUESTION. REPLY TO "THE CATHOLIC CASE STATED."

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 247, 18 October 1893, Page 2

THE EDUCATION QUESTION. REPLY TO "THE CATHOLIC CASE STATED."

(To the Editor.)

Sik, —" Justice," in your issue of October 6'th, complains of being "compelled co support Stuto secular schuols, whoso teaching wo canuob conscientiously uupport." " Justice " fails to see the fact that there is no connection whatever beewcen bho religious conßcienco and tho State secular Bchools ; tho two questions aro as separate from each other aa tho east ia from tho west. Compulsory secular education by tho State is to maintain national prestige, in tho sense that a standing army is to maintain national prestige. Surely the time now is when intelligence in arts and sciences is as necessary for a nation's oxistonce aa handling tho sword. There is, therefore, no curtailmonb of religious liborty when the majority of a nation says that the children must bo educated in secular knowledge. Again, he complains of being doubly taxed. I suppose ho means taxed by his own denomination, and taxed by the State, but surely his own denomination cannot compol him to pay, a voluntary subscription cannob bo called a tax. " Justice " advocates a striko, and to turn all their children into the State schools, which, ho says, would cost tho State an additional sum of £00,000 a year. But what of that, surely our Roman Catholic friends would givo the Stata tho benefit of thoir superior window and administrative ability, and save the £60,000, which " Juatico" Rays is wanted at present, our colony would then bo £10,000 a yonr richer by tho strike. Hut " Justice " avoids, porhaps dosiguedly avoids, the point of the question, which point is religious liberty. lie ought to say straight out that the "New Zealand Constitution should bo amended so as not to embody roligious liberty, for it ia impossible to give Sbato aid to roligious donominationa and give religious liberty at the flame time. Some would be compelled to pay for tho support of loligious dogmas in which they did nob believe Now, religious liborty is nob complete rill no one is compelled to do so. I think, however, that tho spirit of the compulsory clause would make ib imporativo that all denominational and private schools should bo inspected, so 1 canndb see any reason why tho State should rofuse to inspect the Roman Catholic schools when I asked to do so.—Yours otc, A. Scott.